I started working from home 25 years ago, having negotiated a 4-day week with my employer. My first daughter had just been born, and I was determined to spend more time with my family.

Back then, I dedicated my 5th day to my creative output, keeping the two worlds entirely separate, but it laid the foundations to working from home full time. I had time to do the small things with my children so many full-time working parents didn’t.
After 15 years of successfully working the 4-day week, my role was made redundant, and I switched for a time to a 3-day a week office-based job with the remaining 2-days used to establish a consultancy practise. Without intending it, I was back to a 5-day week, so I made the consultancy my main occupation and established a 2-day business, 2-day creative schedule with the 5th day free to do whatever I chose. I have stayed with this flexible mix for the past 8 years and have seen the pros and cons of home working on various scales. They clearly differ from person to person, but I think there are some common findings.

The pros.
1. Flexibility: Working from home allows you to have a more flexible schedule, as you don’t have to commute to work and can work at your own pace.
2. Increased productivity: Without the distractions of an office, many people find they are more productive when working from home. They can work in a quiet and comfortable environment, without interruptions from co-workers or meetings.
3. Time savings: Without a commute, you can save time and energy that would otherwise be spent travelling to and from work. This can give you more time for other activities or work-related tasks.
4. Cost savings: Working from home can help you save money on transportation, parking, and other expenses associated with going to an office. You may also save on meals and other expenses that you would incur while at work.
5. Better work-life balance: With the flexibility to work from home, you can better balance your work and personal life. You can schedule your work around your family and personal commitments, making it easier to manage your time and responsibilities.
6. Improved health: Working from home can help reduce stress and improve mental health by eliminating the daily commute, reducing exposure to germs in the workplace, and allowing for more time for self-care activities like exercise or cooking healthy meals.
7. Increased autonomy: When working from home, you have more autonomy and control over your work environment, schedule, and workflow. This can lead to greater job satisfaction and motivation.

Working from home can offer many benefits for both employees and employers. It can improve work-life balance, boost productivity, reduce costs, and enhance overall well-being. While there are many advantages to working from home, there are also some potential disadvantages to consider.

We maintain sanity through coordinated communication and determined isolation

The cons.
1. Social isolation: Working from home can be isolating, as you may miss the social interactions and sense of community that comes with working in an office. This can lead to feelings of loneliness and decreased job satisfaction.
2. Distractions at home: While working from home can reduce some workplace distractions, it can also introduce new distractions such as family members, pets, or household chores. This can make it difficult to focus and stay productive.
3. Blurring of boundaries: When working from home, it’s challenging to separate work life from personal life, leading to longer work hours and decreased work-life balance.
4. Technical issues: Working from home requires a reliable internet connection and technology to communicate and collaborate with colleagues. Technical issues such as slow internet speed, software glitches, or hardware malfunctions can impede productivity.
5. Lack of structure: Working from home can make it more challenging to maintain a structured work schedule, which can lead to procrastination or disorganisation.
6. Difficulty collaborating with colleagues: Collaboration and communication can be more challenging when working remotely, leading to potential misunderstandings or delays in project completion.
7. Potential for burnout: When working from home, it can be tempting to work longer hours without taking proper breaks or time off, leading to burnout and decreased productivity.

While working from home can offer many benefits, it is important to consider these potential disadvantages and take steps to mitigate them. Maintaining regular communication with colleagues, setting boundaries, and taking breaks can help reduce the negative impact of these potential drawbacks.

Not every household has the space to establish a home office either in the home or garden. This and the increase of home working brought on by the pandemic has created a challenging home/work balance. Now that my daughters have graduated and started work, they remain based at home. We now house four flexible work patterns. Most days my wife works from home, with maybe one day a week on location. My youngest daughter commutes to London three days a week and works from home for two days. My eldest daughter works a shift pattern of 4-day 2 half-day 2 days off. Where I work from home full-time unless on remote consultancy.

What this means is that at any one time there may be between 1 and 4 people working from home. To cope we have turned the dining room into a studio, the spare bedroom into an office, the sitting room belongs to my wife during the day and any other need forces the individual to their bedroom.

We maintain sanity through coordinated communication and determined isolation, only coming together at lunch-time and once the working day is done. I do not long for the old days of 5-day weeks in the office, but it sure was simpler.

Sean Briggs helps creative teams improve their workflows. He also makes a living as a traditional and digital artist.