Working from Vs. working in an office

katie_saver

Hello,
Just read an interesting article about working from home.Basically saying that it can be very bad for your health.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2012/aug/06/working-from-home-miss-office
I worked from home for approximately 2 years and I agree it hasits’ good and bad points. Whilst I loved the freedom and my flat was spotless(a welcome distraction from the laptop was cleaning weirdly!) I really missedthe human interaction. I would still be clock watching as I would in an office,waiting for 5pm to arrive so that I could go out and see my friends and have aconversation! Felt very lonely. This led to my spending more money than I everwould or could (due to being stuck in the office) by going to the pub,socialising or shops buying random stuff I didn’t need.

You need to have a routine with working from home too. Notonly for waking up at the same time every day but also finishing at the sametime every day. Not easy when your blackberry beeps at you every time you get awork related email. Hard not to sneak a peek at these emails even when out todinner with friends. I took far less holidays when I was working from homehowever I also never really switched off and was often working even on my daysoff.
Not good for you mentally.

And the guilt factor of the moment you leave the house, evenjust to nip out for lunch is guaranteed to be the moment an important email orphone call comes in, making you feel like you are skiving!

I now work in an office and whilst I miss my freedom and canget quite resentful of the long hours, I love the social interaction and I don’tspend so much money (because I am at my desk!!). And although I come hometired, because I haven’t had all day to clean and do the washing, I feel finestaying in most nights doing what ‘normal’ people do like chores.

Anyone else have experiences they would like to share?

sweaty_betty

I work in an office generally, but have the opportunity to work from home occasionally. For me, this is the best situation as I find it really hard to concentrate on writing a report when in an open plan office with the 'phones ringing and people chatting all the time. However, I think I would go slowly mad without interaction with other colleagues on a regular basis!