Working from home vs the office

One of the first major decisions to make when becoming self-employed is what location you will base yourself from. Some jobs may not even require an office location, your office could be your transport. However, most desk based roles will require a permanent location to work from and also a business address and at least a business telephone number to place on your website and stationary. The idea of working at home can sound an inviting prospect, your morning commute being the stairs and having the freedom to work around your daily routine. Many people choose to rent an office close by to their home, small office rental can be cheap and if you can find a serviced office everything is normally within the price (security, electric etc.)

So what option should you take?

When working from home it can be hard to switch off from work, you are always just a short walk back to your work area.

When working from home it’s easier to break up your day, taking breaks at the right moments can help your work more effectively

When working from home, you can get more time to be around your family

When working from an office, you can distance yourself from your workload of an evening

When working from an office, you can find it easier to create a workspace that won’t have background noise when talking to clients (dogs, kids)

When working from an office, you will still have to commute which will not only create fuel and travel costs but also time wasted travelling.

Working from an office you will have a location for client meets and a business address.

Working from home will save you money (rental & travel costs) and you could make yourself more responsive to new work arriving (evening work)

Whatever you choose, make sure it’s the right one for you. If you have office rentals nearby, seriously consider that option. If you have a home that has an area that can be exclusively used for an office area/work area without interruptions, then that should also be a serious option. There is no definite answer, it very much comes down to the individual and what will suit their situation.

Article by The Accountancy Partnership Website – www.theaccountancy.co.uk