Does working from home work for you?

At Which?, we are fortunate enough to be able to work from home occasionally, but thousands of people, from a wide range of industries, do it every day.

From entrepreneurs to electricians, and freelancers to fundraisers – the opportunities for home working are endless. Computing and telecoms technology allows many people to work without the constraints of an office.

Being your own boss – a blessing or a curse?

It can be hard to be your own boss, because you have to motivate yourself every day.

Personally, I know I couldn’t do it.  I’d too easily get distracted and would end up doing some cleaning or DIY instead of my work. That said, I’m sure the prospect of not earning any money would soon put a stop to my procrastination.

However, there are other responsibilities to take into consideration when you’re self-employed. It’s up to you to manage debts, keep accurate records of income and expenditure and deal with HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC).

Knowing what taxes you have to pay and the expenses you can claim back are just two vital aspects anyone thinking about becoming self-employed will need to get to grips with quickly.

Working from home: how would you do it?

Obviously, any job you decide to do should be something you’re interested in and enjoy – even more so when you’re self-employed.

We asked our Which? Convo Twitter followers how they feel about working from home.

Tmckinnin would like to start his working day with a lie in:

‘I would work from home any day because it’s better you don’t have to wake up early and save money each year on commuting/travel costs.’

Rellix agrees with Tmckinnin, but worries about the lack of social interaction:

‘Extra time in bed! Saving travel expenses. Less washing to deal with too. Couldn’t do a full week at home, need social contact’

If you already work from home, what do you do? What has been the biggest challenge? What advice would you give to someone who is thinking about working from home?

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