1.
Separating work and family life -
You
will need to ensure that you have organised your home in the same
way that you would, had you been going to undertake a normal office
job. Daily routines, such as getting up to an alarm at a set time
each day, getting the children ready for school and walking the
dog, should all be undertaken as usual. Even though your daily
commute may consist of only a few steps be sure to start work at the
same time each day. Take a lunch break outside of the working
environment and finish, where possible, on time each day. The
benefit of a garden office allows you to segregate your work and
family life and therefore prevent distraction and help to balance
the day.
3. Being taken
seriously -
With a dedicated
office space it is easy to create a professional environment in
which to operate. This will also give credibility and helps to give
the right image for the work you are undertaking. If you have to
meet with clients then having an area that is purely designed for
its purpose this will help you to be taken more seriously. Friends
and Family will also be able to see that when you are in the garden
office, then you are at work.
4. Getting the job
done -
Being able to
shut yourself off from daily distractions will enable you to remain
as productive as possible. A garden office will provide a quiet,
dedicated area to work but will also offer the comfort in knowing
that you are never too far away.
5. Lack of privacy
-
Having an area that is totally separate from your household is
certainly the most secure option of retaining privacy. Somewhere
that you can work from where you have no worries that you will have
to share your area with unexpected visitors will give added peace of
mind to clients when you discuss confidentiality. For many
businesses this is such a key issue and if you are able to say your
clients that you have a dedicated garden office that you work from
it will put minds at rest.
6. Strain on family relationships -
You will need to be organized from the outset in order to maintain
a happy working environment within your home. Ensure that daily
tasks are shared with your partner or spouse. Make sure that the
children know that your garden office is your working space where
you have to go to work each day. By using a garden office you can
safely separate your work and family life and not be worried by the
strain on family living that can often be associated with home
working. Family members will not need to sacrifice living areas in
favour of your required office space.
7. Working too much -
This has to be one of the hardest points to maintain. In order to
properly manage your work-life balance you will need ultimate
discipline in this area. Don’t be tempted to check e-mails after
dinner and work late into the night. If you can treat working from
home in the same manner as you would, working in a corporate office
environment, then be sure to “go home”! Having the opportunity to
separate your work from your home will enable you to do this.
8. Feeling isolated
-
This is always going to be a problem facing many Teleworkers.
However, with today’s, advances in technology there are many ways to
keep in touch with the world. From video-conferencing, email and
MSN, there are many ways to keep in touch with the outside world. A
garden office is fully equipped to take a variety of technology.
With it being closely located to your home, you could operate a
wireless network for all your work and family requirements without
having to have extra phone lines. Although, working from home
alone, could seem quite an isolated environment, with technology at
your fingertips and adequate room within your garden office for a
visitor, isolation should be a manageable problem.
9. Self-discipline
or Self-management -
garden offices are designed to make you more productive in what
otherwise would be a very relaxed home environment. Your routine and
working schedule can then fit nicely together and you can be as
flexible as you need to be without wasting time. There are many
courses available to help you master time management and personal
development, if you feel that you could benefit from learning such
skills it may be an idea to undertake a course.
10.
Home office legal constraints
