The popularity of remote working is increasing with more people than ever choosing to work from home rather than in a conventional office environment but working in your home environment isn’t without its challenges and to ensure that you maintain productivity it’s important to have a dedicated workspace to help you maintain focus and clarity. When it comes to working from home there are typically two types of office setups, a home office or a garden office and each come with their own set of pros and cons.
Home Office
Pros
- Allows you to amalgamate home and office life
One of the many perks of working from home is being able to better balance your home and working life. Simple things like being able to put a load of laundry on during the day, or being able to sign for parcels when they are delivered can really make a difference and having your office within your home can facilitate this. - Can help cut the cost of childcare
A home office is a great option for parents as it allows them to supervise their children saving them the cost of childcare. - Can help to battle loneliness
Working remotely can be a very lonely experience with many people missing the interactions that they have with their colleagues in the office environment. A home office enables you to still interact with other members of your household or family, helping to stave off this feeling of isolation.
Cons
- You can be more easily distracted
Children, household chores and other family members can disrupt and distract you from your work reducing your productivity. - You may affect your home life balance
Bringing work into your home can tip your home life balance, making it harder to switch off from work at times when you should no longer be working. - A home office can lack professionalism
Meeting clients inside your home can lack professionalism and may mean that you need to find an alternative space to hold your meetings.
Garden Office
Pros
- A better division of work and home
A garden office can help you to divide your work life from your home life whilst still cutting out your morning commute. - It can increase property value
An outdoor building can increase the value of your property should you wish to sell it. - It looks more professional
A separate garden office looks more professional to prospective clients enabling you to take meetings at home without damaging your reputation.
Cons
- You may need planning permission
Building anything substantial in your garden may require planning permission, so it is best to seek help from building consulting services. - They can be costly to build
Although a garden office can save you money, in the long run, they can incur a significant upfront cost. - You will require a garden
The most obvious hindrance of a garden office is that you will require garden space to build one. Even if you have a garden you may not be willing to sacrifice your outdoor space to a building.
