Working from home can be a mixed blessing. There’s no costly early-morning commute to endure and no need to get spruced up just to sit at a laptop in the spare room. All this saved time leaves space for heightened productivity and efficiency.
So why do so many people find themselves unable to focus long-term when working from home? And what can you do to break the cycle if you find yourself in this position?
Distractions
The number one slayer of productivity at home is the internet. Not only does it give access to work-related files, research information and emails, but it also takes away our time every time we sneak a look at Facebook or Twitter.
And it’s not only the internet that tries to seduce us away from work at home, as being surrounded by our own domestic landscape every day can be a potent distraction. If it’s not the washing that needs doing, then it’s the dog that needs walking, the kitchen that needs tidying or the bathroom that needs re-grouting.
If you find yourself with an important deadline looming but simply unable to maintain motivation, then it could be time to take a break from working at home.
Sometimes simply changing your surroundings for a short period can help, and it may be useful to work somewhere else for a day or two. There’s always the local cafe, but with often unsecured internet connections, mums with buggies and limited workspace, it’s not an ideal solution. This is where the growing phenomenon of the day office comes into its own.
Renting an office by the day
Performing a simple internet search for ‘day offices’ will bring up a number of companies offering office space to rent by the day or even hour up and down the country. Whether you’re looking for a day office Birmingham has to offer, or want somewhere to work for a few hours in London, the likelihood is that’s available out there somewhere and at a price to suit.
Most day offices come with all mod cons, such as internet access, printers, copiers and scanners. Copying and printing at home can be a laborious and long-winded business, so this fact alone can make them appealing. In addition, many day offices offer free refreshments, which can’t be a bad thing.
A further bonus is the ability to meet other workers just like yourself, to indulge in a chat around the water cooler, share ideas and make new contacts if you are that way inclined.
More and more home-workers are starting to consider using a day office for a couple of days a week just to break the monotony of working from home. Other users frequent them to work whilst travelling or on the move between meetings and conferences.
The upshot is that if home-working is starting to lose its appeal, there are places you can go to work that will give you the feeling of an office community without actually having to work in a traditional office environment.
With competitive prices and bookings available at short notice, a day office could be just the break from home that you need.
