AIBU & nosey? Do you work from home?

[RadioTimesCE]

Just really interested to see what you do if you work from home? I often see people talking about Avon & Usborne books, but wonder can you really make a decent living from it?

I've recently got into selling online from home, just bits & bobs from my local auction, but so far i'm enjoying the solitude anyone else sell online & what do you feel sells well?

Do you think working from home can work long term or could the solitude become very lonely?

[Topseyt]

I am working from home for the next few weeks, and have been since well before Christmas. It is office admin work but the majority is done via the internet. From my office laptop, which I bring home, I can get into the systems we use, which could be anywhere in the country. The days when you really had to do it all from an office have gone now, though working from home still isn't the way many employers operate.

For most of the late spring, summer and early autumn I do go into the office, but when my manager is away I work via the computer at home. It suits me very well. He is abroad for most of the winter and has an office there. All "face to face" discussions are via Skype, and the rest is via the internet one way or another.

It took me years to find suitable work like this. I must say I do really wonder why more employers cannot offer it as an option for women who want to work, but who have problems with affordable childcare so are unable. I have always thought that there looks to be so much wasted talent at the school gates.

[Topseyt]

Oh, and I like solitude. I work well that way. I only work mornings though, so my afternoons are free to walk the dog, do the shopping, be taxi service to the kids for after school clubs etc.

Suits me completely.

[Mistigri]

I don't think catalogue type jobs ever bring in more than pocket money (unless you are fantastically dedicated).

I work from home as an economist working in a specialist field (previously self-employed, now employed full-time but working mainly from home) and my husband is a freelance medical translator also working from home. These days I'd actually rather work in an office, for social reasons and because it's a lot easier to maintain a work-life balance if you can walk away at 5pm.

[minibmw2010]

I'm in a similar position to Topseyt, work from home doing work for my boss who runs his own law firm. I do about 30 hours a week and will up to about 35 when DS starts school in September. He waited for me to finish maternity and it's worked out really well for me.

[mrsmootoo]

I work from home most of the time about 20 hours per week, but have a job where I have to go into various offices for meetings about twice a week, plus emails and phone calls of course. I really like the flexibility of mostly setting my own work schedule and it being mostly within the school day plus some evenings, which suits me as DCs still at school. I don't think I would like to be completely without any contact with colleagues at all. Also it means I can see friends in the day easily.

[travailtotravel]

My job is home based - all our team are remote. We meet in London about twice a month for meetings in a rented meeting space and use skype and other online meeting tools for other communication.

However, there is no way I could do the hours that are required if I had children around me or in any kind of way where I could not be entirely committed to the job at hand - I don't even to the laundry and barely step away from my desk during my normal working day.

There is flexibility in it, but most of the people we work with are around during the day, so I have to be too - and even into the evening and early mornings taking complex calls with some clients who are at either side of the world.

In terms of what it brings in, I am a higher rate tax payer for about 40-45 hours per week.

[APocketfulOfSpondulix]

I work from home as a website content writer. I make a decent living which goes far because we live in a country with low living costs. I know I am lucky but sometimes I really miss office banter and going to lunch with people etc.

[Charlotte3333]

I work in a school 2/3 days a week and from home for a few hours on top doing accounts. I love the flexibility of the accounts; if the boys are off school I can be completely flexible around them. But I love being in school and the social side of getting out of the house and being around other adults, too. It's a great thing, working from home, if you don't mind the peace.

[bobbyjoe]

I've worked from home for over 10 years now. The early years it was the practical option in that I could take DC to school and pick up then get back to work (DC managed to keep occupied for a couple of hours after or some days I used after school club). The middle years I really missed office life and thought about giving up and going back to it. In recent years though friends talk about the hell of commuting, office politics, the expense of everything (I must save thousands a year on not buying sandwiches, coffees, work clothes, transport costs, tights even) that I'm not sure I'll go back to it. Not sure if I'm lonely. I see friends and chat to lots of people. I think it has made me more solitary but I don't feel lonely as such. On balance I would say it's been good with DCs.