It’s the dream of countless workers and a reality for millions of people worldwide- working from home. Avoiding a commute is one part of the appeal, but being able to achieve the work-life balance they want is another. The flexibility that working from home affords makes it desirable for many.
As with all dreams, however, the reality of working from home is rather different from the dream. True, one can theoretically remain in one’s pyjamas all day but logistically once you realise that you have children, pets, parents and others who flutter in and out of the home throughout the day, the pyjama part flies out the window. More to the point, even without children, pets or parents, there is always the likelihood of the unexpected guest, especially once they hear that you’re working from home. Suddenly, everyone expects that coveted flexibility means you can do whatever whenever. And that leads to the unplanned pop-in.
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Along with foot traffic, there is the issue of finding an appropriate spot in your home to work. Nowadays, Wifi, cloud computing and mobiles make working virtually anywhere possible. You still need an area with proper lighting for the work you do, as well as space to perform the work and adequate electricity to power wired items or charge your laptop when the battery runs out. Once you start considering these factors, your home seems to be less hospitable to accommodating a permanent work area for you.
With the proper “garden” shed though, you can resurrect your work from home dream. In the late 1800s, Thomas Jefferson (the future president of the United States) designed a shed office for himself in the 5,000 acre Gardens of Monticello. Since then, the office shed has become a popular option and is available in a startling array of backyard workspaces.
While the “shoffices” that you see in lifestyle and design magazines are often magnificent structures featuring chrome and glass, you needn’t spend a fortune to get a functional yet charming office shed. Prefabricated garden shed kits are a great option for keeping the price down, as is taking a do-it-yourself route, if you or someone in your family is particularly handy.
Another option to consider is customising a garden or work shed to your specifications. The cost difference over a standard prefab kit is marginal, and you wind up being able to select features such as windows, skylights, shelving and more by taking this route. The resulting space is exactly what you need to maximise your productivity.
One thing to remember is that you may require council approval to erect a shed on your property. The other is that you will need to wire the shed to meet your electricity needs. Of course, this later requirement is offset by the realisation that you can keep a bar fridge in your shed stocked with refreshments and your lunch!