It has become much easier to work away from the office, but whether that is from your home or a coffee shop with a view of the beach, you need to make sure you avoid some common pitfalls.
Mariaan Jacklin, an occupational therapist at treatment centre Akeso Milnerton in Cape Town, says that despite little research on the subject, people assume that "working remotely has positive effects for the worker".
The assumption is that working remotely will improve your work-life balance and prevent burnout, but "the opposite may also be true, particularly where flexibility in daily schedules could lead to either too little or too much time spent working, as well as inconsistent sleep and wake patterns".
She has the following advice:
• You need to create a clear line between work and play to avoid the "always on" trap;
• You need to explain to children you are actually "at work", even though you are sitting at the dining-room table; and
• Be aware that working remotely gives workers a sense of autonomy, but it can also lead to a sense of isolation and even test the worker-manager relationship.
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