If you’re considering working from home as an option for a return to work, you may want to think about these factors before you take the plunge: On the plus-side:

• You can work the hours that suit you.

• You could work, say, school hours and term-time only. This is very hard to achieve in a formal workplace setting, with few employers prepared to allow employees to take up to six weeks off at a time over the summer.

• When your baby is young, you can work when he or she is asleep, and/or at weekends if your partner wants to spend a bit of quality time with the little one.

• When your child is older, you can drop him or her off at school, come home, get the washing on and have a tidy round, then get down to work for the day.

• If you or your child is ill, it’s no problem to take time off, since your work is so flexible you can always make up the time later.

• Same thing if you just fancy a day to yourself to go and sit in a cafe with a good book!

• You’re in a familiar, comfortable environment.

• If you need a plumber or electrician to come round, you don’t need to take the day off.

• You don’t have to listen to all that background noise that you find in an office and can concentrate on what you’re doing. On the negative-side:

• It’s not as secure as regular employment. You’ll be either self-employed or employed on a casual basis which means that unless you generate the work or are lucky enough to be given work on any given week, you may not have a regular, reliable income.

• People tend to phone you and email you throughout the day for a chat – they seem to think that working from home and being at home are the same thing. Be clear with your friends and family that during the day you’re out of bounds!

• You would not believe how many people come to knock on your door during the day. Salesmen; postmen; deliverymen wanting you to accept a parcel for next door; religious organisations; people who are lost – the list goes on.

• It’s very tempting to check Facebook or other social networks when you’re supposed to be working, and before you know it, an hour has gone by without any work getting done.

• It’s also hard to concentrate on your work if you know that the ironing needs doing or something needs tidying. So tidy and get everything done the night before then lock yourself in your office space during the day if that’s when you’ve got time set aside to work.

• It can be hard to be self-motivating. Set yourself deadlines and stick to them or you’ll only be worried about the work until it’s done.

• It’s hard to switch off from work if you’re working from home, since you’re constantly reminded of what needs doing every time you walk past your work papers or computer. If you can, set aside a room in your house where you can literally shut the door when you’ve done for the day, making it easier for you to shut down that part of your brain and not think about it until the next working day.

Home working may not be ideal but it’s often the best solution for mums who either can’t work part-time hours that suit their family or don’t like the idea of being stuck at work when their child is ill, or having to go cap in hand to their boss to ask to go home early if their little one needs picking up unexpectedly. It can be lucrative but it takes a lot of hard-work and commitment to keeping the work coming in. If you are seeking working from home then visit Workingmums.co.uk today for more information.