Beyond Pyjamas: Building a Successful Business Working From Home
- Tony Cooper
- Apr 10
- 6 min read
Ditching the Commute and Building a Career
Back in 1999, I was an experienced NT server engineer living the dream. A perk of the job was well-paid gigs to Europe, including all flights and travel time to install new server infrastructure.
While installing a new "proxy server" for a large corporation, I suddenly had a window into the Internet and could see it being born. The ragtag of interconnected websites was in its infancy, and terrible graphics were the order of the day.
It was then that I realised that while getting paid to fly was not a bad way to earn a living, working from home was not only a possibility but also a way to escape the drudgery of the daily commute.
That was when I bought my first domain: storebuilder.co.uk.
Over the years, the project slowly grew until it eventually morphed into the spam-free version of what you see today, Webuildstores.co.uk.
Of course, there have been many ups and downs along the way. In this post, I will share the essential things I have learnt about working from home for those considering taking the plunge.
Pyjamas all day, setting your own hours, finally escaping that soul-crushing commute... sounds like paradise, right? Well, let me tell you, after twenty-five years of this "digital nomad" thing on and off, I've got some mixed feelings.
What's You're R'aison D'etre?
In the beginning, when I was daydreaming about freedom, I thought working from home would be a godsend. Now? The reality is more complicated than a Tolstoy novel!
The biggest reason I like to work from home is to avoid the regular commute. Spending two hours a day (or more) driving backwards and forwards to work wastes time that could be much better spent on productive creativity.
Leaving the house at 5:30 a.m. only to be confronted by a sea of blinking tail lights was soul-destroying. That was back then. I can't imagine what it's like today.
When I used to do a lot of contract work, commuting to London was a habitual chore. I would regularly stay away from home in a B&B to wake up refreshed and prepared for the next day's work rather than endure another commute.
The commute from the bed to the desk is my single most significant reason for wanting to work from home.
The Good Stuff: The Perks of Pyjamas (and More)
Let's start with the positives because there are definitely some perks:
Flexibility: Set your hours, work when you're most productive, and finally, say goodbye to that work commute.
It's a major win not having to deal with office politics or Karen from accounting complaining about the air conditioning. Plus, I can play my folksy tunes with only my dogs to raise a quizzical eyebrow!
It's normal for me to get up at 3 a.m. and start work on a project simply because I had the idea and I could. A lot of work-from-home advice will tell you that you should set boundaries and only work during "normal" office hours so that you can "switch off," but this defeats the whole point of being involved in what you do.
Working from home is as much a lifestyle choice as a business one. The beauty of doing something you love is that it doesn't feel like work at all, and you don't have a "job."
Comfort: Work in your pyjamas, create a workspace that inspires you, and enjoy the freedom to move around whenever you need a break.
I don't recommend working in your Jim Jams because it leads to a sloppy attitude. But if you want to do it occasionally, there is nothing wrong with that. I love my workspace and created it to reflect my interest in nature. That sterile work environment with its hot desks? Consigned to history.
Independence: Be your own boss, make your own rules, and take control of your career like never before.
The priceless perk of control—control over your time, your workspace, and your priorities. It's beautiful to be able to walk the dogs first thing in the morning rather than sit in the traffic queue from hell. To be able to pick up the grandkids from school is a welcome break from screen staring.
That flexibility isn't just a nice-to-have—it can be a game-changer in building a business that fits your life, not the other way around.
But it's not all sunshine and rainbows.
Alternative Reality: The Dark Side Of the Home Office
Now for the stuff they don't put in the glossy brochures:
Isolation: The hard truth is that working from home can be incredibly lonely. The lack of social interaction can affect your mental well-being.
When you start a business working from home, you will likely have no work colleagues and, most likely, no customers. This lack of human interaction can quickly lead to depression if you don't do something about it.
I got depressed without realising I was depressed. The signs were that I stopped listening to music, stared vacantly into space for minutes on end, became withdrawn, and would instead scroll social media rather than create content myself.
Fortunately, these days, this is a well-recognised problem of working from home, and there are plenty of Zoom meetings that you can join anonymously to connect with other people. Even a simple "study with me" group can have a positive effect as you see other people working away on their projects.
Frequent walks are a good idea; simply saying "good morning" to other people you meet can positively affect your brain.
If you feel isolated, try working in a coffee shop for a change of scenery or seek out a co-working space like this one I found in Telford.
Depression is a real thing, and it's not discriminatory, and that's why going into the office at least once a week if you get the opportunity is a good thing.
Distractions: Working from home means that other people might view you as their personal taxi or errand boy.
Ah, the siren scream of domesticity! Working from home might sound like paradise, but it often morphs into a never-ending stream of requests from those who think your flexible schedule means you're always "free."
Suddenly, you're not just a professional; you're the designated chauffeur, the grocery shopper, and the household handyman (or woman). When people realise you're available, they'll start viewing you as their personal assistant, regardless of your looming deadlines.
The only way to combat these "time vampires" – those well-meaning but utterly distracting family members or friends – is to embrace the dawn. Set your alarm early, switch on the Dolce Gusto, brew a strong cup of coffee, and dive into your most important tasks before anyone else wakes up.
Creating this protected zone of productivity allows you to accomplish a day's work before the requests start rolling in.
Blurred Boundaries: The freedom of working from home is a double-edged sword. While consigning the commute to the bin and working flexible hours are the holy grail, the constant proximity of work and home life can easily lead to overwork and eventual burnout.
It's easy for the lines to blur, resulting in a situation where you're "always on," constantly responding to emails or tackling tasks that bleed into your evenings and weekends.
The initial appeal of working in pyjamas as the ultimate casual uniform is also short-lived. After the novelty of skipping the ironing and matching shirts and ties wears off, you might discover that dressing down every day impacts your mindset, eroding your sense of professionalism.
I confess I miss wearing a suit and tie! Something about the ritual of dressing for work puts you in the right frame of mind.
Without that physical separation, it's simply too easy to slip into a less-than-professional attitude, where the lines between personal relaxation and professional dedication become dangerously indistinct.
Working from home is not for everyone. While it promises freedom and flexibility, be warned: the reality can be isolating, distracting, and lead to severe burnout if you're not careful.
The pyjama-clad fantasy quickly fades when work bleeds into every aspect of your life. So, proceed cautiously, establish boundaries, and prioritise your well-being above all else.
