Working away from home

[FMCG]

Very much depends on the person and sector of work plus personal preference.

I am more productive and enjoy being on site rather than work from home (okay sometimes I do WFH on Fridays ).

Drive/fly/whatever early Monday and return home Thursday evening or leave client site at noon on Fridays. USA gigs used to be a pain as meant weekend travel and so now avoid these.

Luckily, charge client for hotels/food/etc and have free reign to book hotels as and when I choose (eg decided to come and work on site today and so booked in last night but will be home for family/friends by the evening), so to a degree come and go as I please.

As a "seasoned" contractor - if looking back, would I earn less and spend more time with family versus freedom to pick the contracts that I enjoy............probably stick with (most of) the choices that I have made.

Working away from home is not a lifestyle that suits all eg a lot of couples experience "domestic challenges".

You have the best of both worlds with the proposed contract and will know by the end of it, if working away suits you.

[WLB2018]

Like others have said, its down to your own personal situation.

If it was me I would drive over to the client Tuesday morning, stay Tuesday/Wednesday nights and then come home Thursday evening, depending on the hours you could leave early on the Thursday.

Gives a good overall work life balance and as you said its only 6 months...

WLB.

[whirlpool]

Take the A134 to Betchley Park, Sorry the A154 as the A134 has roadworks at the moment.
Turn left at the turnpike-3rd exit on Slipstream Roundabout, continue to ALDI.
Make sure the chicken you buy is crisp.
Return direction and meet and greet in-laws.
Pedal metal avoiding above.

Arrive happy and content.

Do this weekly for 6 months, check bank statement. Say Hallaluyah.

[Batcher]

I’d go the night before.
Done it plenty of times - driving, flying etc. I also try to include the concept that if I’m working away all week, that on a Friday I leave the office so that I’m home by 6pm.

+1

Sunday evenings are quieter for travelling and often hotel prices are almost half on a Sunday night. I prefer to get up refreshed on a Monday morning with a 15 minute walk to the office rather than face the early start around 5am then the hassle of travel on a Monday morning.

[Manic]

As you can see all of us are different. Sunday is my weekend so I would rather an early start Monday than lose my own time. I've been lucky that my away gigs have always afforded a Friday WFH and so I doubt i would consider a 4 night away stay.

[kryten22uk]

Just to add a slightly different angle to this, as I work from home on Monday morning and then drive to client at lunch (160miles).

Whilst I had no issue with being able to still work long hours despite driving at 5:30am, I mainly moved to my current pattern to avoid the M25 morning traffic mayhem.

[LondonManc]

Don't drive, it will test your sanity. Unless the other option is Southern Rail.

Travel Tuesday AM, use trivago or booking.com on Tuesday lunchtime and find a great last minute deal
Travel back Thursday evening, being aware that you'll have to wait until 6:57 for your first offpeak train.

Don't expect much of a social life outside of Friday and Saturday though tbh.

[Scrag Meister]

I live in the South West but tend to work somewhere near London.

On my last contract i was in Sunbury and rented a room nearby and as luck has it the contract lasted 17 months. Up Sunday, Home Thursday, WFH Friday.
Currently I am commuting Monday morning, AirBnb Monday-Wed nights, home on Thursday and WFH Friday.

AirBnb is slightly more expensive on a day basis but also means it doesnt cost you anything when you are WFH for a fortnight or on holiday, over Christmas for instance.
Its proved cheaper for me on the current gig due to only being away 3 nights a week.

Check how flexible the client is.

Working away has worked for me, enabling me to keep the London rate flowing but living in the idyllic countryside.

Nothing ventured and all that.