Shedworking guru Alex Johnson

What dark forces drove you from the civilised arms of the traditional office?

I’d like to claim it was because I realised the environmental benefits, that technology had moved on apace and I wanted a better life/work balance. In fact, it was down both times (during the mid-1990s and then, after a four year break, since 2002) to my bosses’ suggestion. Both were quite visionary in their ability to see the rewards for everybody concerned in homeworking, particularly the first one, Martin King, who is now doing a great job heading up the Independent’s website and is a keen champion of shedworking.

Was working from a shed your first choice or was there a viable alternative?

The first choice was to buy a bigger house with an extra room. To do that and stay in our area – which we wanted to do – would have cost in the region of £100,000. So my £5,000 garden office seemed a better bet and certainly better than working in the baby’s bedroom which is what I had been doing for several months.

How long have you been based there and how long do you plan to stay shedworking?

Closing in on four years. I’ve no plans to deshed.

What practical obstacles did you have to overcome to make your shed a functioning workspace?

Honestly, none. It’s dry, waterproof, has a heater, all the electrics, etc. The biggest problem was probably preventing it from becoming a dumping ground for overspill from the house.

How long does it take you to reach your shed each morning and what mode of transport do you use?

It takes me about 10 seconds. I like to sprint there with my legs.

Hand on heart, would you say there is nothing you miss about office working?

I miss being able to nip out for a swift half with colleagues.

How does the view now compare with that from your last office?

They’re very different. My last office overlooked Gran Via in Madrid, the main street through the city, so that was pretty impressive. Now I can see the back of my house and my garden (and my second shed). The difference really is the sound – there it was pretty urban, here it’s the nesting blue tits.

What motivates you to start and stay working each
day (or night)?

Deadlines. Money. Blogging. Coffee. Radio 3. Nice people getting in touch.

How long did you spend polishing the kitchen and bathroom this morning?

Actually, the cleaner came this morning. So about an hour. Normally, about two minutes.

Does your work leach into time you’d ideally designate personal time or have you a secret formula that protects your leisure time?

No, I’m entirely leached, especially as I wi-fi away from the shed on the sofa in the sitting room. However, most of that time is working on various sheddish projects so that technically counts as leisure time in my book. Perhaps you should ask my wife?

Do you share your shed with any other people or sentient life forms?

A few flies and bees get in sometimes. There’s always a spider or two. And I often have seedlings so there’s probably some little things in the soil. Does homebrewed cider count as sentient? No humans, thank goodness.

If no, how do you cope with the sense of sometimes being cut off from the rest of the world?

I don’t feel that cut off. I live in a terraced house in a friendly street in the middle of a (admittedly titchy) city, I make sure I get out every day to see people. I also do the school run and pick-ups three days a week so I see plenty of other parents and indeed homeworkers then. I have lunch with my wife twice a week. Email, skype and the internet in general are also very helpful.

Do your family/pets/friends respect your shed/work boundaries – or not?

Yes. There’s nothing more beautiful than a lockable door on a detached garden office. 

How would you, in words suitable for publication, describe your relationship with your internet service provider?

Married with two small kids but always considering a quick fling with the attractive neighbour across the road who seems interested.

On what terms would you contemplate a return to the other side?

A large roomful of money. Even then I’m not sure I would – the disruption to my life would be so great that I don’t think it would be worth it until the children leave the mothershed.

Shedworking by Alex Johnson will be published by The Friday Project in summer 2008

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