InnoVisions Canada
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He set up his own consulting business, while she commutes to the city for her full-time job.

"The challenge of a remote area is limited shopping, lack of entertainment and fine dining," he said when I asked what he missed.

But he can fish on the river, ice-fish on Lake Simcoe in the winter, go out in a canoe and barbecue his lunch.

What about working from home? Has it been hard to adapt?

"The rub is, it's more distracting here," he says. For example, he'll nip out to the garden in mid-week to do chores he'd normally do on weekends.

His move to the country has been a double-edged sword: Work expands into the time normally reserved for leisure and vice-versa.

Before you decide to leave the city, you have to decide whether or not to become self-employed.

The joys and pains of self-employment are almost totally independent of location, says Gil Gordon, a telecommuting expert based in Monmouth Junction, N.J.

Some people are suited to working for themselves and some are not. Figure out which type you are first.

"You may need to be embedded in a community of like-minded souls," he says. "You thrive on the intellectual and social stimulation of the business world.

"Now you're three hours away and your only socialization is with the guy who mows your lawn. That's why the transition can fail."

In his own move to the country, Gordon found he had less contact with business colleagues and more with his family. "That scratched my social itch enough."

But he sees very few single people who leave the city and work on their own from a distant location. The workplace may be their prime social experience.

"I'd be concerned they were solving one problem by moving to the boondocks and creating three others," he says. "It's as much an issue of emotional decision-making as anything else."

If you don't relish the thought of being self-employed, you can always ask your employer about telework or telecommuting.

Gordon has a generic telecommuter's agreement at his Web site, http://www.gilgordon.com, written for use in a pilot program.

Does the company cover the cost of computers, telephone and office supplies? How much personal use is reasonable? Does your homeowner's insurance cover the company property in your home?

If not, you must agree to notify your manager and take out additional coverage at the company's expense.

Telecommuting is not a substitute for child care, the agreement says. "The company recognizes that one advantage of working from home is the opportunity to have more time with dependents, but it is your responsibility to insure that you are fully able to complete your work assignments on time."

It's realistic to plan for a goal of working three days a week at home, beginning with one day a week for the first month. This can be increased, depending on your willingness and your manager's assessment of your work and the supervision you need.

"There may be times when you will be requested to come into the office on a day that you might have planned to spend at home," it says. "Company XYZ and your manager will try to minimize these unplanned office visits, but we ask that you recognize the need for them and agree to come in when requested."

Part-time telework is the norm. The vast majority of telecommuters don't do so full-time, says Bob Fortier who runs InnoVisions Canada, a flexible work consulting firm based in Ottawa.

"They go to the office two or three days a week. This overcomes the risk of isolation, the `out of sight, out of mind' syndrome."

Fortier's Web site (http://www.ivc.ca) is packed with studies that show telework improves employee lifestyles. It can also boost the employer's bottom line by helping companies recruit and retain talented people.

As well, there can be a significant saving in real estate costs. Two people can share an office if they each work from home half the week.

The advantages of telework for employees:

Saves money on food, clothing, dry cleaning, parking and commuting.

Reduces commuting time and traffic accidents.

Helps balance work and family life.

Makes getting to work easy for disabled people.

Reduces exposure to office politics.

The challenges of telework for employees:

Less social interaction can lead to social and professional isolation.

Fewer career opportunities and chances for promotion.

Potential for longer hours and distractions.

Reduced support for information technology.

Diminished access to resources found only in the workplace.

As well, there's the "fridge factor," the chance you'll gain weight because you're too close to the kitchen. And some colleagues can be jealous, especially if they're refused the opportunity to telework.

Fortier was a civil servant who did a teleworking project for the federal government, which led to more flexibility for employees. He left in the mid-1990s when offered an early retirement package.

Now he consults for companies that want to set up telework programs.

Access to high-speed Internet can be a problem for teleworkers, Fortier acknowledges. But you can function without it unless your job requires you to send or receive huge files.

Next week, we'll go into more detail about Internet options outside the city.

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Ellen Roseman's column appears Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday. You can reach her by writing Business c/o Toronto Star, 1 Yonge St., Toronto M5E 1E6; by phone at 416-945-8687; by fax at 416-865-3630; or at ellen@ellenroseman.com by e-mail.