A2 reading: Working from home

Anna is a graphic designer. Two years ago her company closed its office in the city centre, and now everyone works from home. Anna was happy about it at first. She didn't have to take the crowded train every morning, and she could start work at nine and still have time for breakfast.

But after a few months, there were some problems. Anna's flat is small, and she worked at the kitchen table. In the evening it was hard to stop working, because her laptop was always in front of her. She also felt lonely. "I talked to my colleagues on video calls, but it wasn't the same," she says. "I missed having coffee with them."

So Anna made some changes. She bought a small desk and put it in the corner of her bedroom. Now, at six o'clock, she closes her laptop and puts it in a drawer. "If I can't see it, I don't think about work," she says.

She also goes out every day at lunchtime. She walks to the park or meets a friend for a sandwich. Twice a week she works in a café near her flat. "It's a bit noisy, but I like having people around me."

Once a month the company's twenty designers meet in a room they rent for the day. They talk about new projects and then they have dinner together. Anna always looks forward to these days.

"Working from home isn't perfect," Anna says, "but I don't want to go back to the office. I have more time for myself, and I'm not tired from travelling."