From bedmin to bogmin: Aussie sole traders really do work from anywhere

New MYOB research finds Aussie sole operators are doing their admin everywhere from the beach to the bathroom, blurring the line between work and downtime.

From bed to the bog: admin goes mobile

If you’ve ever balanced your laptop on a doona or checked emails mid-loo break, you’re not the only one. A new survey from Solo by MYOB reveals that Aussie sole operators are taking “work from anywhere” very literally. Nearly half (45 per cent) are doing their business admin from bed and more than a quarter (27 per cent) admit to crunching numbers in the bathroom.

The odd places soloists are working from doesn’t stop there. Supermarkets (23 per cent), beaches (15 per cent) and even kids’ playgrounds are doubling as makeshift offices. One in 10 even cop to logging on during school events, and five per cent admit they’ve worked on a date. (Nothing says romance like slipping out to send an invoice.)

Smartphones snapping at laptops’ heels

The trusty laptop still tops the admin tool list, but not by much. The research found 38 per cent of sole operators lean on laptops, while 30 per cent prefer their smartphones. And when you think about it, it makes sense: the survey showed 89 per cent of sole operators use their phones for work.

The most common jobs people perform on their mobile? Customer comms (41 per cent), banking (34 per cent) and social media (31 per cent). Which means that if you see someone scrolling at the beach, they might not be doom-scrolling or getting lost on TikTok; they could be sending invoices between swims.

Work-life lines getting blurry

While mobile working sounds handy, it comes at a cost. MYOB’s Chief Customer Officer, Dean Chadwick, warns it’s all too easy for admin to creep into precious downtime.

“With 38 per cent doing their business admin on holiday, this is an important reminder for sole operators to let digital tools automate as much admin as possible so you can make the most of your downtime,” Chadwick says.

“You should be able to take a break from your business with the right supports in place.”

In other words: just because you can send receipts at a wedding, doesn’t mean you should.

Making admin comfy and quick

Marriage celebrant and busy mum Sarah Davoli knows the lure of the juggle all too well. She says her phone helps her knock off admin without losing family time.

“My smartphone is the easiest way to get admin done. I can use little pockets of time, like when my daughter’s napping, to work from bed or the couch. It makes the work feel effortless,” she says.

“Keeping on top of admin in comfort means I can spend more time with my daughter and on the parts of my work that really matter, like getting to know my couples and creating beautiful ceremonies that reflect their love stories.”

Her anecdote lines up with the survey results. When asked what they’d do if they got admin time back, most sole operators said they’d spend it with their family.

Tech to take the load off

That’s where tools like Solo by MYOB come in. The app was built specifically for sole traders, packing in features like Tap to Pay, on-the-go invoicing, expense tracking, banking, and even a GenAI-powered assistant to help troubleshoot on the fly.

“There are 1.6 million sole operators in Australia and working by yourself, for yourself can at times be tough. Being able to regularly connect with your community is essential for the ongoing happiness and success of these business owners,” Chadwick shares.

So next time you’re tempted to sneak in some bedmin or bathmin, maybe let the tech do the heavy lifting and reclaim that date night, wedding dancefloor, or family holiday for what it’s meant to be.

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