I’ve been fully self-employed & working from home for a few months now.
And before that I spent half a year working from home 3 days a week. I’m fairly used to it now, and my gradual transition to fully home-based definitely made it easier, but I thought I’d make note of a few ‘unexpecteds’ for anyone thinking of moving towards the work from home lifestyle (or for those who already do and want to know they’re not alone).
The Best Bits:
I can eat fancy stuff for lunch
Yep, I can spend 40 minutes making a falafel wrap, or something equally extravagant, in the kitchen for my lunch without planning it the night before. I can also go food shopping when I like (not that I do, I order it online like a hermit), and I can eat whatever I like without fear of judgement (hello chocolate cake for lunch and noodles 5 days in a row).
I can skive off when it’s sunny
Oops, I’ve done this quite a lot this Summer; but why the heck not, right? Well, one reason could be that I need to actually do some work and earn money, but I can always catch up in the evenings or weekends, which isn’t really an option in a 9 – 5 job.
I can cuddle my dog all day long
It’s totally possible to type with one hand and cuddle your dog with the other for 8 hours a day, trust me. She’s happy, I’m happy – what’s the problem?
I can wear really random clothing combinations
Laundry is not high on my priority list, so I often find that my fashion choices are somewhat questionable. But hey, it doesn’t matter when you’re not leaving the house all day except to walk the dog, right?
I can accept ALL the parcels
No more dumb trips to the Post Office to pick up my Amazon and ASOS parcels; “Just put them STRAIGHT INTO MY GRASPING HANDS AND LEAVE ME BE!”.
Yeah the postman probably thinks I’m Gollum.
The Worst Bits:
It’s hard to switch off and have ‘life’ time
I often find myself working in the evenings, because I enjoy what I’m doing and get carried away. This isn’t great when you have a partner and puppy to attend to, and generally a life to live that doesn’t involve work.
Chores go out the window
I thought I’d get more done seeing as I’m home all day, but NO the opposite happens. I’m here working all day so the last thing I want to do once I’m done is spend more time working in the house… so let’s just say the house now looks more… lived in.
I feel guilty no matter what I’m doing
If I’m out enjoying the day or doing chores, I feel guilty that I’m not working. If I’m inside working, I feel guilty that I’m not doing the chores I’m surrounded by, or out enjoying the day because I can.
Bank holidays aren’t a thing
No one is around to tell me when it’s a bank holiday, so I either miss them or get them wrong, or just don’t take them because #timeismoney no matter what day it is. This is especially true when you work internationally too, as our national holidays are all different.
Neither are sick days
You gotta work to make money (ain’t no such thing as freelancer sick pay), so you’re kind of screwed if you’re really sick. Luckily my work is 99% laptop based so I can work even if I’m bedridden, but even then, you may not actually feel like working.
Too bad.
The Things I Didn’t Expect But Are Kinda Okay I Guess:
I travel more than I did at my job
My job that I had for 2 years was literally 10 minutes walk from our house, so no travelling there. Now however, I’m always in my car driving here and there for meetings and for blog photo sessions!
I’m more social than I was at my job
The people at my job were great, but we all kinda kept to ourselves. Now as a freelancer I’m forced to network and meet new people in order to make money… I don’t know why I didn’t consider this happening, but yeah. I’m cool with it though!
N and I don’t step on each others’ toes like I thought we might
Figuratively obviously; I actually literally step on N’s toes all the time… sorry N. But yeah everyone asks if we get on each others’ nerves because we both work from home, but we don’t – we just get on with our work with some music in the background, and that’s it!
I don’t dread Mondays at all!
I just always assumed that working and being an adult automatically meant that weekdays would suck for the rest of my life, but alas, I was wrong! It doesn’t have to be that way at all – if you’re doing something you love it doesn’t even feel like work (*puke* I know).
I really enjoyed reading this Anna! :) It bought back lots of lovely self-employed memories, and I’m super happy for you that you’re doing this full time now and seemingly really enjoying it :D! Good for you!
It’s awesome that you and your boyfriend get to work from home together: that must make a huge difference to how freelancing feels overall? Loneliness was the biggest drawback for me.
Want some totally unsolicited advice? (haha – sorry – I can’t resist when it’s on this subject!). For the first year, I found it really hard to ‘switch off’ and just enjoy free time in the evening and/or weekends. Any minute I wasn’t working (or trying to get more work in) I felt anxious that the whole thing would dry up, and that I’d fail at being self-employed.
But, I got to the point where I realised that I should do everything 110% – including relaxing! So, when I was working, work got my full attention. I didn’t put the TV on, and I didn’t let myself check social media or blogs.
But when it was 5.30/6pm, or it was a weekend and I had plans with friends or family (or ought to make some!), I treated it with the same attitude I had to work – 110% focus.
Else, I realised I was doing a bad job of working (it wasn’t getting 110%) and a bad job of relaxing (friends and family, myself, weren’t getting 110% either).
And I think knowing I’d genuinely put in a ‘solid’ work day helped to alleviate the guilt! (not that I’m saying you’re not… I just found it helped me to cut myself some slack).
Not sure if that helps you at all. But wishing you so much luck & continued success with it!
Flora x
http://www.hardyandhay.com
Such awesome advice there Flora thank you! :) I really like the idea of not feeling guilty during ‘life’ time because you know you’ve put in 110% in work time… I definitely need to work on that!
Xxx
Defo great advice, encouraging and realistic, thanks Flora!
God I hate Mondays! Loved this post, and that photo of you at the desk, love!
Hannah | Oh January
Awh shucks! :) xx
I would definitely struggle to work at home – I got so lonely when I was waiting for my work visa to come through and I actually kind of dread going on maternity leave soon. I love getting up and going off out to work (most of the time) but I would like some of those benefits!
That’s true Holly, if I didn’t have N and Pepper at home with me I think I’d get pretty lonely too. I’m sure maternity leave will whizz by, and then you won’t want to leave your little bubba! x
This is also true. I have no doubt that leaving the baby to go to work will be tough.
Congrats on the pregnancy Holly. I’ve been working at my 9-5 for 10 years now, and having my two kiddos has been the BEST thing ever for me, being at home with the bubba’s was amazing (lonely when it’s been one of the ‘teething days’ and you need a bit of support) you get to relax without feeling guilty about the housework – you will want to soak up all of those cuddles. Maternity leave has been the stepping stones to going back to work part-time and after my second maternity leave I had this crazy idea and passion that became my freelance business. Now I’m considering giving up the 9-5 to be a mum and to build my business – free of the stresses of being underpaid and overworked for someone else! Sorry I’ve kind of spilled my whole life story here but maternity leave is wonderful, and being a mum is the best job ever!!!
Thanks for this!! I have a few plans for some of the things that I want to do actually. I want to do a French course so that I can teach in a French immersion school. Maybe it will be a really productive time for me!! Plus baby :)
This was a good read! I’m currently transitioning into semi-working from home as I spend about 25 hours a week editing wedding photography and I can completely relate to the guilt about not working and the difficulty switching off. I worry about a time when I might be completely home-office bound because I always think home as a sanctuary of relaxation and rest but you lose that aspect. Hmmm… I do have an acquaintance however who has an amazing garden office with great windows with which to longingly gaze at nature, and because it’s outside its easier to disassociate the house with work. I feel like a garden office would be an awesome thing to have ^_^ #goals!
Sorry I’ve been so pants at communicating recently, I’ve been reading along, I promise! :) sometimes I just find myself being a silent, invisible cave dweller ?
I’d love to see you soon :) I hope I can make it to the picnic on Sunday ^_^ xxx
Yay I hope you can come on Sunday :) If not yes we really must get our acts together and meet up. And of course we’ll see each other at The Wedding too!
We actually have an office in the garden (just looks out at our garden though, not very nature-ish) so that does make it easier, but we stay in the house most mornings because we have Pepper with us. I know what you mean about trying to keep it separate as a sanctuary though… it is hard to draw the line!
xx
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