For the introverts among us, going freelance and working from home appears to be the perfect scenario. For the extroverts, the loneliness can be a be a little daunting, however the flexibility to create your own schedule and be your own boss is what drives you.
For everyone, though, the reality of working from home is far different from the idea. Of course, there are enormous benefits to freelance work and we’re a huge fan of it. It’s just important to recognize that there are many work from home issues as well that you need to tackle.
Firstly, there’s the hidden costs. When you’re employed, you’re handed all the tools required to do your work. Working from home? Those tools are on you and you need to find them yourself. The cost of software and even basic hardware soon adds up and it’s a huge factor you should consider.
Did you know, it’s actually possible to miss your boss? The lack of accountability when working for yourself can crush productivity and lead to you not seeing through key tasks and meeting client demands. Many people need an authoritative figure to thrive and keep them on track. However, fortunately this is something you can work on and set yourself up to do well.
Working at home is a completely different ball game to working in a buzzing office environment. Loneliness can set in for both introverts and extroverts. When you were once able to bounce around an office and let your problems off on someone, you’ll now find yourself in pyjamas longing for that environment.
Of course, we’re not trying to put you off working from home, simply giving you a heads up so you’re ahead of the game. If you can work on your mind set, gather the right tools and put yourself in a position to win, then you’ll be thriving instead of just surviving.
That’s why My Kind of Monday created this infographic on how to survive working from home.