Well, as you guys know, I’m now working only from home every day. And I’m actually staying pretty busy, and making as much as I was during my internship days. (Still not as steady and secure as a “real” full time job, but I’m enjoying my time. Mostly. I’m certainly learning a bunch of things through this time though.
Here’s my list of the best and biggest lessons I’ve learned since going to work in our apartment.
1. People don’t think that I’m actually working. It’s not all that fun to explain that, yes, I’m actually working during the day so I can’t talk on Facebook, chat on the phone, or watch TV all day if I want to get anything done. Plus, I’ve learned that I often have to re-convince myself that I’m not unemployed right now. I’m self-employed.
2. Managing my time is harder now than ever before. I find myself feeling guilty if I don’t have time to clean the kitchen or fold and put away all the laundry while Hubs is away at work. Why? I wouldn’t feel bad about not doing those things if I was sitting at a desk at an office all day? I need to remember that working from home is just that…working.
3. It’s true that our surroundings influence our work. I’m often not inspired enough by the walls in our mostly plain apartment. Don’t get me wrong. I love it here, but I also think I do better work when my environment feels fresh. I spend way too much time in the living/dining room to have it feel very fresh and inspiring when I sit down to write.
4. Twitter, Facebook, and even email are time-sucking traps. I think you all know what I mean there, right?
5. I NEED a good desk and a good chair…like yesterday. I’m already noticing my neck and back feel tight and uncomfortable after a few minutes of working on my computer. I used to be able to sit for hours with my computer on my lap. Now, my head and eyes start to ache much sooner. Sitting on the couch may feel good on my tushie, but the rest of my body suffers. Ouch. At the same time, sitting on the hard, bar-height dining room table hurts my tush and hips, while my neck and shoulders feel more relaxed. Good grief!
What about you? Have you ever worked from home? How did you adjust?
