by Deborah Ng
This morning as I made my rounds to some of my favorite blogs, a post at Performancing caught my eye. Ryan Caldwell wondered if we’re having trouble staying disciplined and discussed how he has to micromanage many of his writers. This hit home. I think so many people feel working at home is all TV and pajamas, and that’s far from being true.
Today I’d like to explore some popular work at home myths and set the record straight.
Myth: You can work at your convenience
Reality: If you are home with kids, there’s really no convenient time. This might not make me popular, but you can’t spend quiet blocks of time working with kids at home. You’ll be interrupted. Children will want snacks and playdates and you’ll have to referee arguments and drive to soccer games and story time. You’ll find yourself working well into the night or waking in the wee hours to get work done.
If you don’t have kids, it’s easier to work at home but you have to be disciplined. You have to stay away from the call of the Internet, television, fridge and friends bearing coffee cakes. Plus, you probably find you’re working more hours than your commuting-to-the-office counterparts.
When you work at home, you’re always at your job and you can’t always leave. Your employers might see you’re online and want to talk with you, or you may get inspired at a time of day other than your designated writing time. You might even find yourself up until all hours to meet deadlines. Working at home isn’t always convenient.
Myth: It’s Easy
Reality: You must have a good work ethic to work at home. Many people begin working at home but have poor habits. I can’t tell you the amount of people who flaked on projects leaving me high and dry or missed deadlines. Others turned in hastily written work after deadline. I can’t tell you how many freelance writers have emergencies, deaths in the family or other tragedies keeping them from meeting their deadlines - yet the same tragedies aren’t keeping them from the social networks.
It’s not easy to work at home. You must stay focused. You must resist the call of the cookie jar and the lure of the Internet. Your clients want to talk to you at their convenience, even if it doesn’t exactly fit in with your schedule and your family and friends will want to compete with your time. Trust me, this isn’t a glamorous lifestyle at all. Some days I’m lucky if I get a shower. We have to get a lot of work done in a little time or risk losing the gig to someone faster … and cheaper.
Myth: You can work in your pajamas
Oh heck to the no. I don’t know anyone who works in pajamas. I might work in sweats some days but never pajamas. In fact, I don’t know anyone, even people who are at home all day and don’t work, who doesn’t get dressed at some time in the morning. We’re not sitting around in our fuzzy bunny slippers sipping lattes while typing out amusing anecdotes. It’s this image that keeps many clients form taking us seriously. If you want to get in the proper frame of mind, you have to get dressed.
Myth: Anyone can do it
Reality: If you had trouble staying focused at your office job and can’t work without a boss looking over your shoulder making sure you meet all your tasks, you will never be able to work from home. If you spend a lot of time at your day job chatting on the phone, surfing the web and visiting the water cooler, you will never be able to work from home. It is not easy to sit and focus for several hours when home and neighborhood life go on around you. Only certain people can work at home. They must have a good work ethic, be disciplined and able to stay on task without supervision.
Add to the above how many clients aren’t very realistic in their expectations. Many of today’s webmasters and content kings have no clue of what it takes to sit down and write a good, factual article. They only know what they see at Rent-a-Coder. If other writers can put out 100 articles in a week at a penny a word, how hard can it be?
No, it’s not easy to work at home and don’t let all the hype convince you otherwise.
Now, don’t get me wrong. There are plenty of perks and I appreciate them all. The key to working at home is to let the perks remain perks and not let them take over your day.
Image via stock.xchnge
September 12th, 2008 at 8:56 am
Great article, Deb. Thanks for sharing a great reality check!
September 12th, 2008 at 9:11 am
There have been some days where I stay in my pajamas all day, though these are extremely rare moments. Like when I broke my foot and the idea of moving my leg at all seemed up there with extreme pain I didn’t want to bother with. Otherwise getting dressed is important.
I have noticed though that even those who KNOW you work from home will tend to subconsciously discount the work. My husband is terrible about this sometimes. I know it’s just subconscious because he sees what I do, but it’s extremely easy for others to have the same idea that it’s just a breeze all day.
Having kids at home just creates an even more stressful situation than many people imagine. I’m homeschooling my children as well, which really can make for some stressful times. I have a stash of educational videos that I break out for the deadline crunch times though and we are surviving along but there are plenty of people who I know would fail.
Those of us who work from home successfully are really special because it is not a lifestyle for everyone.
September 12th, 2008 at 9:12 am
So true, Deb. In my case, I don’t have kids, but I do have a work-at-home boyfriend. We share a small, 1-bdrm flat in London and things can get pretty cozy. He’s a chatterbox (kinda like kids can be!) and doesn’t really get that writers need their concentration some time. I’ve had to learn to be flexible, and to enjoy working in bed with my laptop as the bedroom is the only room (aside from the bathroom) where I can get some privacy during the day.
September 12th, 2008 at 9:14 am
I’m always dressed. I have neighbors that will pop in without advanced notice. I still remember years ago, before I started working from home, my across the street neighbor coming over because he’d locked his keys in his truck and his house key was also on that key ring. I was pregnant with my daughter at the time, going through morning sickness something fierce, and feeling horrible I was wearing PJs, probably still had puke breath and hadn’t brushed or washed my hair. It’s a good thing this guy was a family friend because anyone else would have been scared to death by my appearance!
I can’t work by a set schedule. Between car pools for the high schoolers, surprise visitors, UPS/FedEx/DHS needing packages signed for, or the current plague otherwise known as politicians or political groups trying to get my vote, I’m always being interrupted. It’s for that reason that I specifically look for jobs where I don’t have a boss calling me day and night and who sets deadlines a few days from when I’m given an assignment.
I had one of those rush offers last night. I feel awful turning them down, but I got the request at 4pm that it had to be done by 5pm. It involved printing and proofreading 70 pages. I’m fast, but I knew in an hour’s time it would be rushed, sloppy work and I don’t feel comfortable rushing a job of that nature.
September 12th, 2008 at 9:19 am
Way to speak the truth - and good on ya for not pulling any punches. Not everyone is cut out for it, and it’s painful when people who can’t discipline themselves take the plunge … and hit hard.
I have 3 kids (and a day job). I have to wake up at 5am to get my freelancing in … it ain’t easy.
September 12th, 2008 at 9:36 am
Oh, I am so guilty of the pajamas thing! I live in a small apartment so my desk is about 2 feet away from my bed and lately I’ve been prone to taking short naps in the afternoon. I realized it was partially because I was still in my pajamas (or sweats). Now I am dressed every day and more focused, ignoring the bed’s beseeching looks to hop back in for 5 more minutes of sleep.
September 12th, 2008 at 10:04 am
Freelancing (and the world in general) is divided into the have-kids and don’t-have camps. I’m not saying people without kids don’t have discipline or having children imbues you with some natural power of multitasking, but it doesn’t hurt.
September 12th, 2008 at 10:26 am
Don’t forget pets as a distraction. I have two kids who are now in college and high school and are pretty self-sufficient. However, I also have two dogs - who are much more demanding of my time!
September 12th, 2008 at 10:48 am
I have to schedule.
I start with life and family appointments (like doctor, dentist, playschool, soccer or basketball practices etc). Then I mark in the required work item times (e.g. newsletters that must be submitted by a specific time, article deadlines and so on). Then I book everything else (more deadlines, briefings, and interviews) around that.
Basically I schedule family and main/daily work tasks and then go from there. Some days my schedule means I start at 6AM and work until 5PM, stopping for meals, and to pick my daughter up at play school — some days its more relaxed and we can have many awesome family fun break during the day, and then I work 4 hours straight after the kids are tucked in.
I find as a freelancer, its a lot of scheduling and being strict about what I have scheduled for that specific day. If my calendar has “work 1pm-3pm on next week’s story” today, I do it today. I don’t let it slide because it’s actually not due for another week.
I think “being disciplined and able to stay on task without supervision” is probably the biggest reality check of them all.
September 12th, 2008 at 11:02 am
I work at my own convenience — not. I just work the days that end in “y”. Wish my boss (remember, I’m self-employed) wasn’t such a jerk.
September 12th, 2008 at 12:04 pm
Great article. I find myself getting so lazy on the days that I plan to work from home. So I’ve taken to packing up my stuff and going to the local coffee shop with my computer. But I have to discipline myself and force myself not to play around on the Internet when I’m supposed to be researching or working. It gets hard sometimes, but I’ve somehow been unable to work at home because I’m so used to doing ‘fun’ things at home on the Internet, and not work.
September 12th, 2008 at 12:34 pm
Re: Coffee shops.
I never even think about them. Mainly because it’s a 30 mile drive (one-way) to the closest one with Wi-Fi access, but also because they have rules that you must make a purchase every half hour or they charge you for your Internet use. If the store is crowded, they ask you to leave unless you have a drink or food item in hand.
It’s far less expensive and better for the environment for me to stay at home!
September 12th, 2008 at 12:39 pm
If I had a nickel for every freelance writing advice article that told you to get dressed in the morning and not sit in your pajamas, I’d be richer than the people who write for those revenue-share-only blog sites.
September 12th, 2008 at 12:46 pm
Ann: It’s amazing the number of unsecured Wi-Fi routers available - even out in the sticks, such as my location. There is also the little fact that Wi-Fi signals don’t care about walls; you could be sitting across the street or next door and you could connect. I’m not saying Wi-Fi users shouldn’t patronize shops offering wireless Internet connections….
September 12th, 2008 at 1:05 pm
Great article Deb. I find I work mostly at night just to get in enough time at the desk. Of course, that was before my youngest started school this week. Now I am looking forward to having 2 days a week where I can write during the day.
I had to laugh about the kids. My husband will occasionally give me a day to work. I can hear them happily playing around while I am trying to get an article together. Even though the kids know that mom is working and dad is the boss for the day, they will still wander into my office every 10 minutes or so. “Mom, can I have a drink of water?”
“Ask dad to get it for you.”
“Mom, Dad asked if we wanted to play Xbox, can we play it?”
“If dad said you could, then you can.”
My husband will always say, stop bugging your mother but it’s almost like they can’t. Then I get off work and they start talking about all the stories I need to write for them and I wonder just how great working from home really is.
September 12th, 2008 at 1:06 pm
Thanks for this article…I get so tired of people thinking that working from home is a breeze when the reality is that it can be a lot of work.
Not sure I totally agree with you on the pajama front, though. I can focus and be professional and get work done no matter what I’m wearing. (Mind you, my “pajamas” consist of T-shirts and comfy pants.) I usually only get “dressed” for the day when I need to leave the house–some days it’s early in the morning to take my daughter to school, some days it’s closer to noon, and some days it’s closer to when my husband gets home from work!
September 12th, 2008 at 1:10 pm
Sirena: One of the problems with working home that has just begun being discussed is the problem of creating boundaries between work and home life. Although easy when you work outside the home, a growing number of people from freelancers, consultants and telecommuters report the lack of physical and mental boundaries creates friction both at home and work.
September 12th, 2008 at 1:51 pm
Interesting breakdown. I would also add another myth, tied into your first one–You’ll have more free time. I always had this image of freelancers being able to make their own schedule and slip out whenever they had the urge to do the things they love. As a snowbooarder, I’d imagined spending every powder morning on the slopes and working afternoons and evenings if needed. Having just started freelancing full time a couple of weeks ago, I feel that I have less free time. Now that I work for myself and am trying to get more work, any time that I’m watching TV or just hanging out, even on weekends and evenings, I get anxious and feel like maybe I should be working. I’m slowly building my way toward making a legitimate living, so I’d like to think I’ll have more free time and flexibility in the future, but this seems to be a glamorous myth–freelancing is just as much work as any job.
I do disagree with not being able to freelance if you didn’t stay focused at an office job. I was always fortunate enough to have my own office, which made me an habitual offender as far as surfing the net and goofing off. However, since freelancing I’ve become much more focused and feel that working for myself, where I don’t have a guaranteed paycheck regardless of how focused I am, has really helped to eliminate time wasted. Most of the time when I do get distracted, it is related to work that I’m doing and doesn’t really hinder me that much.
September 12th, 2008 at 2:10 pm
What a really great post. I am only beginning to work at home and definitely battling with these issues. One thing I am certain of is that it is A LOT harder to get anything done when you don’t get dressed!
September 12th, 2008 at 2:22 pm
Great post Deb, I’m at fault for the pajama thing - at times. It’s usually when I jump up and run to the computer to check email and then I look up and realize I’ve been working, emailing, etc. for 4 hours.
Though, unless I’m on a hot roll, I feel more productive dressed and ready to go. People will always underestimate the difficulty of working from home. They only see the perks - no commute, no boss, no annoying co-workers.
What they fail to realize is we’re our IT department, the boss is still there but it in the form of clients who don’t have to deal with the HR department when it comes to firing a worker and parents write with Barney singing in the background. I swear I’d take that annoying mouth breather in the next cubicle over Barney. :0)
September 12th, 2008 at 4:32 pm
You make some very valid points here Deb.
I do work in my pajamas, usually from bed. Until I have clients making house calls, which will be after I drop dead, I’ll wear what I like. If they need me in the office, I’ll adhere to their dress code. Till then, I’ll adhere to mine.
But no, not everyone can do it. And no, it’s not easy. I’m always aggravated when I see ebooks and websites promoting how easy and effortless freelancing is.
I do work at my convenience for the most part, but luckily for me most times are convenient. But if I feel like sleeping in or taking an afternoon off, I do keep the flexibility to do that. As long as I get my work done, it doesn’t matter to my clients if I’m gone for the morning or the afternoon etc. Sometimes it sends ME into an anxiety attack, because I’m a workaholic who is a little too OCD about getting things done, but it’s no big deal for my clients. I no longer take on clients who expect me to be chained down, nor would I ever want to take on one who asked me what I was wearing to write his blog posts.
September 12th, 2008 at 4:49 pm
I used to sometimes work in the buff (I don’t wear PJs and I don’t own sweats), but now that I have the kiddo (one year old today!!!) I have to get even more focused during my writing hours. Sometimes I even go to the bathroom and apply makeup before I sit down. I call it my “war paint”, and since I wear it so rarely, I am really aware that it is there - a subtle reminder to keep my butt in that chair and type, call, or whatever else I have to do that day.
September 12th, 2008 at 5:31 pm
I don’t think i’m wired to in my pj’s. I need to shower, dress, style eat breakfast just as I would if I were going to work outside my home, even though I work from home. i wear confortable clothes, but they are still “work clothes,” not the ratty T-shirts and pants I’d wear if I was cleaning the house.
September 12th, 2008 at 5:58 pm
Thanks, Deb - excellent post.
“Is it really possible for me to earn money writing?”
What a loaded question! One with a lot of “if’s” in the answer, and you’ve pulled no punches in painting the reality of life as a freelancer.
Sometimes it’s so busy I feel like I’m an air traffic controller landing planes.
It’s a business that can quickly and easily grow so big that you could work 18 hour days and not run out of work. Of course, you’ll eventually collapse.
That’s one reason I stress the importance of getting into info marketing with every writer I coach. I’ll tell you, the sweetest money coming into my bank account is the money that comes from work I did a year ago!
September 12th, 2008 at 6:22 pm
Some good points but I don’t agree with all of them. I try to get all of my work done in the morning hours so I sit down in my PJS with my coffee and suddenly it’s 2 or 3pm. If I’m tired in the afternoon, I take a nap and work for another hour or two when I get up. The whole benefit of working from home is that I have a flexible schedule. It doesn’t matter to me if I work on a Saturday afternoon or at 11PM because I’ve probably already used some of my “weekend” time during the week for me.
I do work more and harder than nearly anyone else I know, but I do it on my terms and since it benefits me, how can I complain?
That said, I don’t have kids and I doubt that I would be as focused or successful working at home if I did.
September 12th, 2008 at 7:29 pm
Not another lecture from old Deb on the obvious. Does the old girl actually get paid to write this nonsense on other sites? Ugh! It’s either “obvious info you need to know” or bashing writers for unprofessionalism.
At least we writers can scroll past it, imagine living in Deb’s house, her poor husband and long-suffering kids have to listen to that nasally, annoying voice lecturing them 24/7. God help them and their eardrums.
September 12th, 2008 at 9:35 pm
@Rusty -
#1 - You’re a tool. Play nice.
#2 - It’s kind of sad you have to hide behind an anonymous comment - it’s easy to do, but it’s just sad.
@Deb -
Keep rocking. Ignore the tool and enjoy the real commenters who appreciate you.
September 13th, 2008 at 3:28 am
I’m a pajama-wearer, and I’ll be darned if someone tries to make me feel bad about it. If I’m working 15-hour days, I’ll wear what I want. How can I concentrate on what I write when I’m uncomfortable?
September 13th, 2008 at 4:22 am
Yep, I sometimes work in my PJs too. Not that I make it a point to do so, it just so happens that there are times I don’t notice that I’ve been working for hours in front of the computer for the whole morning already.
Luckily for me, all my friends and family understand that I’m just as busy if not, a lot busier than they are. So nobody (who matters to me) really spews comments that could irk me.
September 13th, 2008 at 5:33 am
Good post, Deb. I agree with everything but the PJ’s thing. I wear just my robe or pajamas while working all day, every day. I only get dressed if I need to go somewhere. I’m very focused and productive. To me, “If you want to get in the proper frame of mind, you have to get dressed.” is a myth.
September 13th, 2008 at 7:26 am
Lots of comments to respond to since I didn’t make it here yesterday. What a busy week! Many people disagree with the pajamas thing, but I still stand by it - most writers I talked to about this did agree that when they work in their pajamas they’re in a more “relaxed” frame of mind and getting dressed -even into something casual - helps to separate that work/home frame of mind. Plus, I just don’t know many people who stay in their pajamas all day. Yes, it can be done, but it’s not the norm.
@Cara - I’ve worked in my pajamas at times as well. Generally it’s a day where I’m sick or I’m not going anywhere, but it’s constantly in the back of my mind that I’m in my pajamas. I agree people discount the work, that’s a major frustration. My son is in school full time now which is such a big help.
@Monica - I can imagine roommates and significant others can be quite the distraction. At least you have somewhere quiet you can hole up for a while, right?
@Ann G -Since the school bus comes at 7:30 I’m usually first dressed in sweats. After the bus leaves I work out, shower and get into my day to day clothes. Like you the doorbell rings, plus there are the guys who mow the lawn once a week or the people who stop by the house on an almost daily because my husband’s old car is just sitting in the driveway( because he can’t part with it)and they want to know if it’s for sale.
@Dave Navarro - I can imagine how it can be with three kids! One child takes up enough time. Like you I woke early - at 4:00 and worked for several hours until my guys woke. After that it was two hours while preschool or kindergarten were going on and evenings. Full time school has freed up my evenings for family, thank goodness. More power to you! Thanks for the retweet and for having my back. Rock on.
@Lindsey - It’s hard not to resist the call of the bed or napping couch, isn’t it?
@Lisa - Thank you! I have the neediest dog ever. If he’s inside he’s whining for something - company, his frisbee, food, a walk…and if he’s outside he spends the whole time treeing squirrels and barking. Lordy, what a racket!
@Aurora - I scheduled too, up until last year. It was generally when my family was asleep or at school and work. Having a plan always helps.
@Diana - Good for you for finding a way to make it work. I work at the library or coffee shop when I’m lonely, but mostly these places prove to be a bigger distraction because I like to people watch.
@Jared - Maybe you’re on to the next make money online scheme.
@Sirena - Even on days my husband is “in charge” my son - and even the dog - come to me when they want something. My son will come to me for a snack “Isn’t Daddy in the family room with you…?” And after Daddy says yes, he still has to come back and say, “Daddy said yes.” Plus the dog only comes to me when he wants to go out or play.
Chris - Freelancing definitely takes up your free time. Even though I still work at home, I find I have more time with a full time job than I did freelancing. Having the flexibility to take my son to the shore or park or somewhere cool during the day was a great trade off though and I have no regrets.
@Terreece - Solidarity on the Barney thing. I’m so glad we’re past that phase!
@Amy - I don’t think it’s a clients business what we wear either, it’s all about the work. Sounds like you have a nice, flexible schedule!
@Dionne - I don’t know about working in the Buff. I’m not a prude but I’ve never been one of those people who is confident in walking around without clothes on.
@Rusty Bedsprings - So that’s what you’re calling yourself today? Sorry you made it past the spam filter this time.
@Mel - I don’t wish to make anyone feel bad about their choices. If working in your pajamas makes you more productive, so be it. I’m from the live and let live camp, myself.
@Kori - So we agree to disagree on this one.
I think it’s time for a poll!
September 13th, 2008 at 1:32 pm
First, great article Deb!
Every word was true. The pj thing, I always get dressed, even if it’s just long-johns (I have to be comfy) but I shower,brush my hair and teeth, and do have a set schedule time and routine. I homeschool 4 children (ages 17-6), keep a house, am the taxi driver …and so on, and so on, and yes, I do go to bed alot of times around 1:30 the next morning just to get up by 8:00 am. needless to say, I have a busy, NO, a SWAMPED schedule. My writing is a passion and I’m lucky enough to make a little money at it. But it’s not always great.
I do get interrupted alot from the kids, (especially the breaking up of arguments)I unplug the phone from 9:30 to 12:00, my house isn’t always the best, (never filthy!) but not always dusted. I don’t always have dinner cooked… sometimes it’s “whatever’s in the fridge sweeties!” and sometimes I don’t even have enough time in the morning to read my favorite FWJ! But thankfully, I’ve been doing this for many years now and have a pretty good routine going. And I must mention, I also have a ton of support from my prince of husband of 16 yrs of which I would probably not be able to stay and work from home. I guess I’m one of those that thinks whatever works for you…
Have a good weekend to all!
September 13th, 2008 at 3:56 pm
Hi all. Deb, enjoyed reading.
I’m new to stay-at-home freelance writing. This article was actually quite encouraging to me. Many of the problems people face seem not to apply to me.
I do not have children. I have two dogs, but I find they are a great way to make me rip myself away from my computer for a few minutes every couple of hours for a potty break! Getting outside in the sunshine does wonders for my energy level and focus.
I never considered myself a very disciplined person. However, I do consider this job as real as any office job I’ve worked. So it hasn’t been an issue getting up, dressed (even if I am wearing shorts and my pajama top) and to the computer in the morning. Of course, that’s after taking the dogs potty and giving them their breakfast!
I was also relieved to read being able to stay focused at work and not needing a boss looking over their shoulder are two big attributes of successful freelancers. Additionally, I was never the type to talk on the phone, surf the net or chat at the water cooler. Who are these people anyway, where do they work and how do they keep their jobs?
Reading the anyone can do it myth was my favorite. Of course starting out, I’m relying heavily on the sites where you bid on jobs. Huh? One or two dollars for a 500 word article? I don’t mind eating the ramen noodles, but I draw the line at living in a card board box!
So as I set out on my freelancing journey, I will definitely read the advice you all write and posts you leave. Thanks for sharing your experiences!
Heather
i_write@ymail.com
September 13th, 2008 at 5:19 pm
Deb — Re pajamas, I’m sure it’s probably not the norm. The way I do things in life, in general, is certainly not the “norm” (as in, majority rules). Just another case of what is the best reality for one person not necessarily being the best reality for another, the way I see it.
Same with schedules, etc. The beauty of freelancing is that we can all do it our own ways, without having to adhere to a firm set of ground rules. I got enough of that in the corporate office life.
For me, it’s similar to folks telling me I will be more productive if I make lists. I’ve made lists. They’re useless for me. I no longer bother. What makes 80 percent of people more productive doesn’t work for me, so why would I want to fit myself into the norm?
I’m all for the sentiment of if you’re not productive, try this or that. If a new writer came to me and said “I’m sitting around in my pajamas all day, and I’m not getting anything accomplished. I feel depressed, yada yada,” then by all means I’d suggest that she try getting dressed in the morning and see if that helps. But if something’s not broken, I say don’t try to fix it.
September 13th, 2008 at 7:02 pm
A few years back, I used to play poker online for money. Sadly, I would spend most of my day in front of my computer without getting dressed.
Needless to say, I was also single at the time and I don’t think my wife would get so excited about that these days. Also, you can’t play poke online for money like you used to.
September 14th, 2008 at 9:56 am
Great post. I have 2 small children, (1 and 2) and they keep me pretty distracted throughout the day, so mostly I do blog posts during the day and work that can be done in bits and pieces. Once they are in bed (at 7 pm), I get to work. My poor husband no longer has a TV watching partner.lol.
I also have to admit, I wear PJs a lot . . . just the bottoms. But then, I never leave the house and don`t get many visitors.
September 14th, 2008 at 4:25 pm
This is great! Thanks so much! Right now the hardest thing for me is finding times that work for conference calls for my client. Throw in international time zones, a 4-month old baby that nurses and refuses to take a bottle, and neighbors, friends, and family that all have jobs of their own. Plus the calls are decided typically one or two days in advance, so trying to get someone on such late notice is next to impossible. I do have a sitter coming out three days a week in the afternoon after school. My husband has been able to work out with his boss to work from home one morning a week so I do have some structure for calls- if only I could fit all the calls into that time frame
September 15th, 2008 at 6:43 am
Hey Deb,
I really enjoyed the post. Being a self-employed individual, no matter where or what, is not an easy task. There has to be an element of self motivation, self discipline and organization. BUT - it can be learned. It just may mean a longer learning curve than others experience.
I’m in the camp of getting dressed each day. I just think it prepares me for the unexpected - because the unexpected WILL happen. Because I have the kids home with me all day, work in the middle of the chaos (in the kitchen), and deal with the normal working of the home, it is good for me to dress casually. But I dress nice enough to go to lunch with a friend or meet quickly with a client when necessary (but not so nice that I worry about getting a little dirty or dusty - I have boys and it’s going to happen).
September 15th, 2008 at 11:15 pm
Am I the only person that doesn’t agree with this article? Not to say that it doesn’t apply to plenty of people (as it obviously does!), but I gotta say I don’t really agree.
I’m not a full-time freelancer (yet), but I’ve done freelance projects and I’ve never found myself stressed or feeling like I’m overworked or have less free time than I would at a 9-5 job.
Honestly I think that freelancing is an awful lot like school and homework. In high school, you have someone holding your hand all day and forcing you to do things and watching over your shoulder (a la some 9-5 jobs). In college, you’re responsible for showing up for class, you’re responsible for budgeting your time for homework assignments, and you’re judged based on your deliverables. Freelancing is very similar. You get an assignment, you work with a client or clients, and you produce the work that is needed in the allotted time frame. How you get there and how long it takes you is up to you. Keeping yourself disciplined is also up to you.
If someone has trouble focusing and disciplining themselves, then perhaps a traditional job is the better route to go. I find motivation to discipline myself in the freedom in scheduling and being my own boss that freelancing projects allow. Aside from a ‘workaholic’ type of personality, maybe the people that find freelancing to be completely time consuming or hard to stick to are the same people that spent longer on homework and found college to be hard? (I don’t mean this in a demeaning way, just literally maybe that’s the situation.)
To each his own. I think freelancing is fantastic and the idea of being able to take time out for a doctor appointment or errands without having to answer to anybody makes it worth the struggle for me. Work in PJs all the way! *shrug*
September 16th, 2008 at 1:12 am
You nailed it on the head Deb! I’ve been self employed now for almost four years, and most of my work is either on web sites or writing, so I spend much of my time at home. The hardest part of my job is staying on task and avoiding the every-day distractions. Just because I’m at home so many people feel I’m not actually working and expect me to drop what I’m doing to take their call, or help them out, or have lunch with them, etc. It’s nice to hear from someone else that works from home that it’s not a walk in the park.
Although, one of the perks I do enjoy is not having to share a bathroom with co-workers.