Why Working From Home Can Be The Worst.
Obviously the majority of the time working from home is the best. I am certain without even trying it that working in an office environment is not my shabang, I work best when I can motivate myself, work to my own deadlines and not work if I fancy it. We should all take time out when we're not feeling too hot and working from home means I can do that, no need to call the boss, she's A Ok with it.
But sometimes, working for yourself from home can be a bit of a ballache. In fact, it can be just the worst.
I don't technically work from home anymore but it's basically just the same. I officially moved out of my Mum and Dad's only to keep my office and my business there so whilst I physically 'drive to work', my commute is a mere 15 minutes (13 on a good day) back to the home I grew up in and only changed my address from in January.
And when I've got the room at my own place? I'll just move the business there and my commute will be even shorter. Just from the kitchen into the spare room in fact.
How Working From Home Can Be The Worst.
1. It's Lonely.
I am quite sure working in a studio environment isn't for me, much in the way working in an office isn't. I found university super distracting, mainly because my best pals were in my class and we just laughed and pissed our way through studio time and worked at home. But working at home is lonely, often you're home alone and when you're working on something creative like I am, you just feel like you need to turn to the person sat next to you and be like "what about this?" Bouncing ideas off people and getting advice and help was the best thing about a studio environment in university and is a bit more tricky when the only person sat next to you is a sleeping cat.
2. It's Hard To Get Motivated.
This is the biggest ball ache and as someone who considers themselves very self motivated and happy to work hard by themselves, this is saying something. Working from home means you have nobody to report to but yourself and finding yourself taking a 2 hour lunch break to watch the Kardashians repeats happens more times than you'd like to admit to. Once I'm in the mindframe nothing stops me but the getting going is tough sometimes. Combine that with the fact I work really well at night and get really girlboss in the evenings makes for a difficult working life when it's 10pm and you should probs go home and see the boyfriend and your parents want to go to bed but you're beavering away in their spare room.
3. It All Falls To You.
Working from home normally means working for yourself and that means getting the jobs yourself. Everything falls down to you, you have no excuse for cocking up your working day by absentmindedly browsing Insta for 4 hours. Every job you secure falls to you and the pressure is overwhelming.
4. Life Gets In The Way.
The biggest problem I find with working from home is the daily admin of life that just eeks it's way into your day. When you go out to work, the dishes, the washing, the pets, the chores, the food shop...they all need to be done but that famous saying 'out of sight out of mind' rings true. Working from home, albeit my parents house means the cat can come and bother me, the phone rings and needs answering, my family come in and out, my niece needs babysitting... The chores are endless and when they're sat right in front of you it's hard to ignore.
5. It Doesn't Often Feel Like Work.
This is one I struggle with quite frequently. Running your own small business means all the admin that comes with it as well as the working. Often if I'm not illustrating or working on a paid job I feel like I'm not working at all which is seriously demotivating. Of course the taxes and the finances and the website updates and the emails and the general STUFF that needs to be done for a business is work in itself but it's hard to remember that when you feel like you're not earning alllllll the dollah.
6. Sticking To A Routine Is Hard.
Similarly to finding it hard to motivate yourself, finding a routine you're able to stick to is a minefield in itself. I'll find myself getting into the groove of things for a few weeks and then one thing will crop up and throw it all to whack again and you're back to square one. Working from home means you're much more flexible to change that routine but when you're trying to get yourself ready for work, a change in routine can be a nightmare.
I whine very loosely, I love working from home and can't imagine doing anything else but allow me this moment of self indulgent complaining, I am craving routine more than you can imagine right now (just read my last few blog posts!!)
In contrast, my old pal Effi has just published this post on why working from home is ace!
Check it out here (she's much more positive than me)
