Working from Home: Why It Sucks
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- nocomply0
Well I've been doing it full-time for about 2 full months now. I think there's both good and bad about it.
I don't have a problem with motivation, but I do have a problem with staying focused and getting things done within a reasonable amount of time.
I find myself stretching things that should take minutes into hours, and as a result I often work late into the night. I can tell it's not healthy for me, so I'm working on being more efficient.
I think it screws with the whole life-work-balance thing if you're not careful. It will consume you if you let it.
- grunttt0
too much time masturbating.
not enough time mass creating.
- designbot0
The few days that I've stayed home to "work" I got absolutely jack done. I could not focus at all. Then again, the same thing happens at work, and I spend half my day on QBN :)
- Meeklo0
I've been doing it for nearly 4 years now, and it's not as bad as people say, I admit it gets lonely sometimes, but there ways to attack that problem.
I personally work at least 3 days a week at local cafes, there is a few around my house where there are actually a lot of designers (students/ and freelancers) and I have worked with a few of them in the past, either they hired me, or I hired them, at one point we have collaborated in projects too.
I try to run in the mornings 3 times a week as well, so most likely I leave the house most of the day. I also work on site as freelancer on a few agencies here.
On top of that I'm somewhat involved in the local music scene (I'm either performing, taking photos, or throwing small shows). My girl keeps me in check, I'm a night person if it wasn't for her reminding me that I need to go to bed before midnight, I stay up late till at least 5am when I see sunshine on the window because I'm a night person.
- where do you go to work? I'm at Java Jones in PB a lot.nocomply
- you are in san diego? did we talked on the phone a while back? from encinitas? nc area?Meeklo
- My favorite place here is CREAM in north park, the owner is a graff artist/ designer, and I have met at least 12 designers thereMeeklo
- designers working there,Meeklo
- there is another place called lestat's which is closer to my place, but only when I'm the mood to hear punk musicMeeklo
- I've lived in SD all my life. We've never talked on the phone, but somehow I knew you were living here.nocomply
- Lestats is rad, but haven't been there in years now. I'll have to check out Cream.nocomply
- wish I lived where you do, it sounds cool. Id want to hang out with you until you avoided me, or left a note. :(mikotondria3
- I once found a copy of Dot Dot Dot in the bookshelf at Cream, like it was placed there for me. So rad.svante
- Now I know why it was there, Miguex or one of his 12 designer friends stashed it!svante
- nocomply0
Man, well I guess I can add an update to my 3 year old posting above.
I've been working at home full-time for about 3.5 years now.
It still has it's ups and it's downs. I enjoy it most of the time, but I definitely need structure, planned outings and human interaction to stay sane.
Having a dedicated home office that's set up comfortably and a wife that comes home every evening to talk to definitely helps, but I frequently have days where I never leave the house at all. Too many of those in a row tend to bum me out and/or freak me out.
I live in a house now, but sometimes I call it "the compound" because working from home constantly can make you feel like a prisoner in your own house.
For a while I had a residency in a local co-working office, and that was a nice balance. Some days I would go in to work there, and other days when I wanted to minimize distractions I would stay home. I think that's the best route to go if you find a cool co-working spot that you can afford. Sometimes the simplest interactions with peers can be invaluable for both your work and your morale.
- dijitaq0
what sucks the most about working from home is that everyone else thinks you have all the time in the world.
- desmo0
I've been working on my own since 2008 and I do have to say that depression really does creep in due to loneliness. It has gotten to me several times. So much so that I often think about going back to the full time office thing.
