Why Working From Home Can Feel Crippling
According to the IPSE, there are 4.8 million self-employed people in the UK, 42% of these are freelancers. When it comes to the overall British economy, freelancers account for about 6% of the total workforce, fulling a variety of roles across a variety of industry sectors. Needless to say the majority of freelancers work from home, and they have tales to tell about the challenges of their situation. Working from home can be crippling and emotionally draining, if you’re not prepared for it. Indeed, freelancing is generally perceived as a liberating career choice that takes you away from the 9-to-5 routine and the controlling manager. But not everyone finds freedom in the process. In fact, for a lot of home-based, independent workers, staying at home all day can rapidly become a dreadful experience. What have almost 2 million freelancers to say about their workplace situation?
#1. The PJs uniform and bedroom work
If you love the idea of working from home, it’s probably because you haven’t tried it for a long time. In reality, the dream of working from your bed in your favourite PJs without having to worry about getting up early to commute to the office has a nightmarish side to it. The truth is that you can’t be productive if you are not in a can-do mindset. Your bedroom is not a place to work in. You need a dedicated office space in your home. As long as you continue to work with your laptop from a sofa or the corner of the kitchen table, you’ll struggle to tackle serious tasks effectively. Similarly, wearing your PJs might be a comfortable alternative to formal workwear, but it also sends the wrong message to your brain. Get dressed to work, if you want to stimulate your brain to be creative.
#2. Making it yourself doesn’t mean no professional visual
Freelancers tend to limit their costs. Freelancing, as it is often the case, is the universe of DIY. Indeed, the main reason self-employed workers tend to multitask is that there don’t have the budget to outsource their workflow. As a result, it’s not uncommon to make do without a branded look, as brands are expensive to develop. Nevertheless, the absence of identifiable visuals can make it more difficult to exist in a crowded market. The easiest solution is to use affordable tools to create a brand, such as an online logo design. Ultimately, a business that doesn’t have an identity goes unnoticed.
#3. Stress is not only office-bound
Working from home means you don’t need to bother with office politics and colleagues constantly interrupting your thoughts. But this sense of freedom comes at a cost. Indeed, freelancers experience high anxiety related to their jobs. You can’t rely on freelancing in the same way that you can rely on an office job. There is no guarantee that you’ll be able to pay your bills at the end of the month if you don’t find any client, for instance. Consequently, most freelancers experience highs and lows along their journeys.
What happens when there’s no client?
In conclusion, working from home demands organisation. Not only do you need to set up a work routine and a workplace, but you also need to establish a professional presence and a strong spirit. But, if you make it work, it’s worth it!
