The Wall Street Journal Online has an article titled Working at Home Isn’t The Day at the Beach Office Mates Imagine where the author takes a look at the downside of working from home. The article comes off as somewhat amusing but I can see the true downside to the interruptions and the views of others who don’t work from home.
For those of you working from home, how do you handle the issues addressed in the article?
via Trader Mike
The Wall Street Journal Online has an article titled Working at Home Isn’t The Day at the Beach Office Mates Imagine where the author takes a look at the downside of working from home. The article comes off as somewhat amusing but I can see the true downside to the interruptions and the views of others who don’t work from home.
For those of you working from home, how do you handle the issues addressed in the article?
via Trader Mike
Working from home can be very difficult. I’ve been a work-at-home microISV for four years. Before that I was a full-time telecommuter for 4 years. Both require a lot of self-discipline but even still there are differences. As a microISV I have to do it all myself. Short of some few bits which can be outsourced, there is no one else to turn to for anything. As a telecommuter I could at least focus on development and still be assured that I’ll get a paycheck. As a microISV there are always hundreds of things which need to be done and no one else around to help do them. I often find my brain seems to get overwhelmed by everything being thrown at it and sometimes just wants to shut down and do nothing. I’ve had big spans of nonproductivity just because of that. It’s really difficult to stay motivated and make sure everything that needs done gets done. Not everyone is cut out to be their own boss; it’s hard work. It’s also quite difficult to make a separation between work and home because work is always available right in the next room. At least with an outside office it’s easier to mentally “leave work at work” when you go home.
When I was an FTE I disliked telecommuting because of 1) the way it’s perceived by employers, and 2) the sheer isolation of working from home alone all day (others like the author have the opposite problem, with assorted kids and creatures lurking about). The attitude of most employers and fellow employees is that you’re being given some sort of privilege, when in fact you may be focused exclusively on work instead of the conversations of your fellow office cube dwellers. In the end I found it easier to just go to the office and enjoy the conversations and extended coffee breaks! I’d encourage those who work from home to do whatever it takes to get out of the house and exercise and interact with other people.
Steve Pavlina just had wrote about creating a productive workspace. It sounds like he’s got his fairly nicely configured — not only a productive, but a pleasant place to spend the day.
December 22nd, 2005 at 12:46 pm
Working from home can be very difficult. I’ve been a work-at-home microISV for four years. Before that I was a full-time telecommuter for 4 years. Both require a lot of self-discipline but even still there are differences. As a microISV I have to do it all myself. Short of some few bits which can be outsourced, there is no one else to turn to for anything. As a telecommuter I could at least focus on development and still be assured that I’ll get a paycheck. As a microISV there are always hundreds of things which need to be done and no one else around to help do them. I often find my brain seems to get overwhelmed by everything being thrown at it and sometimes just wants to shut down and do nothing. I’ve had big spans of nonproductivity just because of that. It’s really difficult to stay motivated and make sure everything that needs done gets done. Not everyone is cut out to be their own boss; it’s hard work. It’s also quite difficult to make a separation between work and home because work is always available right in the next room. At least with an outside office it’s easier to mentally “leave work at work” when you go home.
December 22nd, 2005 at 2:26 pm
When I was an FTE I disliked telecommuting because of 1) the way it’s perceived by employers, and 2) the sheer isolation of working from home alone all day (others like the author have the opposite problem, with assorted kids and creatures lurking about). The attitude of most employers and fellow employees is that you’re being given some sort of privilege, when in fact you may be focused exclusively on work instead of the conversations of your fellow office cube dwellers. In the end I found it easier to just go to the office and enjoy the conversations and extended coffee breaks! I’d encourage those who work from home to do whatever it takes to get out of the house and exercise and interact with other people.
January 1st, 2006 at 3:59 am
Steve Pavlina just had wrote about creating a productive workspace. It sounds like he’s got his fairly nicely configured — not only a productive, but a pleasant place to spend the day.