Working from home (in my case, as a part-time freelance editor) sounds like a dream come true for many people. Set your own schedule... Be your own boss... Pick and choose your clients... Make as much money as you want... Sounds like the perfect job, right? Well, after 6 months of working in a home office type of setting, I've discovered one dilemma that a few people don't really seem to understand.
People might think that because you're physically in the house you are available to leave the house and socialize at a moments notice.
Also, housemates, roommates, or significant others might expect that because you're physically in the house you're able to do all the house chores or run errands whenever needed. Housemates might think they can come home from work, eat the dinner you cooked while you were home all day, and relax in the tidy house that you spent all day cleaning....because you were home all day.
That's not how it works.
Friends might think that because you're home, you're available to go out any time of the day. Meet them at the gym in an hour? Go out for lunch? Spend an afternoon at the mall? You're home all day so you must want to get out, right?
Not so much.
A home office is like a typical work office minus the commute and the office drama. Which is why we work from home, to begin with! It's more peaceful. But we still have to spend 8 or more hours working each day. 2 or 3 hours of work and 6 hours of socialization isn't going to make any kind of livable income.
And for my fellow freelancers out there, starting our own business may require up to 16 hours of work each day. (Yikes!) There aren't enough hours in the day to work 16 hours, clean the house, cook 3 full meals, run errands, do laundry, and take care of our own well-being. Where does self-care fit into the equation?
Hopefully, all of your friends and family around you will understand if you sit down and chat with them about your needs as a work-from-home go-getter. Hopefully, your housemates understand you have dreams of being a business owner and they pick up some extra work around the house to make a happy home.
Overall, being a work-from-home freelancer is the best job I could have pursued. The clients I work with are great and I've learned tons from their projects. Getting close friends to understand your needs is not the end of the world. A little logical discussion and you'll be the happiest working-from-home go-getter ever!
