10 things I Have Learned Working From Home

[jeffrey]

I did have a desk job…in fact I worked in offices for 12 years until this past October, when I gave notice at my job to go out on my own. So far it has been fantastic, as I make my own hours, spend some time at the beach, meet for coffee or lunch with friends (whom also work as freelancers) in the middle of the day, etc. That all being said…sometimes it is a little claustrophobic being in my house all the time with no one to talk to but the cat. Since receiving all these emails, I figured I would put a little list together about what I have learned since I started working from home.

10 Things I Have Learned From Working At Home. | My Two Dollars

[cptacek]

I've been working from home since the end of February. I went skiing and tore some ligaments in my knee and had to have surgery. The company I work for has their IT department up two flights of stairs, and no elevator, so I have been working from home until I can safely go up and down the stairs.

I love it. Many people say I should complain that there is no way to get up to my desk (OSHA and all that), but I love working from home. When I first started, I wanted to get out of the house and do something as soon as the working day was over. But I was still in pain and on crutches, so maybe it was the forced laying around that made me feel that way, instead of not getting out of the house. Now, I can do things around the house and yard, albeit slowly and carefully, and go out without a big huge hassle, so I am fine now (except navigate the two flights of stairs)

When I have a big project, sometimes I'll be coding for hours and look at the clock and realize I need to quit for the day, but honestly, that happened when I was at work too. I get more done without people bothering me with chit-chat.

One thing I have noticed is that some people (IT people, no less) don't respond to email, so I've had to have a co-worker or my boss go sit on their desk to get an answer for me. And internet connections sometimes get dropped, so you have to log in multiple times a day. And I need a better chair at home for ergonomic reasons. Other than that, I love it. My coworkers say I'm getting spoiled and that when I have to come back to work it will be terribly hard, and I agree. It'll be bad!