Working from home: a slow descent into madness

As a freelance project manager, I’ve called many an office home for three months, for four months, for six months at a time. A project, by definition has a beginning and an end and so it’s part of the biz to plonk myself down in a new office, desk or cubbie with a much greater frequency than a traditional employee. But ever since the economy experienced an unfortunate downturn (tanked royally), budgets are lean and it’s been a scramble to find consistent, long-term work.

Thus, I’ve spent a relatively long period working on smaller projects with quick turnaround times from home. Technology of today no longer dictates that I go in to the office every day for roll call. Au contraire, it is sometimes far more productive and cost effective for an employer to acquire my services remotely than to use up expensive square footage at the office or to shell out $99 at Ikea to buy another desk chair. Their attitude of “as long as you produce results, I don’t care if you’re sitting at home wearing your giant fuzzy socks” is liberating, but a little scary.

I’ve traditionally been a go-to-the-office kind of girl. Having the option to roll out of bed and flop in front a computer (skipping all that tedious showering, dressing and primping business) should be a little slice of heaven. So what happens when an ingrained work-ethic imperative collides with an unexpected cavalcade of freedom of movement?

Let’s review:

First week:
• Hey, I’m really enjoying not having to brave the elements or put on my knock-off Uggs every day. I can do my grocery shopping whenever I want – no crowds! Sweet.
• Setting my own schedule is awesome: meet 9-5-er friends for lunch, wave good-bye to them as they rush back to work as I slowly linger over my breadsticks (unfortunate side-effect of insufferable complacency?) Note to self: must work on disguising smugness.

Second week:
• Billing by the hour, I’m getting some cool opportunities that I wouldn’t have had ordinarily, like freelance writing.
• But, after First Week’s orgy of excess (rolling out of bed at the crack of noon and working until 3 am instead usual hours), it’s time to reign it in a bit. Keeping more regular hours, but am a bit bored after initial flurry of commitments has been met. Daytime TV is still as bad as it was when I had my wisdom teeth out fifteen years ago and stayed home for three days.

Third week:
• Am too firmly entrenched in my rut: I realize I’ve worn the same yoga-pants-ratty-sweater ensemble for three days running. I’ve also kind of lost track of what day it is. Thursday or Friday? Things like crowds and rush-hour traffic are really starting to bug me for the first time. It’s like being my retired parents!
• This morning I tried to impress the cat on how I can successfully and seamlessly use words like “brouhaha” and “peremptory” in a sentence. I’m genuinely disappointed when the cat doesn’t care and is showing signs he would really prefer it if I would just shut up and let him gnaw on his own tail in peace.

Oh, real human contact, how I miss you… This must be the same feeling working moms get when on maternity leave. I want to talk to an adult! And I don’t have even a needy dependant hanging on my every action as Doug is currently on a freelance gig that requires him to be on the road.

Conclusion:
Running your own business is tough. I’ve always known that because people have been saying it over and over. Everybody knows that. But to experience it for myself has been an eye-opener. It’s challenging and lonely and it’s really easy to get stuck in your own brain and not see what else is going on around you. There are about a billion self-help books and articles written about this, but these are my top takeaways from this experience:

- I’ve actively engaged a council of advisors. I have a couple of mentors as well as family and friends who are more than happy to act as my sounding board.
- I’m going to get out of the damn house every once in a while for fun! Fun is going to the movies and hanging with friends who don’t care about my job. This does NOT include: networking, researching, studying or WRITING IN MY BLOG.

Talk to you next week.