10 things I wish I’d known before I quit my job to work for myself


The opportunity to work from home has increased majorly over the last decade or so. Technology has advanced to the point where you can work wherever you want without ever having to go to the office. What’s more, freelance and self-employed work has also now seen a rise thanks to the ability to do everything from the comfort of your living room. That isn’t to say that working from home doesn’t come without its share of downfalls. There are quite a few things you need to consider, and here are 10 of them.

It’s assumed that you’re available

The amount of people who will ask you to do them favors when you work from home is unbelievable. Why? You’re free to do what you want, while they’re stuck at work. It’s understandable why they ask, but you can’t always say yes to them. Otherwise, all you’re doing is lowering your productivity and affecting your potential income for the day. Yes, you’re at home, but you’re working just like they are.

10 things I wish I’d known before I quit my job to work for myself

People think you watch TV all day

We all work in different ways, and therefore the level of noise we require changes from person to person. For those of us who can’t work in silence, the television provides a source of relief. Of course, this gives everyone the assumption that you spend all day watching TV. As long as it doesn’t distract you too much, there’s nothing wrong with having the television on. Just ignore what everyone else says.

Get out of the house

You need to get out of the house when you’re self-employed. Otherwise, you’re going to go stir crazy. It’s important to keep active and move around – it’s called being healthy. You don’t want to end up hating your house the way you might have hated your office, because all you do every day is stare at the same four walls.

No more drama

A great positive about working from home is that it takes away all the things that can make you miserable in the office. When you no longer have to deal with constant meetings or coworkers that you can’t stand, you’ll find that you suddenly have a lot more time to get work done.

Talk to people

For all the downsides office life might have had for you, at least you had the option to speak to people on a regular basis. Being at home all the time can severely limit the interaction you have with others, so it’s important to find time to be social. If you don’t, you’ll end up going overboard when you finally have someone to talk to.

You need a schedule

One of the reasons you might choose to work for yourself is because you’re most productive at a certain time of day. The routine of 9-5 may not be what suits you best, and that’s perfectly fine. However, you do need to find what time of the day works for you and stick to it. If you don’t set a schedule, your days won’t have the structure they need to get everything done.

Free time is earned

It’s very easy to get distracted when you’re not sat in an office working. No-one is watching over you, and there are more things around you that you’d rather be doing. If you let these distractions get the best of you, though, then you’re the one who’s going to suffer. When work doesn’t get done, no money gets paid into your account. It’s as simple as that. Try to stay as focused as possible – your free time will still be there later.

10 things I wish I’d known before I quit my job to work for myself

Construct your own workspace

If you’re going to work at home, you need to have your own office space. Even if it’s not a whole room, it’s important to have somewhere to go to do your work. Spending all your time on the couch won’t put you in the right mindset, and your productivity will suffer as a result.

Wear clothes (proper ones)

It’s amazing the things that can affect your mindset. People who work from home without getting dressed are less likely to be productive, because it feels more like it’s the weekend. Just as having an office space is important to stay focused, so too is being dressed for the part. No, you don’t need to go full-on suit and tie, but pajamas won’t suffice.

Lower salaries are worth it

You might not earn as much when working from home – to begin with, at least – but it won’t feel that way. When you don’t have to go to the office every day, you save yourself so much on expenses. You don’t need to spend a lot of money on things like new clothes or transportation because they’re no longer important for your job.

Not having to go to the office can feel like a dream come true, but working from home doesn’t suit everyone. All of these things are important to keep in mind if you’re going to make such a big change in your life. We don’t want you making a mistake.

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