self employed, working from home

[emma123456]

I'm fed up.

I miss the daily interaction with people. I miss being able to shout across the office to get someone else's opinion.

I'm fed up with clients that dont respond to my requests for information to complete their work.

I'm fed up being the default cook/cleaner/washer/childcare as well as running my own business just because I'm at home.

I miss being able to put on work clothes and feel like a proper professional. I'd like a Xmas party!

I do however like the independence of managing my time and being around for the kids. I like the extra ££, and I make more doing this than I would working for someone else. I like not having to commute.


Do you enjoy working from home? How do you cope with working solo? How do you keep your motivation and drive?


Thanks

[emma123456]

Lots of food for thought.. I definitely need to do some networking/coaching. I had previously dismissed it as I don't need/want more work - but I would benefit from just meeting more people. I could also learn from others - including other accountants.

[Lankyloo]

I love working for myself, although i'm currently on the sick which is the worst bit about self employed. ive got zero money coming in at the moment and theres not much I can do about it, but that's another story.

I love being on my own, so I don't struggle with that side of things. I know what you mean about being expected to do all the house work, look after kids etc, and run a business because you are at home.

Theres been some times (mainly in the run up to Christmas) where i'm stupidly busy, and would like help from my parents, to pick my daughter up from school, just so I can get some extra work done, or look after her in the holidays when she wants my attention but i'm too busy, and I get the feeling they think why? i'm at home, so why cant I do both. It was a lot harder when my daughter was younger, now shes a bit older shes happy to play, or watch tv/her tablet as she knows mummy is working, and i'll arrange at least one day where we can go out so shes not stuck in the house all the time.

with regards to housework, I had got in the routine of getting as much done before my daughter went to school. The main things were out the way, washing put on, dishes in the dishwasher or put away, would quickly give the livingroom a once over, then bathrooms would wait until the weekend, or i'd do them when I was bathing my daughter on an evening. My husband would help on the weekend if other things needed doing, but doing things first thing, helped so much, and I knew they were done and out the way.

[Goandplay]

I went to a coaching/goal thing this week. Met lots of people in similar set ups or running small businesses. That made me feel a part of a wider community.

[thecuckoosnest]

Thank you for the perspective. I work full time in the office, and am considering starting my own consulting company. I also enjoy being with other people. Perhaps try different networking forums? Great suggestions upthread.

[OfflineFor40Years]

Like you I'm an accountant and have a DH who is away for periods of time at relatively short notice or weekly commuting; I have tried the following- working FT for a company (all the money went on a nanny), not working (found it frustrating), working PT self employed at home (ok), working PT in an office (felt underpaid) and have now settled on a mix of working PT for a company (2.5 days with the 0.5 at home) and then fitting my own business around this at home.

They are two very different roles so there's no conflict of interest, and I have to be quite disciplined about not allowing either one encroach on the other but it gives me the opportunity to be part of a wider organisation on one hand and the flexibility to attend various school events on the other. The downside is the financial aspect as I would be better off doing one or the other, and that I too am the default housekeeper but at the moment it's the best situation for my stress levels.

I also do subcontract work for a local firm so pop round to see them occasionally and meet up with another accountant for lunch every couple of months to talk shop and let off steam. I don't expect that you're anywhere near me (fairly rural East England) but if you are, you'd be welcome to come along too.

This time of year is always bad with various deadlines so the housekeeping goes to pot a bit and work seeps into the weekend but I'll look forward to a bit of time off in Feb.

Can you link up with another firm or small local practice, or look for a part time related job - your finances may suffer but it might be worth it for the social aspect?

[Northernsights]

Just spotted this. I freelance mostly from home too- tend to have to travel 1-2 days per week. Mostly I love it, especially being able to work almost full- time but still be around for dc (they are older so don’t need looking after as such but I like to be around). But totally get the interaction/ colleagues thing! I try to get out a few tines a week at least. Today a coffee with friend who also freelances, tomorrow a Pilates class. Need to do that to save my sanity!

[Goandplay]

I’ve looked at renting a desk somewhere but as PP said it’s not financially viable for me.

I struggle with school holidays and when the kids are home. I work from my kitchen table. DH will expect me to facilitate the children’s drink requests as I’m there. It breaks my concentration. I also find it hard being visible to the children but not physically available to them.

My DH is noisy and chatty. He works shifts so doesn’t understand that I don’t want to chit chat all the time when I trying to work.

Overall I prefer it but like everything it has it’s cons.

[EverardDigby]

I like it sometimes but I do also miss the contact. We have no casual co-working spaces near us, I could pay for a hot desk but that would be about the equivalent of a day's work a month, so I decide it's not worth it. I sometimes go and sit in a cafe for a bit to get out, though the Christmas music is driving me nuts at the moment! Overall I wouldn't go back to a proper job, I like the freedom and not having to deal with annoying co-workers!

[zebrapig]

I work entirely remotely but spend 2 days at home and 2 in an office with DH and the girl that works for him. It's a good balance for me as I'm predominantly happy in my own company and I love having time to get stuff done at home when I take a screen break. I got very grump last week when DH decided to work from home too; I like my own space and quiet to work, he loves music/noise.

[surreygirl]

I do odd freelance projects from home. Money fluctuates. Miss people interaction especially at Xmas too or when there's something big happening on tv or in the news that you would normally chat about at work so now head to Mumsnet/Twitter to lurk and eavesdrop and I often pretend to work in a coffee shop for an hour just to be around others!

Now volunteer at kids' school and also meet up and network with other freelance mums locally which has helped.

Don't miss commuting, leaving home in the dark and getting home in the dark, having to be dressed up for an office. Love being able to do school runs, assemblies, school holidays. And I can watch crap telly & films while home alone instead of hoovering in my quiet periods...and I can nap during the day when my sodding menopausal insomnia is bad. Know I'm dead lucky.

[delilahbucket]

I love being self employed and working from home but I struggle with the lack of interaction with others. To combat this I joined a choir. I also take ds to activities and get to know others parents. Otherwise it's a lonely profession to be in.

[Hoppinggreen]

I love working at home on my own.
occasionally I think it would be nice to work with other people and then I spend some time on a client site and realise I’m better off on my own!

[Clavender]

A co-working space sounds like it might help you - or do more networking. If you've been to a group where people just brag, find a different one, some are really supportive, and women-only groups can be good like this. Even if you don't need the extra work from the networking, it'll give you human contact (and some probably have Christmas parties so you won't miss out).

[Monday55]

I like my own company too therefore I find working from home blissful. I hate commuting and I definitely hate the unnecessary small talk in the workplace or public transport.

[billybagpuss]

I love it, I do like going to work in my slippers.

But I agree with the Christmas party, or lack thereof, thing.

We should run a self employed peoples Christmas party night

[NC4Now]

The coworking space I use has the option to rent a desk on a more permanent basis. I just turn up with my laptop but some people have tower style PCs and monitors set up.

[emma123456]

Thanks SpoonBlender. Plenty to think about.....

[SpoonBlender]

Could you spend time on-site with your clients? Three or four weekly trips might get you over this fascination with other humans :)

Co-working is what you make of it. Rent a desk or rent an office room, fit out the workspace with your own monitors (or they may provide), desktop or docking station for your laptop.

Move your data into Dropbox/Box/OneDrive/iCloud/Gdrive so it's portable and synced (and backed up!), if you need that.

I currently work from home 70%, office the rest. After a decade of working from home full time except for client visits I find that a decent balance, but I could easily go 80%.

[emma123456]

I've thought about co working - but I dont know how to effectively do it as most of my data is on NAS drive at home. I've also got a good set up with dual monitors which allows me to look at one screen and work off the other. I'm not sure that I can use a co working space.. as presumably you just rock up with a laptop?

[JontyDoggle37]

Look at using a coworking space one day a week if there is one near you. Lots of opportunities for discussion, networking and drumming up new business, and you still keep your business then rather than working for someone else

[emma123456]

I did used to network a lot but I got fed up listening to the weekly brag -a-thon….

And I got really busy working so couldn't spare the time.

[emma123456]

I'm an accountant. My husband has a 'proper job' that involves lots of travel so he cant be relied upon to help with the kids/ walk dog/ do anything in house. That pretty much means I can't get a proper job - well I could, lots do it - but I dont think it would make life easier.

If I could get an office based job for a couple of days perhaps that would be the answer. However, my fixed costs to freelance are high so it would just erode my profit margin.

Argh! I'm just bored... need more human interaction. I can go days without talking to an adult

[NC4Now]

I also love it, but I mix it up and use a coworking space a couple of times a week. I like to have people around sometimes.

[nessus]

Would short term FTC (3 - 6 months) in-house/client side be an option for you? Then you get the best of worlds possibly.

[cloudtree]

I also love it but I'm fundamentally unsociable and prefer my own company. I also get to hang about on MN