1319: The Fine Art of Working from Home Without Going Mental

The title of this post would probably suggest that I am something more of an authority on this subject than I actually am, but I do at least have the benefit of experience to draw from when talking about this.

Working from home may sound like an absolute dream come true, but it can be surprisingly challenging, particularly from a motivational perspective. I’m fortunate in that I like my job and enjoy doing it; if I was doing something less enjoyable like, say, the audio typing for insurance companies that I did for one dark summer, I’d probably be feeling less positive about things.

That’s not to say that even with a job you enjoy, working from home isn’t fraught with distractions from all angles, ranging from something as simple as a desire to go and get yet another coffee to the myriad procrastination tools The Internet offers.

I think the most difficult thing to deal with, though, is the fact that there’s no-one else around. I’m not a particularly “social” person, as you know, and struggle with small talk, especially with people I don’t know all that well. However, that’s not to say that I don’t necessarily enjoy company; on the few occasions I’ve been down to the Eurogamer offices in Brighton, I’ve enjoyed being around other people doing the same things I’m doing, even if most of them spent most of the day with headphones on, immersed in their own work. It was nice to just be around others, and to be able to jump in to occasional conversations.

In order to counter the loneliness thing, I often make a point of going out, even if it’s just to the local coffee shop. (I’ve been there so often now that the staff recognise me, though I’ve stymied their attempts to pigeon-hole me with a “usual” by regularly ordering different drinks.) I find that it’s quite pleasant to change environment and do some work with other people around, even if I don’t have anything to do with them directly. There’s just a nice atmosphere; a sense of comfort, of not being alone. Weird, I know, but true.

It’s not an ideal situation, of course — it’s over half a mile of walking to get to said coffee shop, and then when I’m there I’m expected to, you know, actually buy something, which costs money, but eh. I can take the rough with the smooth.

Perhaps what I should actually do is open up a coffee shop in my living room so there can be people milling around at all times while I do my work. But that sounds like an awful lot of effort, frankly.

Eh. There’s no easy answer, and I’m not sure I’m even looking for an “answer” — I think, on balance, I’d rather be doing what I’m doing from home than feeling my life slowly being sucked out of me by a traditional office job.

I’ll leave you with this Mitchell & Webb sketch, which pretty much sums things up rather nicely.