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Ways to Beat the Telecommuting Blues?
hungryfrog writes "After a few years in a typical office environment, I began working from home full-time as an independent contractor (web programmer) a couple months ago. My former employer is throwing me enough jobs that finding work is not an issue. Many people would consider this a dream work situation, but I'm starting to have my doubts. I like the relative freedom it gives me, but I'm finding myself rather starved for human interaction. Being in the same apartment to sleep, eat, AND work every day definitely leads to cabin fever. Have other people experienced this? What have you done to deal with the situation? Does dividing working/living spaces help (my apartment's small, anyway...)? I know of a few folks who have actually rented office space just to get out of the house. Is the cost worth it?"
step 1: get laptop.
step 2: leave appartment
step 3: find interesting place
step 4: work
I am in the exact same situation. I left my consulting job almost 2 years ago and my former employer has thrown work my way and I have picked up a lot on my own. Sometimes I get out, some weeks I don't. When I don't, I make it a point to go somewhere and talk to people. If that means going to the mall and talking to the chicks at stores or going to have a drink at the tavern, it has to be done. Cabin fever from this kinda living will lead to a lot of strange behaviour, so just go do something. Separating the areas does no good. I use my spare bedroom as an office. Just outside the door is where I will be when I am not working - it's not enough. The only solution is to get out. Good luck.
Not really helpful, but before I started working from home, someone told me this:
The best part of working from home is that you're always at home when you're at work. The worst part of working from home is that you're always at work when you're at home.
"The obvious mathematical breakthrough would be . . . an easy way to factor large prime numbers"
Bill Gates, 1995
I rented a small office for that exact reason when I started out. Rent was $300/month, but it was nice for the following:
- work was work, and I could leave and go home. It forced me to actually work when I was in the office.
- human interaction is needed for my personality. Moreover, the office was downtown, which was good for human networking.
- the occasional customer would actually want to come and "see the operation". It didn't matter that the office was small, just that it existed.
davejenkins.com |
I've found that IRC makes it worse, not better - it just allows you to have even less real contact with people.
Work regular hours, and take a lunch break - always leave the house and take a full break, even if you're self employed so you don't really have working hours. It helps keep you sane. If you work longer, call it overtime and treat yourself for it.
foo mane padme hum
Try starting a hobby which will force you to leave the house a couple of times a week... maybe start going to the gym or take a class on some subject. Whatever leads you to spend time with a group of people outside of your house.
I myself have a couple of friends who all make sure each and every one ends up in the gym at least once a week. We have a random schedule, made up as the week evolves. Works for both the social aspects as well as the health benefits.
.: Max Romantschuk
I'm in the same boat as a freelancer who works from home. Working away from the desk would be counterproductive, as I'm addicted to a two-monitor setup.
I started taking a French class about a year ago at a local college, and it's been a great experience. It requires working and studying with other people, and offers me a chance to dress nicely in the morning and go out among the living, instead of going to full frump mode at the crack of noon.
Plus, I get to learn a language, which is nicely removed from technical work and provides a chance to stretch other parts of me noggin.
It'll force you to go outside (with the dog) on a regular basis and get some exercise.
Animals make a great icebreaker for conversation.
~dlb
If you find yourself starved for human companionship you should find it. Go have lunch with friends of yours that work somewhere near you. Find a starbucks with wireless access and work there from time to time. Go to your local library, but basically you should find a place where there are people around and work there. (BTW, a laptop is key for this).
If you can't find a place where there are people, then go back to the office from time to time. I usually went once a week or so, to schedule meetings and what not. The basic idea is that even though you're working from home you don't HAVE to be at HOME. Go somewhere and meet someone new. At the office you see the same faces over and over. In the real world there are so many people... too many people.... time to crawl back into my hole.
I've worked from home offices both in a small apartment by myself (some years ago), and (right now) in a large house with a family. To be honest, I've never had the 'cabin fever' syndrome - my issues are more to do with dealing with distractions. Having said that, the extra flexibility is great, I save myself around 90 minutes a day driving time, and I get to see my kids more.
For being housebound, I suppose some solutions might be:
I don't know if these sound a bit lame, but maybe they can help. :-)
I have a job which allows me to telecommute 85% of the time, if not more.
When I lived in an appartment (and was married) I used to go into the office two or three times a week, only stay home if there was a lot of Phone Work, because if I'm going to be on the phone for 8 hours I'd rather be able to walk around, get a drink, play with the cats, etc.
When I moved into a house (almost 2 years ago), I set up an office in the basement. I barely go into the 'real' office now. I think I've only been in 20 times this year, and that was mostly to drop off expense reports (they need originals, yes I could mail them but what the hell).
Also, because of 'reorganizations', my work schedule became way more busy and erratic - quite often I have two hours in the morning and two in after-hours, so I may as well just stay home.
I get my human interaction because I have a dog, and I take her on a nice 2+ hour run every day. We go to the same park every day (scorching heat or sub-freezing). You get to meet quite a few people that way who for the most part have some common interests. I've made some good friends.
So, here's my advice.
If you _can_ seperate worksapce and living space, do it.
Go out for lunch, or for coffee, or something. Take breaks.
You probably have a laptop. You can head down to a coffeeshop or a Barnes and Noble or something and do some work there, in a different environment. Change the scenery.
I like to have music going when I work (at home). Maybe that'll help you too.
Get some outside activities! Go hang out at B&N. Have movie nights with friends. Get a dog (:
Good Luck!
In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is kinky.
I thought the biggest advantage of the deal was that you don't necessarily have to keep to office hours?
I mean, if working at home still amounts to just do your 8 hrs of time a day, then I would just as well take a regular job.
Do you get paid by the hour or paid for results? Because if you get paid for results, you can manage your own work and work when and where you want.
Note to moderators: could you PLEASE stop moderating the following comments to +5:
- Any joke based on the fact that geeks have no life and/or sex
- "You must be new to Slashdot."
- "Make profit!"
- "In communist Russia"
- Any joke based on the fact the article was slashdotted
Really, we can make up these same jokes in our heads. They're not funny, and they're NOT +5 Funny.
Maybe an idea to share the office space with other home workers? That way you can share costs, gossip, and share info if you're on the same field.
The good bits of a company, but without the bad (boss) bits.
I work from home and the best bit is that it let me get a life. I can highly recommend it.
My daughter is 20 months old today. I saw her first steps, her first word was "Dadadadadadada", when she gets excited about something I can be there to see what it is, when she falls over and bangs her knee I can sit with her till she's happy again.
I don't commute so that's an extra hour or so each day that I can do other things with. What could you do with that extra time?
I also work closely with several other people who also work from home. We stay in touch with instant messaging (we all touch type) and that really does help. Did I mention my wife is here as well and that is a great help (no, you can't have her. Get your own).
I wouldn't go back to the office (I'm resisting at all costs) but I do know what you mean about missing the contact. But I find when I do go in for meetings or whatever, it's so noisy and unproductive being there that I have to come home to get some work done.
Having said all that, it's not for everyone and I know at least one colleague who tried it, hated it and now happily goes to work each day. He wanted the separation of work and home lives and now he's got that.
I am a leaf on the wind
If you work from home it's not only the lack of personal relations, kids vs. driving dilemma and such. There are two possible career issues:
1. You may become a purely virtual character. For instance, if you lose this wonderful job you are having right now, or simply decide to go the other way - noone knows who you are, noone can give you reference, noone has ever seen you in person and if your first name ain't Linus, noone gives you credits just for the sake of it.
2. Professionals must meet, talk and argue. It helps them improving. E-mail is by no means substitute to it.
So I agree with the posts that advise to have home and work separated.
I like my outfit, it's inexpensive, but cool -- April Ryan
I did work from home for the last two years:
Ciao, Valerio
The psychologist Eric Berne called this a need for "social stroking." .. the need to interact with others on a daily basis, akin to apes having an inate need to groom each other. I've been telecommuting for 3 years and I have a number of devices that get over the problems of being and feeling isolated. Firstly, I shop for food daily, usually first thing. I get to see familiar faces and say hi. Secondly, I work on projects that do require me to interact with other ppl on a f2f basis from time to time. Other developers come over to work for days, and I go to them and we share space, help each other out and have a laugh. Thirdly, I have other things I do outside of work - for me it's sports coaching mainly. Lastly, I don't have a TV. Radical huh. But at least I don't veg in front of one and deprive myself of human interaction as I'd be tempted to do otherwise.
re-invent wheels
Make use of public spaces. You'll get that general thing of people being around.
Eat well. Don't graze.
Get dressed every morning. If you are at home, don't just start working in a dressing gown.
Try and get to do some work at the office. Like 1 day per week. It will help to retain focus.
Enjoy your freedom. Personally, I used to love being able to go shopping or take in a movie mid-afternoon and then work in the evening.
It has been nice: First working from the living room of our appartment. It was fun, because my wife was great (enjoying freshly cooked food), and our first son was just born. She would leave me with him to go shopping while he was asleep, saw him grow up, etc. I have been traveling 10-20% of the time, which helped it be more bareable. Also, you need a strong ability to focus and disconnect from your surroundings.
But it's amazing how quickly a small baby learns to find the reset button.
Then I managed to get a small office in the same building, and hired a Co-op to do a small project.
I was also working on a project with a team located 3.5 hours away (in the opposite direction). That was even better, and I enjoyed it... but I ended up leaving the job -- and joined a local start-up.
What I missed the most wasn't space or going out. It was daily team interaction, and having some fun with coworkers. I felt lonely in a way, during the day. Plus in terms of company integration (peers or bosses), it doesn't help to be away.
It was a great experience, but I am happy that it ended.
If I was to work independently or telecommute again, I would want to have a team to interact with, or at least an associate. It does bring a lot of synergy and interaction.
So maybe finding another consultant to work with would help. Then choosing an office location is just a secondary thing.
Or look for opportunities to work on your customer's site.
Tennis. Soccer. Cricket. Golf. Indoor rock climbing. Bike riding. Gym (aerobics, weights, whatever takes your fancy). Dancing (tap, jazz, funk, ballet, ballroom, Latin American, whatever). You name it. Find something that's close to home, and reasonably sociable. Then make a time to go there and do it. It might be a good thing to throw in an intellectual activity as well into the mix -- something like a chess or go club is good.
Actually -- this advice applies to anybody reading this. Life is not computers. Computers are not life. Diversify your interests! You'll be a better person for it.
I've been working from home most of the time for the last 3-4 years.
And i'm kind of sick of it. Its not good. Its very depressing. Its impossible to meet people. It is terribly lonely. Find an office to work in and get a job there instead.
_
\\/ are accustomed' - First Lensman
What about power, though? Access points might be common enough, but cafes don't generally make power points available to the general public, and laptops don't really run for more than a few hours...
I suppose a spare battery would help, but even so, I personally don't see the attraction of trying to work in a public space like a cafe. Way too much distraction.
Rent a room in some other company's office. That way you have interaction with other people if you want it, and can close the door if you don't.
We've got such a room in a town 50 miles from our main office, and we've got a couple of people who will use it regularly. Don't ask me about the costs, I'm just the tech guy who linked it up.
The office would have to be close enough to home to make it worth while, and far enough away that you aren't going there every evening/weekend.
Oh, and a radio is good.
Exactly... I have worked for about decade from home (independent contractor). The way to beat the "blues" is TO interact with the world...
Here is what I do:
1) Slashdot, I kid you not, it is interaction
2) Member of a Linux User Group
3) Ice Hockey Ref
4) Excercise daily (jog, bike, skate, etc)
5) Do something with the wife
6) Do something with the dog
7) Take courses (painting, etc)
You do those sorts of things and you will have plenty of things to do and I asure you that you will not be bored. The key is to interact with society that are not directly related to work.
"You can't make a race horse of a pig"
"No," said Samuel, "but you can make very fast pig"
Note to single geeks: our (lack of) sleep schedules seem to dovetail nicely with medical professionals. They can't find love because of their crazy schedules. Mental note for my next life...
"Learning is not compulsory... neither is survival."
--Dr.W.Edwards Deming
I always wonder if I'm really that good, or am I just completely nuts. Well they are still paying me after 5 years, so I guess it really doesn't matter.
"Learning is not compulsory... neither is survival."
--Dr.W.Edwards Deming
I work from home (programming) a couple of days a week, my girlfriend works from home (programming) exclusively.
:- ;)
We recently moved to Bondi Beach (Sydney), which has mad a huge difference. Lots of cafes, strolls along the ocean paths, and of course a beautiful beach. Everything within walking distance. I now walk much more than I ever have before. I'm spending more in rent than ever before, but it's partly tax deductable, and much cheaper than a separate office.
My recommendations are
- Move someone beautiful (if you can).
- Get a girlfriend (if you don't have one and if you can
- Move somewhere with a community, where walking is fun and stimulating.
- Get a spare room if you can afford it. Friend come and stay at our beachside house.
There are things you can do which keep your performance on track. Lots of houseplants is great. Increased oxygen supply is fantastic. Engineer your lifestyle to best integrate your entire life, eliminating the artificial polarization of work and non-work. Excercise is good, either outside or inside (ie a stationary bike during the winters). Look after your body, especially the rough bits that have to interact with the computer. Optimize your interactions with the box and eliminate potential problems for years to come. A good keyboard, chair, multi monitor setup and good audio help out. Rituals should come naturally. If dissatisfied, change slightly and approach your goal. Expecting to hit it right on the first time is counter productive (even counter biological). Don't forget to breathe. Eat well. Suppliment with good array of vitamins+minerals. Drink lots of water. Take time off liberally (your doing so much more with your time). Get yourself a zaurus or a laptop and go to a park for reading.
I'm thankful daily that I'm not in the dry, torturous, stupid communinal blather-pots others call places of work.
Andy
Come on people. Don't be ass holes. Telling the guy to "get a life", "get a girlfriend", or "get out more" isn't helpful. The guy already KNOWS he needs to do those things. The problem is, HOW do you do them? It's not like these are simple things you can just make happen because you want them to. I'm sure MANY guys on Slashdot know the frustration and hopelessness of wanting to a get a girlfriend while being too ugly/unpopular/geeky/shy/inexperienced to know where to begin or how to find success with it.
Try making helpful suggestions. The few suggestions I saw about "go to a bar", "walk your dog at the park", and "join a gym" were decent ones when it comes to getting out of the house, but they still aren't helpful when it comes to actually making real friends. Honestly, how many of your real friends did you meet while walking your dog, working out at the gym, or getting drunk at the local pub?
The real problem here is a deeper one. As a society, there are only a few limited numbers of ways to meet people, and for the most part they require you to be good-looking and outgoing, and into mainstream-ish things. If you're not particularly good-looking and you're not particularly outgoing, or you like more unusual types of activities, you're stuck, and it's pure hell trying to find friends, let alone a significant other. Society needs new methods to accomodate these people.
Moderator hint: a comment is neither "Flamebait" nor "Troll" if it is true.
1. Find a wifi hotspot at a coffee shop. Work one or two days a week from the coffee shop and mingle with the other customers. Hint: Find one near a college campus so there will be nice college chicks to chat with rather than grumpy old businessmen.
2. Get a cell phone which can connect to the laptop to provide internet anywhere. My Sanyo 4900 (sprint service) has a usb cable which lets the cell phone act as a 128k internet connection. It's well supported by Linux.
3. Go to the gym each day for an hour immediately after work. You will get in shape quickly. In addition, this change of environment each day between "work" and "home life" will be a welcome change and will logically seperate your evening from your work day.
4. Get a wireless router and work from your balcony, front porch, front lawn, etc. on the nice-weather days. Take time to say hello and chat with your neighbors and to joggers.
I'd rather be a conservative nutjob than a liberal with no nuts and no job.
I can't recomment it enough. In a handicap league, you can be a terrible bowler and still be competitive. And, who knows, you might be good, or at least get better. I started in February and my (2 person) team won the summer season. Money and friendship, that'll keep your spirits up. Not to mention beer, if you are so inclined.
Just find a coffee shop with wireless and work from there all day. That's what I've done in the past.
Plus, if you wanna get crazy, you can go to a different one each day.
Just find a big comfy sofa, put your legs up on the coffee table, and get to work.
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Obviously, everybody is different, and will react differently to the benefits and pressures of long-term work at home. Some people couldn't handle it at all -- you definitely have issues separating work and nonwork activities. The snotty comments in this thread notwithstanding, it really is a serious issue, like the decision to go into business on your own. Some people simply cannot do it, and it's hard to decide which group you're in until you try it.
If you have decent work motivation, then I'd say it's great for up to a couple of years. You get a lot done, and you waste less time on nonproductive crap that can fill a day at an office.
Nevertheless, though I don't mind work at home, each time I've moved into an office I've been delighted by the separation and focus that result. It always energizes me, and it's a good time to institute big changes in how you organize, plan, and document your work. (Think "New Year's Resolutions.")
As you point out, life other than work can get lost in the home office situation. For most people, I expect that having an office is ultimately a good thing, and is worth the cost if you're billing enough. I have always found that, as long as I was busy, the office has paid for itself.
If you're on the borderline, or just must make it work, here are some suggestions that worked for me:
-- We all have enough strength to endure the misfortunes of other people. La Rochefoucauld