See Part 1 and Part 2. In previous articles in this series, I addressed various pros and cons of working from home, primarily the social and financial aspects, based on my experience over the last seven-plus year. Today I address the issue of flexibility. Working from home isn’t for everyone, but it’s been a blessing for me and my family. Incredible Flexibility No drive to work means more time doing what I want to do. I have no set office hours. I can work evenings, weekends, whenever—as long as I hit my deadlines and keep the checks coming. Cons: No vacation days. No paid holidays. No sick days. If something doesn’t work right on my computer, I don’t have an IT department to run to. Because my office is so close, I sometimes may find myself putting in time during evenings and weekends, even when I don’t want to. Self-discipline is necessary to separate “work…
In my last post in this series, I addressed some general pros and cons with an emphasis on “Social Senarios” I’ve observed over the last seven years. These may help you decide whether working from home is right for you. In this installment, I talk about the pros and cons of finances, one of the most important aspects of working from home. Paycheck Ponderings As I’ve explained in a previous article, working from home—at least for me as a freelance editor—means I kiss a regular paycheck good-bye. This was a tough adjustment for me at first, but now I’m grateful and wouldn’t have it any other way.
In previous articles, I discussed various aspects of what it takes to succeed as a freelance editor. Since working from home is really what makes freelancing work, it only makes sense to have a very frank talk about the realities—the pros and cons—of what “homework” looks like. Working from home—or telecommuting, as many call it—isn’t for everyone, but it may be a big blessing for you if you have the right personality and circumstances working for you. In this and future posts, I address some pros and cons I’ve learned over the last seven years that may help you decide whether working from home is right for you. Social Scenarios I work in a basement home office a good twelve to thirteen hours each workday (with some weekend hours). In fact, several days typically go by before I even leave my house. Yes, I do take a lunch break and a good number…
