Working in an office is not everyone cup of tea. If you are one of those, who wants to break-free from the everyday 9-5 office rotuine but can't decide whether work-from-home is an option for you, then here is a checklist to guide you.
Don’t work from home if...
- you want to disengage from work
At home, it’s difficult to keep personal and professional lives separate. Besides, you may need to work on holidays or weekends.
- you can’t handle distractions
Distractions like TV, children and household tasks can easily prevent you from concentrating on the work at hand. Another issue is your own phone and
Internet, since you may feel the need to be on social media or check the
Whatsapp group every few minutes.
- you are bad at socialising and networking
Networking is crucial for career, but freelancing does not present enough opportunities to meet people, unlike in a regular job. Mails and cold calling may not be enough to build client relationship.
- you can’t live on a low, erratic income
In the first few months, you are paid less and clients are diffi cult to acquire. If you have switched from a regular job, you are likely to have fi xed fi nancial obligations, which will add to the stress.
- you don’t mind being isolated
When you are not a part of a company, it is easy to feel isolated. The daily
interaction with colleagues can take off a lot of stress, besides helping develop contacts and build a network.
Do so only if…
As in office, fix your work hours. Inform your clients about the work period so that they know when to expect responses from you.
You can create a separate workspace in a corner of your house. Explain to the family that you should not be disturbed while in this space. To cut Internet distraction, block the tempting sites with tools like LeechBlock and StayFocusd during work hours.
- you attend events regularly
Regularly attend local events to grow your network. You can easily find these on platforms like Slack and Meetup. In fact, you shouldn’t hesitate to pay for conferences as you may find potential clients.
- you can plan your finances
Track earnings from the first few projects to arrive at an average monthly income. Rejig your monthly budget as per this fi gure. Before quitting your job, keep aside 5-6 months’ worth of expenses.
- you can find ways to interact with people
Work out of a co-sharing space for a small fee of Rs 400-500. Like-minded people can also motivate you. Interact with clients over video calls or meet them in person to feel involved.