Why 100% working from home is not a good idea
We all know it: freelancers love to work from home. And yes, that has its advantages. You don't have to face traffic jams or bad weather, you can do laundry during the break, and you can run around in your sweatpants without worry. And yet, it's not all gold that shines. Working from home also comes with some drawbacks. Finding the balance between your home-office and office is the message, especially for freelancers who don't have their own office.
Don't take it for granted to leave your home office behind? We list some of the disadvantages of working from home for you. Hopefully that will help you find your way to more variety.
Blurred division between work and home
Working from home gives you a lot of freedom. Receiving a package during the day or doing laundry during your break, it's all possible from your home office. But therein lies the great danger. From your home office, the boundaries between work and private life can quickly become blurred. That is to say, some are more easily distracted and less able to concentrate. For others, it is just difficult to determine the end of the working day, since you do not literally close the door behind you at 6 p.m. here. So finding the right balance is definitely not an easy task.
Less social contact
Those who work from home logically have less social contact. And let that be exactly what is important for freelancers. So for those who get energy from the presence of colleagues and chatting with others, it's a matter of alternating enough. For freelancers, it is also often opportune to be present where the activity is taking place. A lot of information is exchanged at the coffee machine. And freelancers can capitalize on that. Your next project is already lurking, ready to be discovered. So don't underestimate the value of these informal moments.
Unadapted infrastructure
Working from home is not always practical. Especially for those who do not have a separate room available with the proper infrastructure. With young children making the house unsafe, it can be extra difficult to work undisturbed. Those ergonomic office chairs in the quiet room at the office suddenly don't sound so bad 😊
Variety is key
So exchanging your home office for another place from time to time is the message. When it is not possible to work from the client's premises, many alternatives exist. These include the co-working spaces which are hugely popular with many freelancers. These are the perfect place to be with others, where you can still work undisturbed and focused. If you are looking for a base between Ghent and Antwerp, we can definitely Copperworks recommend. A vibrant business center right at the station of Sint-Niklaas. You will find offices of various sizes and flexible workplaces with all the accompanying facilities.
