Home office tips from a veteran freelancer
Next month marks my 15th year of self-employment, working in a home office. I take responsibility for everything from invoicing to making sure there’s enough paper in the printer. With some studies forecasting that the number of gig workers like me will soon exceed the size of the full-time workforce in a few years, I thought I’d share are few things I’ve learned along the way.
Have a space for yourself
I discovered early on that there is no such thing as working at home with children. You need to find your own space — even if it’s in the attic — where you can go when you need to concentrate. Kids need to understand the boundaries, too. I’m usually happy to see them at any time, but I also keep an assortment of signs that I can tape to the door of my office when I absolutely cannot be disturbed. Don’t feel guilty about this; your shift away from the office will ultimately give you more time with your little ones. But they need to know that you can be working even when you aren’t going to work.