You’ve most likely read the articles about the benefits of working out of your home. If you’re a parent, you can combine childcare and your business. You save on work-related costs, such as dry cleaning, eating out, buying “work” clothes, and most important, transportation and parking.
I worked out of a spare bedroom in my home for over 10 years, and for many of those years, it was an ideal situation. Because our house is relatively small, I could work and keep an eye on my son while he colored, worked puzzles, and built LEGO® creations.
As time passed, however, my work load not only grew, it changed. One day I realized that I was no longer doing work (writing) that could be done anytime, I was consulting with clients on big-picture issues, and those clients worked normal hours.
On top of that, my son had changed, too. Literally overnight he went from being the cute five-year old perfectly content with his closet-sized bedroom to a line-backer sized pre-teen who needed some space to grow — and play loud rock music.
He began to hungrily eye the big and airy bedroom that served as my home office while I began to fantasize about leaving work . . . at work.
And so, I made the huge jump to renting commercial office space — and after an initial adjustment, I’ve found myself asking, “Why didn’t I do this sooner?” Herewith, the pros of renting an office:
1. Separation between work and home life – Now that I’m working outside of my home, I’m finding that it’s much easier to not work when I am at home. I’m actually taking the entire weekend off now, something I haven’t done in years.
Caveat: With 24/7 Internet access and smart phones, it’s *very* easy to fall back into old habits, so I’m finding I have to be really diligent about not answering email or checking Twitter in my “off” hours.
2. Fewer distractions - I thought I was pretty focused when I worked at home. It wasn’t until I moved out that I realized that my biggest distractions were the dogs (who barked constantly — especially during conference calls) and surprisingly, my in-home vending machine — the refrigerator.
3. Can have clients visit me – I never felt comfortable having clients visit my home office – so I would travel to their offices instead. Now I have clients coming to visit me and when they see my professional space, they are impressed – which raises their estimation of me.
4. Wardrobe upgrade – Once I moved out and began dressing to go to work I realized I had been working all those years in the same clothes I do housework in — and that this had negatively affected my sub-conscious. (According to many “positive mental attitude” experts, your sub-conscious affects your conscious in huge ways.) Now that I’m wearing nicer clothes, I’m doing better work – and I think differently about myself and the work that I do.
5. Bigger vision – When I worked at home, I called myself a “work at home mom.” This label isn’t a bad label at all – and I am proud of the fact that I raised my son while growing a business. Now, however, I’m Dianna Huff, CEO of DH Communications, Inc., and this new perspective has helped me see how I can grow my business in ways I couldn’t perceive when I worked at home.
Working at home definitely has its benefits. However, it can also become stifling over time. If you’ve been secretly dreaming of “moving out,” take the plunge. I highly recommend it. The benefits to yourself and your business definitely outweigh the monetary costs.
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Dianna Huff, a B2B marketing communications consultant and copywriter, offers marketing coaching to freelancers and service professionals. To get your free report on using Twitter effectively, sign up for her e-newsletter at http://www.the-profitable-consultant.com.
{ 7 comments… read them below or add one }
Your pros for renting an office are spot on. I just took the plunge this week and finally moved into my very own office.
What a difference it makes in your confidence, how you work, and how you present your businesses.
I’ve been trying to get out of the rut of a “work at home developer”, and I’ve been thinking for years that an office is the ticket. I would cringe every time someone asks to meet with me to discuss a project and I had to explain that I worked “remotely”.
Thanks for sharing!
It doesn’t hurt that office space is a tax deductible expense. You often get a bigger write off for office space than for a home office — and it doesn’t hurt that the paperwork is easier!
I’m seriously considering this move after reading Dianna’s post. These are great reasons to make the switch. The key for me will be to find a quiet office (many of these shared office buildings have paper-thin walls). After working in a quiet environment (my home office) for 10 years, I get distracted easily by any background noise.
Ed,
I thought the noise from other offices would bother me, too, but I’ve found I actually like it. I like hearing other people work and knowing others are working in other offices around me.
My office building is located next to the RR tracks so every time I hear a freight train roll by, I think of all the marketing and sales that went into selling the products being shipped. I love it.
Isn’t it crazy how a wardrobe change can really affect the mindset? I have also noted this in my work at home. Now, during the week, I dress in jeans or slacks, as opposed to a robe and slippers. This slight change has really helped me gain perspective on my time and has changed my attitude for the better. I feel like I was falling into a slight depression from being stuck at home each day, but now I go outside at least 5 times during the day and make sure the sun touches my skin. It may sound like a small something, but it really does make the difference.
@internships – Agreed on the wardrobe thing and going outside. I feel lousy by mid-afternoon if I haven’t been outside. My energy wanes and sometimes I’m so caught up in the work I start wondering why. Then it hits me… “Oh yeah… GO GET SOME FRESH AIR!” Thanks for the comment.
Here’s a post I just found that takes a counter-opinion to going to “the office” http://www.fastcompany.com/blog/joe-duffy/duffy-point-view/plea-all-creatives-stop-going-work?partner=homepage_newsletter
@internships — I am really surprised at how changing my wardrobe gave me the mental “lift” for which I had been searching — for a couple of years! Getting up, showering, and getting dressed puts me a good frame of mind. Getting “dressed up” makes me feel professional and successful. Even better, it has put my work at a whole other level.
@petesavage — I agree with you and the blog post you cited. Getting out of the office is necessary for us creative types. I go bonkers if I don’t get to the gym at least 3x a week. The workout is necessary, of course, but so is seeing people, chatting, and not thinking about work.