Has anybody ever worked from home?

[Anonymous]

It's been really hard trying to find a job, and now I'm thinking about taking the work-from-home industry into consideration. Has anybody ever had any experience doing this? If so, was it good, bad, okay? What? I would appreciate it if someone gave me some info on what it's like to work from home! Thank You!

[DanAG]

Yes. I've worked 'at' home, and worked 'from' home. Meaning I actually did the work at home in some cases. In other cases I've basically used home as my base but did the work itself at customer sites.

I never really liked working at home but a lot of people do. I just prefer getting up and going to work every day, and having co-workers. The social side of work is important. At home I didn't do any socializing except for the occasional phone call.

I also felt like I never got off work since I worked and lived in the same place. In a way I really didn't get off work because I'd work for a while, then do some non-work, then more work. I might think of something at midnight for work and start doing it. So you have to be disciplined to separate the two and find the right balance.

The best way to work at home is to have a room set aside just for work. You should have regular work hours when you are at work. Then when you are off work you are really off. Leave the room and close the door.

[Asker]

Thank you for the tips! What kind of work did you do?

[DanAG]

The work at customer sites was general remodeling work. Like remodeling bathrooms, finishing basements, knocking walls out - knocking out walls is a good way to get rid of stress, just take a hammer and start tearing the wall apart :D

At home I did engineering design work.

I've done a lot of misc stuff, but those two are the majority of it.

[Anonymous]

yeah but it's lonely. you don't have coworkers

[Asker]

Thank you for sharing! What kind of work did you do?