There are countless articles online which sing the praises of working from home. And, it seems they’re onto something, with one in five Americans now doing just that. The benefits of a lifestyle choice like this speak for themselves.

But, it would be naive to assume this career choice is all plain sailing. It’s not. Working from home has pitfalls, just like any other career. And, while some of us can overcome them, others may be unable. Major downsides include loneliness and, what we’re going to talk about here, stress.

You may be wondering how working from home can be stressful. Don’t most people opt for this career choice to get away from stress? Yes, they do, but it doesn’t always work. While you do eliminate the stress of a workplace, freelancing like this has a whole new set of stressors to cope with. These include increased work pressures (it’s only you now), and the inability to switch off. After all, escaping from the workplace also means kissing goodbye to 9-5. Instead, you may find that you never entirely switch off.

The good news is that there’s plenty you can do to keep the stress at bay. And, we’re going to look at a few of your options here.

Take care of admin in the morning

Admin can be a considerable source of stress. When you work in an office, the HR department take care of all that. But, when you’re going it alone, it falls to you. Worse, you don’t make any money from that part of the job. Answering emails and filing invoices is time you’d rather spend actually working. Hence, it can be difficult to fit in when you’re experiencing a busy period.

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To remove the pressure, it’s worth doing admin before you get started each day. That way, you can work without interruption the rest of the time. You could look through emails and such while you’re eating breakfast. Or, you might want to dedicate your first hour to the job. Whatever you choose, getting it out of the way is your best bet.

A plan to avoid the last minute rush of deadlines

Planning is essential in every aspect of working from home. But, never does it help you more than when you’re working to a deadline. You’ll find that your stress levels soon rocket if you leave everything until the last minute each time. Then, you’ll be facing sleepless nights, and rushed work.

To avoid that happening, it’s important to have a decent plan in place for each piece of work you accept. As a rule, attempt to have everything finished a week before it’s due. That way, you have plenty of time to tweak things if you need to. To ensure this is doable, plan first how long you think a job will take you. Then, separate the task into hour-long chunks over a set period. Just like that, you’ll have things done in no time at all.

Get out of the house

Another cause of stress is the feeling of going stir crazy. If you haven’t left the house in a few days, your stress levels are sure to skyrocket. Worse, you may fail to recognize the cause. To stop this happening, make sure to get out of the house at least once a day. Even if you just walk round the block, the fresh air and new perspective will work wonders.

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Create spaces in which to unwind

Many of those who work from home experience stress because they fail to switch off. And, it’s easy to see why. When you’re staying in the same place, you may as well carry on, right? Wrong. In fact, if you work without unwinding, you’ll soon experience severe stress. Everyone needs to kick back for at least a few hours of an evening. To ensure you get into the habit, set aside spaces which are work-free zones. Your bathroom is an obvious one, so take advantage of that. You won’t need to put the effort in to make it work free. It already will be. And, if you take time to shop for a new bathtub online, and invest in some pamper products, it can become the ideal place to unwind.

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The living room can become another work-free zone if you go about things the right way. Nothing beats watching television with the rest of your family. Just make sure you never fall into the mistake of bringing your laptop down while you do so!

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Working from home involves a whole lot more than simply throwing in the towel at your employed job and undertaking the same tasks from the comfort of your own living space. After all, if it was as simple as that, surely we’d all be opting to work within our own four walls. The decision to work from home, rather, has all sorts of inherent responsibilities that you may have never even considered before when working in employed positions. So, before diving right into the deep end, do your research and decide whether working from home is the right decision for you and your lifestyle. Here’s some key information to help you form your decision.

Is Self-Employment Right for You?

Self-employment, much like everything else in the working world, has its benefits as well as its downfalls. So let’s take a look through them. The enviable perks of self-employment include being your own boss. You decide what your position entails, what hours you’re going to work each week and you will also be able to put a value on your own work through your pricing. This is an amazing amount of freedom and liberates you from the standard nine to five regime. You have more control over your own life as well as your trade. You don’t have to answer to others and have the executive hand in any decisions or changes that may occur in your working life. Perfect, right? You also don’t have to apply for holidays or have limited holiday time, as everything is down to you. If you need to take a day off for a big event, you can take it! If you want an extended holiday, you can go ahead and book it. No worries at all. However, there are also drawbacks in regards to everything being down to you. You have to completely dedicate yourself to your personal brand in order for it to succeed. It is essential that you are motivated, as you won’t have anyone on your back reminding you to complete tasks or be productive. You also have to ensure that your company is profitable, so that you are earning enough to survive and take the time off that you want. There won’t be steady payslips, holiday pay or sick pay anymore so you need to be more responsible with your cash and savings. You also have to sort your own tax out at the end of the year. So, while there are many pros to working for yourself from home, you need to ensure that you are motivated, dedicated and proactive at all times. If you believe that you are capable of this, then it’s time to start taking the next steps!

Understanding Your Finances

Setting up a business isn’t as simple as setting up a few social media pages and spreading the word about your products or services. You need to invest huge amounts of time, energy and cash to get things up and started. So you need to understand your current financial situation and decide whether you will be able to commit to this. Check out your credit score on a free credit check site. This will help you to see how creditors and lenders will view you and consequently how willing they will be to help you out when it comes to funding your self-employed work in the beginning of your venture. Loans will be necessary down the line, not only to make larger purchases that will see a return at a later date but also to improve your rating, meaning that you can lend larger sums of cash as your business grows and expands. Always use reliable lenders such as Loan Center and ensure that you make your repayments on time. This will help to improve your score, as companies and banks will be able to see that you always repay what you owe and stick to the terms and conditions of your contracts. If things are looking less than positive, remain in employment for a little while and use this time to clear old debts and improve your score, meaning that you can start out your new business on the right foot.

Getting Started

Once you’ve got your finances in order and are entirely sure that this is the right path for your life to take, you can start investing in your personal brand. Ensure that you register as self-employed. You can then start developing products or services, create your website, conduct market research and start advertising and targeting customers who could potentially form a loyal customer base for your brand. Patience is a virtue when it comes to self-employment, so don’t rush things. Take your time, be sensible with your money and focus on customer satisfaction and raising brand awareness. It won’t be too long until you start to reap the profits.

If you work from home as a freelancer, blogger, or you run your own business; it can be a challenge to stay motivated and ensure that you’re being productive during the working week. There are plenty of distractions and potential disturbances in a home setting; from other family members to odd jobs and chores that need to be done. It can be difficult to make sure that a short break doesn’t turn into something longer, and before you know it; it’s the evening and time for dinner and bed.

However, creating a productive workspace and home-office will help to boost your work and make each day more advantageous. Therefore, it’s worth spending some time and effort making your office, studio, or work area the best it can be, and investing in changes and upgrades for a fruitful future. The following are some ideas and tip for those whose home office space, and work routine, needs a push in the right direction for added productivity.

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The Decor

Your office should be a space where you can clear your mind and separate yourself from the rest of the house; you need to feel cool, calm and collected so that you’re ready to tackle your workload. Therefore, you’ll need to invest in a fresh coat of paint for the walls and ceilings, and ensure that it’s in a light, neutral hue, or even a cool, crisp white. A non-invasive background colour will help prevent brain-fog and headaches, and your thoughts will be able to run freely so that you can boost your productivity. You’ll also be able to add decorative touches, like artwork, ornaments, and photographs with ease, and the environment won’t appear to be too cluttered; which can also stifle your thought process.

When it comes to flooring; you need to think about practicality and design. The colour doesn’t have to be a light shade to match the walls; however, the more neutral, the better. You want to be able to incorporate your office furniture with ease and ensure that any rugs or mats you want to add will fit in seamlessly. A hard-wearing floor, like wood, laminate, or tiles, will ensure that your office or work nook won’t look tired from wear and tear over the years. If you’re working full time from home; the space will be a heavy traffic area, both from you moving around the area, and your office chair rolling to and fro, so you’ll need something that withstand the test of time and usage.

There are plenty of options to suit every style and taste when it comes to desks, office chairs, and furniture. If you’ve kept your walls and floor neutral; you’ll be able to incorporate a wide variety of items, whether they are antique family heirlooms or fresh, modern pieces that you’ve treated yourself (and your new office) to.

It’s worth adding plenty of storage and seating into your space, without making it feel cluttered. An armchair or small sofa makes the perfect addition to a home office; you can sit and use your laptop or tablet on there, or take a coffee break without having to back into your living area where there’ll be plenty of distractions. It’s always great to have multiple seating options; it’ll give you flexibility and comfort in your workspace, and you can figure how you like to work best. Make sure that your storage, like your shelving and drawers, are all easy to access and fill them with items that you’ll utilise each day. Don’t overcrowd your storage or give yourself too much to look at when you’re at your desk; keep everything as minimal as possible, so your mind will have room for all the work ahead.

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The Layout

When it comes to the layout of your office environment; You need to focus on the feeling of openness, space, and how easy it is to maneuver around the room. Therefore, it’s important that you don’t buy a desk, or any other furniture, that would overwhelm the office. Place your shelving and storage in nooks and corners of the room: if they’re not a feature of your workspace, you don’t need them to be in your line of sight, and you can tidy things away so that you have a clear and productive room to work in. You could consider putting your desk facing towards a window; natural light is a great boost for the brain and will allow you to think clearly, and you’ll get a boost to your mood.

Although you don’t want it too big; make sure that your desk can house your computer, laptop, and all of your stationery comfortably. You’ll want to have everything close by, without it feeling claustrophobic or untidy. Take away any heavy curtains or blinds, and fill the room with natural light and fresh air when possible; the sunlight should bounce off the light wall colours and fill the space with a lively feeling that will boost your ability to produce quality work. If you do decide to bring in comfy seating and a rug or two; pop them in corners and nooks too. You want your desk space to feel open and vibrant; however, you might want you chill-out zone to feel separate and cosy.

A large wall mirror can open up your office room; put it in sight of where you sit at your desk so that you can always catch a glimpse and get the feeling of a larger work environment. Keep you filing and paperwork in the storage you popped in the corners and along the walls; these are things you don’t need to look at every day, but you’ll know where to find them should you need to. Again, it’s not about over-filling the room, but carefully placing your items and furniture so that they’re accessible and make the most of the size you have to work with. Your layout should boost the feeling of space and function in your office so it can increase your motivation and the momentum of the work you’re producing.

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The Organisation

Maintaining a productive office is key to the success of the work you produce at home. Make sure you have your lists and calendar not only digitally, but somewhere written down, and insight too. Writing down notes and putting them where you can see them is a great way to keep on top of tasks and work that needs to be completed. Keep your vital contact details, like mobile computer repairs, clients, and stockists written down physically too; you’ll be grateful you did so if anything happens to your computer, phone, or laptop. Backing your work up on more than one USB is another great way to ensure everything you’ve worked on is safe, and nothing gets lost. Back-up regularly to avoid a month’s work disappearing due to a computer crashing.

It’s worth investing in a safe, lockable drawers or a cabinet, to ensure that your expensive items are at risk of family life, or theft. Put any cameras, laptops, tablets, and USBs that you purely use for work, in the secure, lockable storage and give yourself some peace of mind when you close the door to the office each day. Clever storage solutions and an organised approach to your space will ensure that your focus will be on your work, so put some time and effort in now to reap the rewards in the future.

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The Personality

Now that you’ve painted, decorated, added the right furniture and put it in a great place, and you’ve organised everything you need for a productive day of work; you can focus on the fun stuff. You’ve decorated the interior of your home office with neutral and plain shades; therefore you can bring in pops of colour and inspiration in the form of books, your favourite artwork, interior accessories, and photographs of your loved ones and places you’ve enjoyed. Brightly coloured and patterned cushions and throws are a great addition for your chill out zone, or to make your office chair a little more comfortable. Soft furnishings are always a great way to switch up a room’s style without spending too much money, so as your tastes change; so will your office.

House plants and fresh flowers in your favourite pots and vases are another way to add colour, and you’ll be bringing in a natural element which is great for calming the mind and helping your thought process. Treat yourself to an office mug, or cup and saucer from a ceramic designer you admire; you want the room to feel personal and special so that you can be creative with your ideas and comfortable enough to sit and work hard. Coasters, stationery holders, and photo frames will all add interest and characterful design additions to your desk space. Remember not to over-clutter the space, but don’t leave it soulless and free of your personality.

The more effort you put into each detail of your home-based office, the more you’ll be comfortable, organised and inspired, and your productivity will increase immediately.

People seem to have the idea that being a self-employed, stay at home worker is nothing but fun, but the reality isn’t always like that. While there are, of course, plenty of benefits – including greater flexibility, no commute, and the ability to work in your pyjamas – there are a lot of hidden downsides, too. Workers can feel isolated, find making new friends difficult, and have a sense that they’re not pushing themselves to live life to the full. If you think you might soon want to leave your employment circumstances, then take a read below. We’ll go through a number of actions that’ll put you on the path to a happier working life, whether that’s at home or anywhere else.

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Taking a Break

Everyone can get overwhelmed by their job from time to time. If you work in an office, it’s easy to take a step back and get some perspective: all you need to do is clock out, return home, and have a relaxed evening with the family. If you work from home, it gets more difficult. If you can feel your happiness levels decreasing, then schedule some time away from work and give yourself the space you need to think clearly. You might be ready to move on to other things, or you might just need to recharge the batteries for a while.

Temporary Work

Of course, not every stay at home worker can take an extended break from their job. There are bills to be paid, after all. If that’s the case, then take a look at finding temporary work before you figure out what you’re going to do next. There are a number of benefits to temporary employment when you’re in between phases of your life. For one, it’ll ensure that you’re not getting yourself into financial distress while you’re coming up with a long term plan. For two, it’ll give you an opportunity to experiment with a few different job roles, which might help you decide what you want to do next.

Using Your Skills

Stay at home workers often incorrectly believe that they have fewer skills than they usually do. If you’ve been self-employed, then it doesn’t matter what your job was: alongside your primary skills, you can also add things like organisation, accounting, timekeeping, and good old hard work. All of these skills are in high demand, so don’t forget them to add to your resume when you’re building up to applying to more traditional jobs.

Plan Your Escape

If you’ve decided that you want to have a complete career change, then you might have to plan your escape more carefully. For starters, you’ll want to take a look at what careers will still be around in the coming decades, because many will be lost due to artificial intelligence. Most positions in the healthcare industry, for example, should be safe. While you probably won’t want to become a doctor, you can look at other positions within the industry; health care manager jobs, for instance, are due to grow by nearly twenty percent in the coming decade. You can start your journey toward this career by completing a healthcare administration degree online, which will enable you to train for your new job around your current employment obligations. No matter how long you’ve been doing your present job, it’s never too late to change how you spend your days!

Assessing Your Growth

There are two types of stay at home jobs: the ones that are going places, and the ones that aren’t. If you’re not enjoying your job and you don’t think it’s taking you to where you eventually want to be, then all the signs will point to finding a new way to make your living. However, be careful when giving the jobs that might take you somewhere. Even if you’re not enjoying what you’re doing at the moment, in a few months or a year, it might have taken you to a place that you really enjoy. It’s all about assessing your growth, and making the call whether it’s worthwhile sticking out the bad times as you wait for the good ones to come.

Part-Time Home

It’s also worth thinking about which aspects of working from home you don’t like. Is it the job itself, or is it that you’re cooped up inside all day? Feelings of isolation can come on pretty strongly if you’re spending all your time at home, but there are other options available. If you live near a big city, check out if there are any co-working offices there. You’ll still have all the flexibility of being self-employed, but you’ll also be able to have the benefits of a structured work day, with office colleagues thrown in to boot. If you don’t have any co-working spaces located near to your home, then you can always start one. Sites like meetup.com will help you create your own community of at home workers.

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Other Benefits

There’s no getting around that being self-employed and working from home is an uphill battle. Financial security ‘s hard to come by, and you have to live with the reality that if you fall ill, then your entire business could fall apart. If it’s these stresses that are taking the edge off your job, look at getting things like business insurance, or putting away a portion of your wages each month so you can build up a nest egg to use if something goes wrong.

Look at Volunteer Work

People who work from home do work hard, but they also have more flexibility when it comes to when they work. If you fundamentally enjoy your job but don’t like how much time you spend inside/looking at a screen, mix up your working day by volunteering with an organisation you feel passionate about. It’ll keep your days varied and exciting, and will also be a boost to your resume in case you decide to change careers later on.

Remember: just because you enjoy the benefits of working from home doesn’t mean you’re stuck doing it forever.