What Nobody Told You About Remote Work From Home

Working from home provides unparalleled freedom and flexibility that you won’t find with any traditional company.

Now, that’s not to say that remote work doesn’t come with its own set of challenges -- but don’t despair; In this article, we have provided you with powerful solutions to three common obstacles that people face when transitioning from a traditional in-house position to remote work from home.

With this information, you will be better prepared to step into the magnetic freedom of working from home without losing your grip on success. These tips will help you build your remote business in a way that is realistic and productive, while staying on top of the challenges that come with such a magnitude of flexibility and independence.

Here’s what nobody told you about remote work from home.

Remote Work Can Make You Feel Isolated

When you work within a company, sometimes your coworkers can get on your nerves, you’ll sit through meetings that seem pointless, and the water cooler gossip can grow taxing. In this environment, it’s easy to believe that the grass is greener in an at-home office.

You may enjoy the peace and quiet at first, but over time, that benefit can start to feel more like a drawback. If you’re an introvert, you might be thinking that nothing would please you more than to work in silence without interruptions and chatter.

You might be right, or you might find that you’re like most human beings, in that social interaction is critical to your mental and physical well-being. There have been countless studies performed on the effects of isolation and social interaction, and all of these studies have come to the same conclusion: we are social creatures by nature. Isolation has been proven to spur a variety of different mental disorders, such as depression, and negatively impact our physical health.

What does this mean for you, should you choose to work from home? It’s not hard to imagine how the negative effects of working all alone every day could affect your work ethic, motivation, and performance.

Those who pursue remote work from home should make a conscious effort to get out of their lonely home office and be among people. Here are three simple ways you can do this:

• Rent an office space or go to a coworking space a few days a week.
• Prioritize the balance of your work and social life.
• Work somewhere public, like a library or a coffee shop. Just keep in mind that public places can be just as distracting as an office setting—if not more so. If you have problems focusing, a coworking space or office space for rent would probably be a better solution.

It’s Too Easy to Slack Off

One of the most commonly declared benefits of remote work from home is the benefit of being your own boss. You control your schedule, your workflow, your methods for getting things done. Working from home means you won’t be micromanaged by a supervisor, which seems like a great thing, right?

Not always.

You Have to Be Your Own Boss

When you don’t have anyone holding you accountable for your work, it can be all too easy to slack off and lose focus. You don’t have to face your superior and explain why you didn’t do a better job. You don’t have to go to work instead of blowing an afternoon at the movie theater with a friend.

Without a manager to report to, you lack a source of leadership and accountability for your work. You don’t get to be your own boss; you have to be your own boss. If you want to be successful at home, you have to become your primary source of discipline, accountability, and encouragement.

How to Be Your Best Boss

Some of us are self-motivated enough to work at home without faltering. Others need that tangible source of leadership. Both personality types can be successful, but only if they’re honest with themselves about whether or not they thrive under management.

Here are a few tips on how you can be your best boss:

• Set and maintain a consistent work schedule.
• Resist working on your bed in your PJ’s. Have an official workspace to go to every morning, whether this is your home office or a coworking space.
• Take your business seriously and don’t treat it like a side hustle.
• Invest in the growth of your career with a virtual receptionist, impress prospects with professional meeting rooms for rent, and develop a consistent brand for your website, business cards, etc.

You Are Your Own Accountant

Lastly, one of the most common pain points for individuals who choose to pursue remote work from home is struggling to become their own accountant. In the office, the company handles most of your financial matters: health benefits, retirement plans, employer taxes, etc.

When you leave a job and create your own business at home or pursue freelance work, you must become a diligent, well-researched accountant. You have to develop your own bookkeeping system, you have to keep track of expenses and income, and you have to report to the IRS on a quarterly basis.

However, those who desire a job at home shouldn’t let this aspect scare them away. Here are our three tips for managing your finances when you work remotely.

• Hire a professional accountant at the start of the year and meet with them regularly.
• Do thorough research before you start working from home, so you’re fully prepared the moment you start making money.
• Be diligent about your bookkeeping. Create an organized system to file every receipt, invoice, expense, etc. Update your finances every month so you don’t fall behind and bury yourself in a mountain of accounting work.

Succeed Remotely With Davinci

At Davinci, we provide remote workers with all of the tools and resources they need to make a successful living from home. Contact us today to learn more about our professional meeting rooms for rent, coworking spaces, virtual receptionists, and get 20% off your first meeting room reservation, using the code: HOME20.

About Coco Quillen

Coco is the Vice President of Operations at Davinci Meeting Rooms. She manages the strategic development and operational implementation of services for Davinci. She works closely with all teams to ensure customers are well taken care of. Google