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I don't mean the occasional day working from home, but actually based out of a home office?
What were you doing? Did you like it?
What were you doing? Did you like it?
I've been working from home for the past 15 years. I run an IT consulting business. Most of my clients are small business and not for profits. I manage networks remotely and do break/fix troubleshooting on site. I don't think I could go back to a nine to five job although eight months ago I started two nights a week doing the night audit at a local hotel/brewery. I'm phasing out some of my smaller IT clients with an eye to eventually retiring.I don't mean the occasional day working from home, but actually based out of a home office?
What were you doing? Did you like it?
I've been told by many people if you're going to work from home, you need a room where that's the only thing you do there.I've been working from home for the past 15 years. I run an IT consulting business. Most of my clients are small business and not for profits. I manage networks remotely and do break/fix troubleshooting on site. I don't think I could go back to a nine to five job although eight months ago I started two nights a week doing the night audit at a local hotel/brewery. I'm phasing out some of my smaller IT clients with an eye to eventually retiring.
It is not for everyone. I miss the social interaction at times. You have to be very disciplined and at times force yourself not to play your guitars and get the work done. It is very easy to procrastinate. You have to do all your own paper work which is not fun. I have found that having a room dedicated to the job is best for me. When I go in there I am at work. If you are the sole employee holidays are few and far between.
The good parts are really good. When you have something to do in the middle of the day you can do it. This morning I'm taking my granddaughter and grandson to an orthodontist in the city. I get to spend several hours with them. Once a week my wife and I pick up my other granddaughter at her daycare and spend the afternoon with her. On a nice day I can take a break and go for a walk. Most days I play my guitars for an hour or so in the middle of the afternoon. I love the flexibility. As long as you are disciplined and get the work done you can be very flexible with when you work. I am the boss. I have a hard time doing something the way the boss wants it done when I know there is a better way.
This is certainly also true if you are going to declare use of space at home for business purposes. BTW, if you do declare this space, don't declare a percentage of your mortgage. We did that and it was very complicated when we stopped. Declaring percentages (by square foot of total) for heat, hydro, water, etc. are easy and reasonable.I've been told by many people if you're going to work from home, you need a room where that's the only thing you do there.
I have a friend who converted his garage to his teaching space for guitar. His students never need to enter the main part of the house. Do you have any pics of your space, if you'd like to share them?19 years so far as a private music instructor in my home studio (such that is is, it’s just an 11’ x 21’ room attached to the back of the house. The room has two doors, one to the kitchen and one to outside. It’s kind of half living space that takes gear overflow and provides guest seating, and half actual instruction space. I change the layout every few years, most recently this past July, and move the art around to give me variety. The back covered deck provides some shelter for those who wait, but as I always run on the clock, that’s kept to a minimum.
Best job I’ve ever had, best location too. Between lessons I have you guys to annoy, dogs to care for, and the damn refrigerator that’s always calling my name (it’s the worst part of my “commute”)...oh wait, I hear it now...
We considered both an out-building or an attached garage but never got to it. Certain things (appendix, cancer, tornado) intervened. After the kids left home the space race wasn't so necessary. I would have loved an out-building with a loft.I have a friend who converted his garage to his teaching space for guitar. His students never need to enter the main part of the house. Do you have any pics of your space, if you'd like to share them?
That's beautiful!We considered both an out-building or an attached garage but never got to it. Certain things (appendix, cancer, tornado) intervened. After the kids left home the space race wasn't so necessary. I would have loved an out-building with a loft.
I guess I can oblige with View attachment 224654 View attachment 224656 View attachment 224658 a couple of studio pictures.
The beverages underneath are a nice touch.
I'm an awful control freak, obsessive compulsive, and leftist as all hell. I work best when I'm alone to set my own agenda. However, apparently it also allows me to set aside my own thing to work in service to the student. Screamo to Taylor Swift, Bach to The Bee Gees, it doesn't matter as long as it's all about music education.From 1993 to today, all but 5 years of that I have worked for big corporate employers from a home office.
Now, at 55 and after all those years of freedom, I would have a very hard time going back to an office environment.
-no office politics to deal with. This is #1 by a mile, I never was good at those games.
-in current job, set my own schedule - have to travel some but not extensively, and can do it working around anything else going on
-it takes personal discipline, and I am not perfect but am considered a top performer at what I do (equipment finance/risk management)
The downside is there's essentially no advancement beyond my position, which I have had since 2002. There's more to it than that, but it would mean getting back into an office, so no thanks. But they treat us very well, and if I am able to run out the string for the next 10 years doing this job, I think I will be satisfied. Lots of guys in this position keep it until they retire.