Why I Work From Home and For Myself

The first day back at work.

I have my flask filled and my favourite mug ready.

My lunch is made up in the fridge for me to just grab and eat at my desk.

My pencils have been sharpened and my post it notes are in order.

The shiny new diary has been “broken” and my email box looks a little better now that the hoards of emails that accumulated over the Christmas break have been cleared, filed or dealt with (well most of them are, my inbox is like the bloody Tardis!).

My nails have been filed back down to an acceptable typing level.

I have already spoken on the phone to two new potential clients (read this as I have spoken with an adult and Numberjacks, Minecraft and CBeebies were not mentioned).

I’ve loudly trumpeted across my social media networks so that everyone knows I am back and…

I have just realised how much I love my work!

Ok, there are the clients that think they are writers or would be if only they had the spare time (if you work with clients like this say “aye!”). There are the rubber invoices which seem to bounce back repeatedly unpaid. There are the emails which make you want to throw your monitor out of the window and the deadlines which you always agree to yet always regret because you know they are nuts and you will be burning the midnight oil, inhaling coffee granules and posting on Facebook that you will NEVER take on such an assignment again.

Until next time of course.

That said there are huge benefits to what I do:

• I am my own boss which means I can be a bitch and it doesn’t matter, no-one will quit.
• I am my own boss so what I say goes.
• I pick and choose (mostly) what work I do.
• If I want to have very strong red onions and garlic in my lunch then that is fine, there is no-one else here to complain about the smell.
• I am able to be completely flexible around the boys (very important).
• I can wear big fluffy slipper boots while working and no-one cares.
• I can have music blasting out via Spotify when working and no-one complains.
• I have no work do to attend, no office gossips to worry about.
• Being made redundant isn’t a concern.

And I can choose how high my business goes and ultimately set how much I want to earn (realistically speaking, OBVIOUSLY I’d like a millions pounds a month but the tax would be a pain so I choose a more modest income instead).

Working from home and for yourself, whether you are juggling a family or not is incredibly hard work and yet may be unbelievably rewarding.

Today is a good day at work!