There are two types of freelance designers, or workers in general. Those who work from home, and those who work in an office.

Working in either environment has its own advantages and setbacks. Problems such as distractions, interruptions, and the lack of collaborative space are just some of the things you’ll encounter when you opt to work from home. On the other hand, working in an office can be a little more expensive.

In this post, we point out the key drawbacks and benefits of working as a freelancer from home or in an office space. As a designer who wants to venture in the world of freelancing, would you like to work within the convenience of your humble abode? – or would rather dress up everyday, directly interact with people, and accomplish your job in a shared office?

Work From Home

No Commute

Working within the comforts of your own house means that you will get to save money from transportation expenses. This may also mean that you save yourself from the hassle of waking up early to catch a particular ride and dodge heavy traffic.

Cheaper

Limited to those who have their own house, working from home is a bit cheaper. It saves you from renting a place that is near to your work which you will do to minimize your transportation expenses.

Working in PJs

While working in pajamas may be the best point of working from home, it may also remind you that your bed is just a few steps away which will definitely give you a sleepy mood. Then, you may not accomplish the tasks you have in store for the day.

Occasional Interruptions & Distractions

Interruptions at home are inevitable. These include your companions inside the house and your sources of entertainment (e.g. video games, television), and most especially your bed.

Work Non-Stop

I’ve mention a couple of times how working from home leaves you just a couple of steps from your bed. Working from home means that you can opt to do things without a patterned schedule. That way, you may tend to work non-stop and forget to take a rest in spite of the constant teasing of your bedroom.

No Collaborative Space

Although some prefer to work alone, the lack of collaborative space in your home also means that there is no chance for meetings where you can get the opinions of your peers to better your product.

Office Work

You Actually “Go” To Work

Office work means that you get to prepare for the job, everyday. You will have the sense of responsibility to come to work on time and accomplish the tasks that were assigned to you at the end of the day. Unlike when you work from home where time is solely in your hands.

Place For Meetings

One good point of working in an office environment is the space provided for collaboration. Meetings are where you will get the chance to brainstorm with your peers to develop project ideas and come up with an awesome product.

Professional Mindset

Sitting on your very own office cubicle everyday, surrounded by the bosses and your office mates, drives a professional mindset. You sometimes get to work with industry professionals and have this feeling that you’re actually doing it in the “real world”.

Peer Feedback

As I’ve mentioned a couple of times, another good point of working in an office is that you get to receive real-time feedback from either your boss or peers. Varied observations regarding a project is vital to ensure that you’re always on the right track.

Rent

Office work can be a little more expensive as you would want to rent a place that is as near as possible to your work. Why would you want to do that? Answer, to avoid the hassle and expensiveness of transportation.

Isolation

Although you’re surrounded by your colleagues for a day, working on your office workspace provides an isolated place and barriers occasional interruptions or distractions.

Whichever environment you choose to work at, keep in mind that good performance and productivity will still depend on your working discipline and the way you organize your workspace.

Work from home? – or work in an office? Share us your thoughts and opinions via the comments box below!

Source: ucreative.com