Blog of a Freelancer – September 14th, 2020 Still here, what a year.

​Just a quick note to say I’m still here and working hard from home in 2020. I hope your year isn’t a complete bin-blaze.

It’s been a busy time, and I’ve neglected the blog - so am making amends.

I’ve been working from home for around 14 years now. Seems like a good time to talk about that. Welcome to the glory that is ‘no commute’.

Here are some of the things I’ve learned:

Set a start and finish time

It’s very easy to over-work when at home. Especially if you’re being paid by the hour or for clear deliverables. More work = more money right?

I start at 8:30 am and finish work at 5:30 pm - Monday to Friday. Outside that time I don’t go near my work computer or take any work calls (I tell clients to SMS with emergencies).

The work will always be there tomorrow.

If you do happen to do some overtime - don’t send communications outside your working hours. I write then save emails to be sent the next morning.

It’s about protecting your non-work life.

A dedicated space is tops

Having a place that is for work only is ideal - you can close the door and walk away. In my 14 years, I’ve worked next to sleeping babies, on kitchen chairs, dining tables and bedrooms. Now I have a dedicated office.

When I didn’t have an office - I would still attempt to pack up so that I could actually see work as ‘over’.

Be sure to get the most comfortable chair you can afford (obviously!)

Battery Backup

Get yourself an Uninterrupted Power Supply (UPS). Or two. If the power goes out - your computers/equipment will still work.

Depending on what you buy - you can give yourself enough time to just save and shut everything down - or actually keep working for a few hours.

I have a large UPS for my main computer and hard drive and a second (smaller) UPS for the modem and home network. If the power goes out I still have my machine, all my files and the internet.

Spend around $300+ and you’ll be good.

File Backup

Standard and boring stuff - but it is a necessity. If you have a Mac - use TimeMachine to an external hard drive (or two). If your files are smaller - backup to a cloud service every day as well.

Other things I’ve noticed

• Regular exercise makes you feel better (who woulda thunk it?).
• What you wear does not matter.
• Good tunes throughout the day are essential (hello Double J).
• Keep good records and notes.

That’s it for now - I hope the rest of 2020 works out for you.

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I've been a freelance interface designer, UX / UI guy and front-end developer for over 19 years, and a full-time freelancer since 2006. Contact me if you're looking for a help with your project, or your freelance setup.

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