Mid-March musings: Working from home feels

Freelance Feels was always planned as a monthly newsletter, but things for freelancers – and everyone, of course – are in disarray (AKA total meltdown) with Coronavirus so I wanted to share some feels on working from home and the way things are changing for us all right now.

If you know someone who might benefit from it, please do forward it on! I’ll touch upon the working from home feels, the virtual meet ups that are all happening and social media feels when you’re at home 24/7.

Working from home feels…

I confess, and this might seem strange as a freelancer, that I don’t love working from home. It’s never 100% suited me, and that’s why I often do in-house contracts or shift work. Going into an office helps balance things for me. It gives me routine and a commute where I might read or do an Insta post for Freelance Feels. It gives me a feeling of community and a place to call ‘home’ for a while alongside my work from home life.

Working in-house can make me grateful for the days or weeks when I am working from home and it also helps with networking. I’ve found that shifts can help forge new contacts (there are often other freelancers in a shared office and meet people from other departments such as advertorials) and it motivates me to do my other freelance work as the windows to do so (before and after work, or at weekends) are smaller and I work well to tight deadlines.

So this week as I began working from home for my in-house client, remotely checking in on Skype and loading content to Wordpress (and missing their fancy new office which has a free coffee machine), I really felt for anyone who found themselves in the same position. I felt out of my comfort zone, too!

So more than anything I want to say I feel your feels. You have solidarity and virtual support here - I am feeling it all, too. I know how you are feeling if you’re not used to working from home even if you’re freelance. Maybe you’ve had to leave your co-working space or abandon that favourite café. The choice of where to work has been restricted and if you’re used to going out and about, perhaps to a different location than home then this can feel strange.

Just because we’re self-employed doesn’t mean home is our office 24/7 normally, does it?! When working from home isn’t through choice, it’s challenging. It feels like someone shoving you from the side and you having to right yourself. And of course the right thing is to stay home. But, oh, the feels of it all.

I understand if you’ve had work cancelled and I understand if you are looking at social media and your inbox and operating with an underlying sense of panic. It bubbles away inside me like a little river of lava, and I live in fear of it erupting.

I also understand that there is a difference between working remotely and working from home. People who are working from home (eg those who have been sent home) have a lot of physical challenges – organising their space, or their Internet connection, their remote working practice with their team such as meetings. But they do not have the extra pressure of having to hustle for work.

Many freelancers work from home and their work lifelines have been cut (eg clients have cancelled work or contracts). If that’s you, I feel your feels. I have had two commissions cancelled and one held over as the magazine will be down paging. I understand, but it was hard to deal with three in a week!

Personally, I think it helps if you’re freelance to remind yourself that you are working from home not just remote working and you deserve an extra mental health break for that. Try not to go into overdrive and start working 7 days a week as you’re likely to burnout and that won’t help anyone.

Yep, it’s a lonely world for freelancers – and if you’re now working from home suddenly you might find this too. I wrote this for the Freelance Feels blog on being lonely as a freelancer, hope it might help you.

Time to reach out..

Yes, yes, sorry I said it. But I am a bit strangely fond of that phrase.

And now is the time. It won’t hurt to email some contacts and see what’s going on with them. Be friendly and get a dialogue going – it might not be an instant work offer but it could build the pathway to work in the coming weeks. Or after all this is over.

Could be they are desperate for someone to do what you can do. And they might be so panicked your name slipped from their mind. A friendly reminder you’re around/available is a positive action to take.

To call or video, or hide away?...

Everyone is sharing snaps of their fabulous five-way convos and morning meetings that they’re having. The way we can communicate and work remotely is great – for most. But there are some who won’t want to do video chats. For whom meetings are already a minefield, let alone when they have to show that they understand a certain technology or are worried someone’s judging their home!

I like a video chat, but to a certain extent. Apps/sites that work for me are Skype or Zoom. I use Zoom for the podcast and you can do a call with audio only. Be honest if you want to do that, I’m sure the other person won’t mind.

Video calls are useful because not only do they mean you have to get dressed and (sort of, at least) brush your hair, they mean you interact as closely as possible to being with the person.

Phone calls can be good as they change the way your conversation flows. There’s a more intense listening experience there and arguably you have to focus more on the chat as you can’t be distracted by things around you on the screen. I wrote about it this week, in fact.

Space out calls, too. I did three podcast chats in one day last week and I was exhausted. Lesson learned.

Virtual meet ups

I’m pondering these as there are LOADS being arranged. I am actually a bit freaked out by them, and the idea of operating completely online.

I’m kind of an in-person person. I like to call my experts and interviewees when I can, rather than get quotes on email. I like to go to networking events. I like to go to workshops and ‘days’ and do things in person.

I find it helps the balance as a work-from-homer to be able to go to things and talk to people. For example, I have tried where possible to do my podcast interviews in person. Don’t get me wrong I still feel very nervous in these IRL situations. But I embrace them as I know they are always a winner. Meeting in person always gets the best results for business and building a relationship in my experience. There’s the interaction, hearing them, seeing what they are wearing, smelling the person, even.

But online seminars and workshops are going to be the norm for now. I know I need to adapt and embrace. Personally I’ve not joined any yet! I feel overwhelmed enough with trying to get work done and think about the other things like supplies and health.

We’ve gone from nothing to millions of virtual meet ups in one week and I for one am finding it quite overwhelming. So if you are too, then I feel your feels.

We don’t go to a seminar or workshop every day normally, so just because we’re working at home or isolated doesn’t mean we can suddenly deal with that level of interaction. Suddenly doing everything online and ‘meeting’ with everyone who offers is exhausting and not ideal for our screen time, either.

I know they’re invaluable for many but I’m just saying try not to join them all because it’ll probably give you a lot of overwhelm. You’re also not failing at business if you’re not in every single online forum chat about freelancing.

So I would say dabble in some online interaction if you can and have time – maybe join a Facebook live chat first rather than jumping in to a whole day’s online workshop. Don’t sign up for every single one you see advertised, just like you wouldn’t sign up to every event you’re emailed about.

Switching off feels

And how about downing tools? This newsletter from Adam Pearson is a great take on switching off. The fight to find work, to do things, to progress with work plans is a hard one and his attitude to say ‘fine, I’m going to take a break’ was amazing to read. It’s like he’s giving us permission to consider the same thing. I understand that for many this is not an option. But if it is, why not try it?

Social media feels

Now if you’re a follower of the newsletter you’ll know I extoll the virtues of social media for connecting and building your brand and Facebook groups as a way to connect with other freelancers. They are a godsend right now.

Stylist magazine has started one for people working from home –I’ve joined to see what kind of connections I can make and see if I can help with my own experiences.

I will name check again Freelance Heroes (podcast with founder Ed Goodman coming soon!) and Being Freelance Community (founder Steve Folland chatted to me for the podcast which is a very cheery chat) as well as reminding you to search for groups in your area of expertise or work (I’m in some for podcasters and local entrepreneurs in my area, for example).

I’d also like to draw your attention to Work Notes, which is a great resource. And Underpinned is a great resource for freelancers.

But not every group or thread will be for you. Social media can be a bit scary right now. And if you’re struggling to adapt to work from home, there will be a limit to how much you can read without floundering.

Recently, I made the decision to leave a Facebook group and I don’t miss it! Clearly wasn’t the one for me, and I’d say that if a group comes up on your feed – or someone you follow on insta or twitter – and you feel negativity, consider muting or leaving it. You don’t need that extra worry in your life right now. Walk away - you can always rejoin in the future. If they don’t let you back in then hey, proves you right really.

We often forget about Linked In but I would argue it is a good resource (I’ve found work there), so it could be a good time to focus on your bio, your contacts and posting work and availability there. See what others are sharing, and what companies are making changes in light of the news. It could be you can help them as they move to home working and need advice or freelancers to help their business carry on.

The same goes for your CV and profiles. If you have time, because work is scarcer, then dedicate some of it to sprucing things up again.

Can you add new projects to your website? Mine needs a bit of a spruce up and it’s on the list for the next week. It’s your portal and if you are hoping to keep work going then that portal needs to shine.

Freelance Feels: The podcast for humans who work for themselves

I am so proud of the Freelance Feels podcast and I hope it might help either freelancers now housebound or those working from home who want some solidarity and support. Here’s the entire season 1 and first two eps of Season 2.

They’re loading every Monday lunchtime now for Season 2. There’ll be some bonus episodes in there, too, as I connect with people in the freelance community who are perfectly placed to offer support and advice. So two Eps will be landing w/c 23rd March!

Thanks for reading – if you’ve enjoyed then please do share or forward to someone who might appreciate this. You can follow Freelance Feels on Instagram @freelance_feels and there will be more on the blog in the coming days and weeks www.freelancefeels.com

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