Telecommuting vs. Cabin Fever

casper-

(If this should be under a different board, please move it - i was contemplating putting it in programming, but thought there's got to be people who work from home and do other things besides coding )

There's an article on Slashdot about the downsides of working from home / telecommuting here and I pretty much agree 100%. I've been working for my previous employer as a contractor now, and I find even though I take time out to go to the gym for a while, sitting in the same room during the day (and then again the eveinngs) is really wrecking my head. Unfortunately, there's not even another room I could attempt to put a desk in and work, so I see the living room all day long.

Has anyone else been going through this? Found any good ways to cope?

RicardoSmith

I have the same problem. Assign time during the working day to do other stuff, like meet people for lunch, dinner. Go for walks etc. If its going to be a long time arrangement consider taking some space in a local business center.

dazberry

Originally posted by jedidjab79

sitting in the same room during the day (and then again the eveinngs) is really wrecking my head. Unfortunately, there's not even another room I could attempt to put a desk in and work, so I see the living room all day long.

Has anyone else been going through this? Found any good ways to cope?

I've the same problem, excepts its my bedroom, living room sounds like luxury Like Ricardo said, walks, meets etc. I also try to get in to town once a week for an hour or two, just to walk around a bit surrounded by loads of people. That might sound strange, but its just to break the isolation.

D.

casper-

Originally posted by dazberry
I also try to get in to town once a week for an hour or two, just to walk around a bit surrounded by loads of people. That might sound strange, but its just to break the isolation.

D.

I find going into town by myself when it's busy is nice for a bit, but then you want to do something like grab a bite to eat or go for a drink, and it's kinda boring just by yourself. Every now and then, perhaps, but I guess I"m kinda used to working in places where you can usually find someone who wants to leave work at some point during the day and go and do something.

casper-

Originally posted by RicardoSmith
I have the same problem. Assign time during the working day to do other stuff, like meet people for lunch, dinner. Go for walks etc. If its going to be a long time arrangement consider taking some space in a local business center.

I was thinking about trying to sign up for room at the Guinness development centre (or whatever it's called); my business registration should be done today so I can do that soon. This isn't whining, but I can't really meet people for lunch, etc. -- i've only been here a little over a month so all I know are my wife's friends still heh.

RicardoSmith

Originally posted by jedidjab79
I was thinking about trying to sign up for room at the Guinness development centre (or whatever it's called); my business registration should be done today so I can do that soon. This isn't whining, but I can't really meet people for lunch, etc. -- i've only been here a little over a month so all I know are my wife's friends still heh.

They interview you for a place and I think the min is 3 months. Its not the handiest place to get to either. So you'd be commuting again which would defeat the purpose no?

dazberry

you want to do something like grab a bite to eat or go for a drink, and it's kinda boring just by yourself

Yeah, I'm that way too TBH, but what I do is normally have a mission, such as having to go in and buy something (even if I can get it locally), and not rushing in the process, or maybe going to the pictures on my own - which was very strange the first time having never gone to the cinema on own but the purpose of this is to get out of the 4 walls, its a bonus if the film is good

Its not the handiest place to get to either. So you'd be commuting again which would defeat the purpose no?

Its far from the worst Ricardo, its not a huge technology park (i.e. industrial estate) with no public transport for the last 2 miles hubbed off the M50 mad-cow or the like. What's really the choice close to town for this sort of thing tho', Pearse Street IDA centre, East Wall IDA centre, Guiness enterprise centre. None of them are all that convenient depending on your direction.

D.

RicardoSmith

Its a bit of sprint at night though

casper-

Hmm ... so there's at least three of us in similar situations ... maybe we can arrange a "support group" at a *cough*business meeting place *cough* (e.g. pub) in town every few weeks

Spinnaker

four of us, jedi. i work both from home and on-site. same problems when i'm at home. ....

eth0_

What do you all work at? I would give anything to work from home! It's the commuting that kills me most!

Spinnaker

freelance business development projects for small companies. help them enter new market areas or sign up new products for distribution. sales related stuff really.

i don't think the office cube thing suited me. i got made redundant and immediately had some part time work with friends. i hustled around and found some more. it is a hustle and can be tight on the wallet at times but it's worth it for the freedom and the upside of earning more than u did in employment.

unleash the chains...

dazberry

Originally posted by jedidjab79
Hmm ... so there's at least three of us in similar situations ... maybe we can arrange a "support group" at a *cough*business meeting place *cough* (e.g. pub) in town every few weeks

Thats a good idea. One other person I know is in the same situation that I got to know because at the time we used the same software library (I subsequently rewrote mine from scratch ) and we'd meet up once in a while for a few beers and bemoan the world :eek:.

Originally posted by eth0_

What do you all work at? I would give anything to work from home! It's the commuting that kills me most!

I write software, but its ~easier~ these days to have more downtime Yeah, I hate commuting, but after being stuck at home for an extended period of time I find that I need the change. Of course after a while of working on-site I start to feel the opposite. Its all relative. I've just finished up a job so I'm enjoying being at home .

D.

casper-

Originally posted by Spinnaker
freelance business development projects for small companies. help them enter new market areas or sign up new products for distribution. sales related stuff really.

Hmm..sales and business development...that could come in handy. Are you any good?

Hehe ..seriously though, I was planning on looking into that area anyway probably in the near year. If you're not already overbooked, could you PM me and let me know in more details what you do?