Is your home office killing your creativity?

A woman sitting at a desk with a laptop and a cup of coffee.

As a writer, particularly one who enjoys the many benefits of working from home, there are few things less appealing than having to work in an office every day.

However, office life is no longer about working the 9-5 grind in a solitary cubicle. In fact,  working in one of the growing number of co-working spaces could actually benefit a lot of freelancers and other professionals for that matter.

Here’s how.

Cut out distractions

Working from home can sometimes be an unproductive experience. The sink of dirty dishes, the washing basket of dirty clothes, the phone that won’t stop ringing or the lure of the dreaded television…. Distractions come in a whole host of shapes and sizes.

This isn’t to say there won’t be any distractions in a co-working office space but you may find the act of moving to a new space allows you to really focus on your work.

A host of brains to pick

You could always turn a sociable office atmosphere to your advantage. Co-workers tend to be a friendly bunch and as long as you’re willing to return the favour, people will often be willing to offer some good, honest feedback on your work.

Not only this, but co-working spaces are generally filled with inspired minds and creative thinkers. If you’re ever stuck for an idea, then you’re in the right place to seek inspiration.

A change of scenery

In contrast, working from home can be a solitary and subsequently unproductive affair. You may find a change of scenery could be just what you need to boost your productivity. The energy in a lot of co-working spaces is palpable, and it can be really inspiring to be sat in an energized room.

This is where desk rental can really be of benefit to a freelancer, as a good number of co-working spaces will allow you to ‘hot-desk’. This is when you essentially use a desk, not for the entire day or week, but in ‘shifts’; meaning you can get a change of scenery for the few hours you need before returning home. Furthermore, contracts are usually short, rolling month-to-month affairs so if you really need a change of scene it’s easy enough to get out and into a new place.

Boost your work/life balance

This change of scenery could also have a bonus on your work/life balance. Having separate spaces for work and home life can make it a lot easier to separate the two; things that can begin to blur when you work from home.

Even the dreaded commute could become a valuable time of day; allowing you to get your mind set for work in the mornings, whilst also allowing you to wind down at the end of the day.

There are few things better (about working in an office) than when you finally get to leave at the end of the day. This may sound like utter counter-intuitive nonsense, but when you’re thinking about the benefits of office life, this end-of-day joy could be a real motivating factor.

Hit those deadlines

If, in addition to having a deadline looming over you, you have the prospect of tasting the sweet fresh air, then you could find your motivation to complete a task before the end of your working day takes a sudden upwards surge!

So tell us… do you work from home? Do you love it? Or perhaps you hot-desk? Share your experience!

23 Responses

  1. This really resonates with me since I have just set myself up as a freelance copywriter. Whilst I’m loving the freedom wfh affords me I do find that if I don’t discipline myself I can very easily be distracted by ‘small’ jobs around the house – these small tasks invariably erode into my working day leading to me being less than productive.

    1. Thanks for leaving your experience Sophie!

      I do like the flexibility of being able to whack on some washing or pop to the shops to get some missing items for dinner but they can end up being distractions if you let them.

      I have found the Pomodoro technique really helps with that focus. I have 25mins just on one task. No washing. No cups of tea. No emails. Once I’m in that zone, it’s a lot easier to ignore house stuff.

  2. I’m a die-hard work-at-home girl. My biggest distraction is probably social media, so working in a shared space probably wouldn’t help with that (especially if I wasn’t accountable to anyone else in the office for my time).

    I also close my office door at the end of the day and over the weekend, so unlike some people who work off their kitchen table, I don’t have an issue making the distinction between “work” and “home”.

    As far as picking brains, I’ve got a fantastic online network at my fingertips that provide a wealth of ideas and experience. And they only interrupt me for something when I allow them to.

    For me, working from home is definitely better for my creativity and productivity than sharing space. But I do miss Friday drinks!

    1. Ah I miss Friday drinks too much I have admit that my last day job wasn’t really central so I miss the Friday drinks from years and years ago when I was young and could handle more than two shandies 😉

      Thanks for leaving your experience Anna! Now that I’ve been working in my home office for a while I think I’m addicted to it. I’m glad I tried a co-working space-sharing deal but it wasn’t really for me. Am I becoming a hermit I wonder?

      1. Ah yes… back when we were young!

        I think my biggest concern isn’t that I’m becoming a hermit, but wondering if I should actually be concerned that I’m not concerned.

        Confused?

  3. I’ve always thought the ideal set up would be to have a home office and a shared office. But the shared office would have to be close to minimise the commute. I built a bitchin’ home office when I moved into our new home which I love working in. But I get a bit lonely and it’s good to have other people to bounce ideas off occasionally.

    1. I too have a bitchin’ home office Charles but I find social media and a few face to face networking events each month more than enough to keep in touch with the rest of humanity. I think.

  4. I’m working in a ‘traditional’ office a few days a week for a writing contract, and it’s made me appreciate how much I enjoy working from home. Of course, it might be different if I didn’t have social media to keep me company and bounce ideas off when I need to.

    I don’t know if other writers are the same, but sometimes a burst of laughter from somewhere can take ten minutes to recover from. Whatever thought you had evaporates, and it can take a while to get back into the writing rhythm.

    Sometimes I crave not so much anyone’s company, but rather a connection with the outside world. I don’t want to talk to anyone, but I still want people around me. Maybe hot-desking would be the cure for that, but I find a few hours with my laptop at Starbucks is just as effective. (But I can only do it when I’m writing certain blog posts and don’t need to concentrate too much.)

    1. I’m with you Bill, people distract me so if I have to get something done (and I mean DONE) I prefer to be alone. If I am happy for my mind to wander, creatively, public places can be great.

  5. Hi Belinda,

    This article is timely for me. My husband has been saying for a long time we should get me office space. I use our guest bedroom as an office which is fine except when people come to visit. I had the chance for some good shared office space in Fremantle at a incredibly reasonable rate. After a lot of consideration, I opted against it.

    1) It’s still an added expense which means I’d need to find extra income and increase my workload.
    2) I can walk down the hallway and start work so my productivity is much better without a commute.
    3) I get more done when I’m alone. Other people in the office would be a distraction, even if they were other writers.
    4) I would be lugging equipment back/forth between offices. Now if I have a couple things to finish, I can quickly sit down and do it in a free moment.
    5) I work in the same clothes I walk the dog in and leave my shower to the end of the day if I’m not seeing anyone. Again, that gives me more time – and comfort – for working.
    6) I would sorely miss having an office dog which I couldn’t do in a commercial space. Even if the landlord approved, my girl wouldn’t be happy.

    Over the years I’ve become very good at ignoring dishes in the sink and minimising the time I spend on household activities. I still put clothes on the line and mix up bread but I equate that with time I would spend ‘at the water cooler’ if I was in a real office. Like Anna Butler, I have to watch the social media distractions but I wouldn’t be a real writer if I didn’t procrastinate, right?

    I’m on deadline, time to get back to work. (Notice I didn’t say, ‘Time to hop in the shower. Time to put my shoes on. Time to get changed.’?)

    1. I think having some separate office space is a great idea Sarah but if you can have one in your home you get the benefits of a dedicated space, without leaving your lovely home environment.

      When I started my little co-working experiment I knew I’d get less done but I thought the benefits would outweigh that. The change of scenery, the social aspect, the focus required, new business opportunities…. But the commute and lugging equipment coupled with less work being done killed it for me.

      So it’s back to my bitchin’ home office where I can work barefoot, with my dog, wear what I like And leave the living spaces of my home well alone.

      But it’s was worth a trial!

      Thanks for leaving your experience and thoughts!

  6. I have just started writing from home. I have set up an office but I work at my kitchen table because I feel like I’m not alone (even though I am). I’d love to get into my office because it’s a great space. I set aside time to work and all of a sudden I realise the washing needs to be done and of course I do it. I have a lot to learn to be able to work alone.

    1. Learning to work alone is a great skill but it’s almost like getting out of the habit of turning the TV on just for the noise.

      Productivity tools like the Pomodoro Technique can help keep you focused. You work for 25mins, no interruptions then take a 5min break. Plenty of time to get the washing done And shed loads of work too.

      Thanks for commenting!

  7. Great read, thanks Belinda. We have offices in a shared creative space and my business partner works from there. I work from home and have a desk in the spare room but I sit at the dining table with a gorgeous view of trees. For social interaction, I started a MeetUp with other local business owners and we meet monthly. I also have meetings with clients, my business partner, our business coach plus Skype/Hangouts and – of course – the never ending stream of phone calls.

    I can see as our business grows, I may have to work in the office but I really don’t want the commute. I can manage it a few times a months but it really cuts into my day trekking to the other side of Sydney.

    I’m spoiled though because if I really need an office/board meeting space and my – pretty fabulous – home isn’t suitable, I’ve got an executive centre just walking distance from home.

    1. It was the commute that ruined it for me Maureen. One of the perks of setting up Copywrite Matters from a home office is that I ditched 2.5 hours of daily commuting.

      It sounds like you’ve got the best of all worlds right where you are!

      Thanks for commenting 🙂

  8. I was a little devastated when we leased a studio space, and it meant having to go to work every day. There was a time when I enjoyed it, but I am yearning to be home. I work better alone, get more done – and have a chance to get dinner at a reasonable hour! Maybe I should introduce WFH days….

  9. This post really hits home with me (pardon the pun). I’ve just started my own copywriting business and working from home is proving difficult. It’s so distracting that I’ve resorted to working in pubs and cafes (not ideal).
    I too miss friday drinks but I love the challenge of making the freelance caper ‘my thing’. Great posts by the way – learning lots from following Anna Butler and yourself. Cheers

    1. Thanks for sharing your experience Tristan. I couldn’t imagine working in such noisy environments but that’s really only because I’ve created a nice quiet environment in my office cave…. and I’m more than happy to ignore housework!

      Take heart that you’ll get into the swing of it before long and working from home will be your sanctuary.

      1. Interesting how a pub is less distracting than my home. You’d think I lived at the Adelaide Zoo. It’s not the animals that get me, the TV is my real nemesis. (and perhaps the fridge).

        Have a good one.

  10. Hi Belinda,
    I really appreciate that you wrote about co-working. I know I am late to express on your thoughts, but even after almost 3 years of this post, the blog looks fresh and new because of the thoughts you have expressed. Hats off. I personally think Co-working is far way better than working in a home office. Co-working is about growing your productivity. What you say?

    1. I don’t mind co-working (and with your name there, I can why you’re a fan) and I can see the benefits but when I’m in work mode, I don’t want any distractions (like other people!). That said, a change of scenery is good for the brain.

      What do you like most about co-working?

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