I worked from home for 10+ years, then tried a personal business – Here’s what surprised me

Most people think that the biggest expense of owning a business is commuting, but it goes deeper than that.

It’s easy to wonder what you’re missing when you work from home for long periods of time. I miss being with my coworkers, getting out of the house for work, and getting a clear end to the workday.

At the same time, I personally know many working people who wish they had more flexibility, less time in the car, and the ability to work from home.

For me, I personally haven’t worked a “regular” job in over a decade (I’ve been working from home for over 10 years now!), but I’ve always wanted to work in a library. I love interacting with people and already spend a lot of time at events, craft classes, and checking out books at the library.

So I thought I would take the opportunity to work in a library and I learned a lot from the experience. There are a lot of positives to the job, but there are a few negatives that I didn’t see coming.

In this post I share:

• What I don’t realize is that I personally refuse to work
• Personal work paths feel more tedious than they should be
• Advantages of working in person and remotely
• How to make personal work easy and happy
• Options for those who want to work privately

Recommended reading: How working from home changed my life (and how you can too!)

What I don’t realize is that I personally refuse to work

I already knew that I was giving up a few things by working in-person, including mundane things like transportation time and convenience around personal errands like doctor’s appointments.

One of the biggest things that surprised me about working in private business was realizing how quickly my physical and emotional bandwidth was lost. After work, I had neither the energy nor the energy to do the things I would normally do after my remote work. Things like walking my dogs, reading, cooking, or going to an exercise class rarely sounded so good because I was so emotionally drained from work.

Not all libraries are like this, but mine was pretty stressful. Although I am a social person, this highly social work was exhausting me at the end of the day.

Additional costs for working privately

Another thing I hadn’t fully considered was how little personal business would entail.

Of course there is gas. But there’s wear and tear on your car, more oil changes, tires, and the mental cost of sitting in traffic. If your commute is long, this can really add up over time.

I also found it easier to spend more money on random things. If I was tired after work, it was more difficult to cook dinner, which made the food more tempting. When you work outside the home, you may find that you need more work clothes, shoes, bags, coffee, or other small items than you do when you work from home.

There are also time costs. The commute can easily take 30 minutes, 1 hour or more each day. It could be cooking at home, going for a walk, relaxing, spending time with family, working on a side hustle, or just taking a slower morning.

These expenses don’t always seem like a big bill, but they can make a big difference in your budget and energy.

Why personal things feel more tiring than they should

We don’t talk enough about the fact that personal jobs can leave most people feeling chronic fatigue from the commute and constant stimulation of the work environment.

In a remote job, you don’t have to prepare for work for almost as long, you don’t have to think about time, and you don’t have to think about traffic and getting there on time. Social overstimulation can be incredibly difficult for introverts, even for extroverts.

I had a long commute to work and faced crazy traffic, office politics and noise every day. Personally, one of the hardest parts of working out was getting into a good rhythm and then stopping because my shift was over.

Recommended reading: The 40 best jobs you’ve ever worked alone

Advantages of working in person and remotely

This article has caused a lot of complaints, so I want to make it clear that in-person jobs have benefits that remote jobs don’t.

The social interaction of in-person work creates natural conversation, camaraderie, and a sense of belonging that remote work really lacks. I LOVED that when I was done in the library, it felt like it was actually done. Unlike my remote jobs where I always felt “on” there was no taker home.

The structure and routine of in-person work is (in my opinion) better than remote work. I had a set schedule, commute, and workplace rhythm that I never worked remotely. I was also more active in a personal role, walking around the library and moving about during the day.

Most of all, I liked to break the monotony of life. I enjoyed getting out of the house, talking to people and experiencing something different every day.

In-person jobs can have many benefits – telecommuting often doesn’t.

How to make personal work easy and happy

If you’re self-employed and want to make work and life easier and happier, here are a few tips I’ve learned that really make a difference.

• Make mornings easier by preparing as much as possible the night before.
• Be intentional about your commute by listening to a podcast or audiobook.
• Make your car feel clean and comfortable to make your commute more enjoyable.
• If possible, take real breaks and go for walks outside.
• Set up your workplace in a way that feels calming and cheerful.
• Create a ritual that will help you relax after work.
• Find at least one “safe person” at work, someone you feel comfortable being around even on hard days.
• Support your body outside of work with light activity such as walking.

Options for remote workers who want to work in person

If you currently work remotely and want the benefits of in-person jobs, I recommend finding coworking spaces in your area.

These offer community and networking opportunities and also help separate home from work. Coffee shops are also a great option and good for people who like the energy of a coffee shop without the office structure.

Libraries are slowly adding private or coworking pods, which are small indoor spaces for people who want to study or work outside of their homes. So if you want something free, this might be an option to look into in your area.

Options for those who want to work from home

If you’re reading this and thinking, “I actually want to work from home,” there are many options for that, too.

I also love working from home and it has changed my life in so many ways. I have more flexibility and don’t have to spend time commuting every day. Working from home isn’t perfect, of course, but for many people, it can be a great way to make money with more control over their day.

Some home jobs and businesses include:

• Blogging – I have blogged for many years now and I also work part-time for my sister here at Making Sense of Cents (the website you are reading now). He has earned over $5,000,000 blogging over the years! You can learn more in the FREE Getting Started Blogging Course.
• Correct – Proofreaders help writers, business owners, bloggers and companies find errors in written content. If you enjoy reading and are good at spotting typos, grammatical errors, and formatting issues, this could be a good job to do at home. You can learn more at 20 Best Online Editing Jobs for Beginners (Earn $40,000+ Per Year).
• Accounting – Accountants help business owners track income and expenses, organize receipts, send invoices and keep financial records in order. You can learn more here How to Become an Accountant with No Experience (Step by Step Guide).
• Selling prints on Etsy – Printables are digital products such as planners, checklists, wall art, invitations, budget sheets, and learning worksheets. You create a product once, list it online, and buyers can download it automatically. You can learn more here How I Made $6,161 In Just 4 Months With My New Etsy Print Shop.
• Posting on Facebook – Some creators make money by creating content on Facebook such as text posts, images, videos and other engaging content. You can learn more here How I got $39,177 from Facebook in one month for posting content.
• Print on demand – With print-on-demand, you can create t-shirts, mugs, bags, magazines, and more. you can sell such products without keeping inventory. When someone makes a purchase, the product is printed and shipped for you. You can learn more about How I Make $7500 Monthly Sales Print On Demand Gifts.
• Travel agent – Many travel agents work from home and help people book vacations, cruises, honeymoons, family trips, and more. helps to plan. If you like to travel and plan, this may be a good fit.
• Virtual assistance – Virtual assistants help business owners with email, scheduling, customer service, social media, research, and more. helps in tasks such as You can learn more here How to find virtual assistant jobs as a beginner.
• Customer service from home – Many companies hire people to answer emails, chats or phone calls from home. If you want a more traditional job but still want to quit, this might be a good option. You can learn more here 12 Online Customer Service Jobs to Make Money.

Recommended reading:

The Cost of Owning a Self-Employed Business – Summary

Unfortunately, I didn’t have much time in the library, but I learned a lot from this experience.

I’m hoping a library position opens up in my town so I won’t have such a long commute to work next time.

My perspective on remote and in-person work has really changed in the past year, and I’ve seen firsthand how both types of work offer benefits and drawbacks.

Are you looking for a remote job or do you prefer to work in person?

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