It is still so crazy seeing my logo on an actual window.. on an actual window that's attached to an actual building! I have dreamed of the day I would be able to work out of somewhere other than my house and that day has finally come. It didn't happen quite as I thought it would but it is an office in the city none the less and I am thrilled.
I have been self employed for about three years now and I have always worked out of my home. For many young entrepreneurs this is of course the best option as, well, it's free! However, as my business grew and as bigger and bigger boxes started rolling into my apartment, it was time to find somewhere else to go. I had originally had it in my head that when I finally made the move out of my house and into an office it would be all my own - a big space with big windows for lots of natural light, and lots of room for stock and pretty little displays. I pictured having a big desk for my Macbook, a cute little chair with a sheepskin throw and copper clothing racks for samples. Things didn't really turn out that way, and it was when I started looking into places and keeping my budget in mind that my dreams came to a screeching halt.
The right space and the right price finally presented itself and I jumped on it. I now work out of a shared office space with myself and four other entrepreneurs building their dreams. It's awesome coming into work everyday and having people that are in the same boat as you surrounding you for advice and encouragement. I don't go into the office everyday, maybe three times a week and the other two day I work from home doing blog shoots or running around. So I do still get to have days where I don't need to drive into the city.
Working from home really started to affect my well being and my mental state. It became all too easy for me to just roll out of bed and head straight to the computer. I would work from morning to night without getting out of my pajamas, and some days, not even brushing my teeth... I know, gross. I started feeling down on myself and even worse when mistakes would happen or things would go wrong, it was like the world was ending. I needed to make the move out of my house not only for the space, but for my sanity. Now, I get up in the morning, I shower, get ready for the day and head to the city. I also have noticed a change in my self organization because I have to ensure my time spent traveling into the office is worth it, so I spend my sundays planning my week and pinpointing exactly what I'm going to get done on what days. It's only been just over two weeks but I have already noticed a major difference in my productivity and even my overall success. And this is not to suggest anyone working from home go out right now and find an office, it has to be the right time and it has to fit within your budget. However, for anyone on the fence or thinking about taking the jump to a space, I would highly recommend it.
xx
Tessa
