Living with a Freelance Designer

I don't get what you do at home all day. You can't possibly work that hard, your still in your pajamas. If I worked from home I'd have time to do the laundry. Chances are if you're a freelancer you've heard these statements before from your better half. I've had these thoughts myself because I'm NOT a freelancer, but I do live with one. My fiancee is a freelance graphic designer who runs her one-woman studio out of our house. So far after a year in operation things are booming for her but it was a lot of hard work to get here and her transition to freelancer took some getting used to on my behalf. If you are someone living with a freelancer, you need to be aware of some things that make a work-from-home business unique. If you're a freelancer who takes some grief from their partner then maybe you should pass this article along to him/her so they can get a better understanding of just how different working from home can be.

UNDERSTAND THE NEED TO LEAVE THE HOUSE

I know a lot of people that get home from work and plunk themselves down on the couch to curl up with a book or watch TV. For the freelancer, it's a little different because the house is the office. At first I couldn't understand why my girlfriend didn't want to spend her evenings just chilln' out at home. She always wanted to do something at night - yoga, bike riding, going to a cafe. It took me a while to realize she spends all day at home while I spend all day away from home. It took some comprimises by both of us, for instance she heads out for walks to clear her mind of the office mentality when I get home. I totally understand why she needs to leave the house for a while each evening and she gets it that some nights I just want the comforts of home after a hard day of work.

LISTEN. THEN LISTEN SOME MORE.

All day at work I can bounce my ideas off of my colleagues. I can crack a joke or chat about the weekend. Many freelancers that work from home don't have that luxury. Sure they have friends to phone or email like we do but there is no in-person conversations happening for them. You need to understand that you may be that chatty outlet when you get home. It's important to be respectful and have good communication with your partner about their work day. You really could be the first person they've seen all day and they need to let it out, and you need to be there to listen.

HOURS ARE NON-EXISTENT

One of the reasons freelancers strike out on their own is the freedom of hours. Sometimes that means trading some daylight fun for an evening of work. If you live with a freelancer who likes to work at night (and you work during the day) then you need to find a balance for the health of your relationship. Let it be known you'd like to spend time with your partner but keep in mind that evening work can, and will, happen every once in a while.

OFFICE PHONE CALLS / GUESTS

I use my cell most of the time so our house phone is the business phone. My girlfriend's clients aren't always on 9-5 hours either and sometimes she has to take a business call just as we settle in to a movie we've rented. Again, it really comes down to an understanding. If there is nothing pressing she won't answer but if there is something due then she will pick it up. As someone who works 9-5 I have to be aware that these happen and I can't let it get to me.

CHORES WON'T GET DONE

When my girlfriend announced she would be working from home my first reaction was "Sweet, now all the laundry and cleaning will get done before I get home from work." Wrong. If you think you have the time to do laundry at your office, what makes you think your partner has the time to do laundry at their office? Cleaning, cooking, and chores are something that both of you need to work on as a team. I don't think you'd be happy if your boss told you to vacuum the building you work in so don't expect it from your freelancing partner. Chores have to be a team effort outside of both of your work schedules. This one took me a long time to wrap my mind around, and to be honest my girlfriend does do a lot of little cleaning around the house when she takes breaks (I'm so lucky), but she once told me to think of her as a ghost during the day. She's there but she's not really there, ya dig?

Living with a freelancer can be trying at first but it really boils down to understanding and comprimise. So remember to help them out and be respectful of their work space and work time. Just remember a happy freelancer in their office is a happier freelancer at home.