In this sense, I have integrated my business into my day to day life and from one hour to the next I can switch between business activities and non-business activities.  After all, it's all just stuff that has to get done sometime during the day.  Why label it 'business' or 'non-business'.  Why have 'business' hours and 'non-business' hours?  Why can't time be just time?

Now, it must be realized this is a double-edged sword.  It works fine now, in the early days of my full-time home business, but as time goes on I expect that I will want to more clearly delineate my business and personal lives if I start having trouble turning business off for the day.  For now, though, I'm thoroughly enjoying the freedom of calling the shots in all aspects of my life.


6. Weather

Another advantage that I hadn't thought of in advance is that when the weather is foul, I don't have to leave the house.  That's more of a luxury than I ever would have believed.

On the other hand, when the weather is delightful, I CAN go out and enjoy it.  Even if I need to work, my laptop works just as well outside in the sunshine as it does inside in my home office.


7. Grocery Shopping

OK I know this one is pretty frivolous and it may seem strange to you that I've bothered to include it here, but one of the things I like most about working from home is that I don't have to do that one huge shop each week, battling with unruly trolleys, loading the car up and then unloading at the other end.  Now I can go to the store every couple of days, buying stuff on an
as-needed basis, not having to use a trolley at all!  One obvious benefit is the ability to buy and consume food when it's still very fresh, without having to freeze or store it for several days before needed.


8.  Isolation

The isolation monster hasn't reared its ugly head yet but I expect it to, sooner or later.  I have found it difficult to work in a completely silent environment though, but that could just be because I'm used to the 'busy noise' of an office.  In the meantime, I have the radio on for company (talkback station) and find that takes the edge off nicely. 


9.  Activity Level

One disadvantage of this lifestyle that I hadn't anticipated is that I am less physically active than when I worked in a corporate office.  I no longer have to go marching down a long corridor 20 times a day to go talk to someone about something.  I no longer run up and down 4 flights of stairs 3 or 4 times a day as I did at my office building.  But with the time I'm saving not having to commute I can certainly afford the time to take some exercise every day.  Walking the dog for an hour a day will do nicely.


10.  Relative Economic Insecurity

There's no doubt that you enjoy a certain feeling of security knowing you have a regular paycheck coming in.  Those days are over for me and I am acutely aware that my income now is solely dependent upon my own efforts.  Although finances won't be an issue for some time, funds won't last forever so my business had better be a success if I'm to avoid returning to
the corporate world.


11.  Personal Discipline

This one comes as no surprise.  If you're not personally disciplined and self-motivated, don't even THINK about giving up your day job.  You need to be a self starter to work for yourself and if you need a 'boss' looking over your shoulder to make sure you work, then working from home is not for you.

So there you have them.  The personal reflections of a fledgling full-time home-business entrepreneur.  Naturally, if you have young children, then your ability to be home with them while making your living would obviously make number 1 on your list.

These are early days and the novelty is yet to wear off.  I have no illusions that as time goes on other issues will arise that will test my resolve to work for myself.  In time, I may forget there is any other way of working and begin to take it all for granted.  In the meantime though, I plan to enjoy my newfound freedom and independence for the luxuries they are.

See Part 1 of this article

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