I have been blogging for five years now. One year into the blog, I registered as self-employed and turned my hobby into a part-time job. And for the most part, I enjoy working from home. There is a flexibility which means that I can work while the kids are at school, or in the evenings on busy days. It also means I can take a week off here and there when life gets overwhelming. But for all the benefits, it can be lonely.
I sometimes miss being in an office full of people. I miss chats while the kettle is boiling, jokes over lunch and after-work drinks. And it turns out that I’m not alone. In September, Epson held a briefing at their EcoTank Pop-up shop in Covent Garden. Vicki Psarias, from Honest Mum, was there talking about homeworking. She noted that 48% of freelancers felt lonely, blaming a lack of social life as one of the main reasons. Epson put on their pop-up during September and October to give freelancers a place to go and work.