Working alone
The Pro's and Con's
When I am working in the atelier everyday on my own sometimes it can get pretty lonely. On the other hand back when I was working in an agency some days I wanted nothing more than being alone to work quietly and in my own rhythm. There even was a phase of my working life where the amount of noise in the office was driving me crazy and I really suffered from it.
Noise was always one of the biggest problems I had with working in a big office. It made it hard to concentrate and often I had to take a day of remote working to get the things done which really needed me to concentrate.
What working alone does to me
Working on my own all day really helps me to focus on what needs to be done and to get things done fast. What it also does is, it makes me think way more. I think about the things I do but also about the way I do them.
Having no one telling you what to do and when to do it, can feel overwhelming for some people but I really enjoy structuring my working day only around the things that need to be done and not relying on external factors like a given time slot or place where I have to get the work done.
Basically I feel like I am getting more things done faster. And I even get the time to reflect on the way I do them.
Enjoy the silence
This will be no surprise but of course the downside on working on my own is, well, being alone all day. Sometimes when my boyfriends gets home from work I realize that I haven’t spoken a word all day.
I imagine everybody that knows me going like: WHAT? Yes, that’s right. I am able to not speak at all for that long.
Not speaking to anybody during the day has more side effects than just feeling lonely from time to time.
Working alone and creativity
Creativity sometimes is very much influenced by the people around you. I can be inspired by the littlest things someone says or does. Meaning working alone sometimes makes it harder to be creative or inspired. Sometimes during the day I need some feedback on a little design or functionality detail but can’t get some because my coworker is my stuffed teddy bear my parents gave to me when I was three months old. ;)
That's what friends are for
The lucky bastard that I am, I can rely on my friends for so many things in my life. Including feedback on my work.
Many of my friends have some kind of design related job or I just value their opinion so much because of their great taste (meaning the same kind of taste in things as I have). So, when I get stuck on a design or am not sure if I like how a prototype turned out I just send them pictures asking for feedback or ideas.
Most of the time though it’s just the time I spend with my friends and family that inspire me the most. I feel like every time I spend an amazing weekend with them I get back to work so full of new ideas.
To sum up, I do not only use them to get feedback on my work but they are also my muses and most important source of inspiration. Wow that sounds like I’m a really selfish person who uses the people around her for her own benefit. Believe me I don’t mean it that way.
Balance is key
I understand that many people wouldn’t like to work on their own all day because it can be lonely and also many people can’t stand being alone with themselves for a long time. As for everything in life balance is the key to happiness.
When working alone all day it is vital for me to spend the evenings with my boyfriend, friends and family. As I said before that gets my creative juices flowing and is my main source of inspiration. Other than that I have found that not being around so many people all day makes me enjoy the time I spend with them way more.
Are you a loner?
If you have the opportunity to try to work by yourself I think everyone should try. It really helps me to concentrate on my work and get more done in a day. Taking that remote working day every once in a while made me realize that I do function better in a more quiet working environment. Find out what is the best working environment for you and try to make your everyday life more productive.
Tell me, do you like working alone or do you need the noise of the people around you to concentrate?
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