The Downside of Working from Home

I recently wrote a post for John Chow on the downside of working alone: disconnection from the “real world” and ways to easily get reconnected. The full post can be read here but I have pasted an excerpt below.

“The allure of working for yourself and working from home are two of the main upsides to being an entrepreneur and especially a web/tech entrepreneur. However, despite the glowing praise for the flexibility and convenience of working from home, one topic that often gets disregarded is the disconnection many “at home entrepreneurs” feel. While it is nice to be able to roll out of bed into the office in the mornings skipping any sort of morning commute, after a while, working for yourself means working by yourself and this can lead to a sense of disconnection from others. Here are a few ways to avoid this.

Find a Partner

I have been told by countless successful entrepreneurs to never pursue a venture unless you can find one other person who believes in it and is willing to invest their time and money into the idea. While having a partner undoubtedly complicates matters and cuts your ownership of the company in half, having someone to work with you is extremely effective in avoiding any sense of disconnection.

Having a partner who complements your strengths and weaknesses will help your company grow in its earlier stages and increase its chances of thriving in the marketplace for years to come. Unfortunately, finding the right business partner is a complicated process and a subject that hundreds of entrepreneurs and experts have discussed at length in countless articles and books.”