Working from home seems like a dream to a lot of people out there and I was one of the lucky ones! Funny thing is, I didn’t feel like I was blessed at all. I’ve been working from home in my pyjamas for 2 years plus until I actually started to go nuts…

Happily, since the beginning of this year I’ve been renting an office space with a few other creatives and it’s been the greatest experience so far. Look around my office & find out why I made this decision:

Office story:
We’ve been planning to open an office since the day my boyfriend quit his job and joined me in a world of freelancing. Despite the fact I love that guy to bits, it can be annoying to share same home space 24/7. I didn’t want us to become THAT couple. Couple that never leaves their home and stays in sweatpants 90% of the time. We’ve been looking for an office space here & there, but it probably took us around 1/2 of the year to find the place that we truly like.

Finally, I found an ad for this cozy studio online and we went for a viewing without big expectations. We actually saw another office in the same building a few months before and weren’t too impressed. This time was different. As soon as I walked into the space I fell in love with those vintage style windows and windowsills. We still had to repaint the kitchenette and get it all furnished, but I was so happy to finally find the place that suited our needs without breaking a wallet.

Location. The greatest thing is that it’s only 10-15 minutes walk away from our flat. I know myself and if I had to commute long distances to work daily I would give up easily and start working from home all over again. It’s also in the heart of the old town which makes all the cozy cafes easily accessible and if I ever need to reach bank/tax or post offices it could be done in a matter of minutes. It’s all I need!

Ok, let’s get real now.
I can talk for as long as I can about how awesome the place is and yet you would probably still question my choice. I mean, cause working from home is so awesome, right?

Well, let me tell you the truth….

Here are 5 points why I opened an office space downtown and stopped working from home:

I wanted to be a normal human being again.
I know this might sound superficial, but… as long as I remember I always cared about my looks. I’m not saying I was one of those girls that never leave home without make up, but creating my own style was a big part of who I am! Working from home kind of made me apathetic about fashion & beauty. I felt outdated. Every time I left home for a night out I felt like I’m missing out on so much simply for not exploring the city regularly. Since I started working from the office I felt a huge improvement in my overall feeling. I wanna feel beautiful again, I wanna go out, look for new places to eat, visit boutiques and meet new people. This really makes me feel myself again!

I felt like I’m loosing my social skills.
Even though I communicate with a bunch of you guys through my social media & emails, we all have to admit that it’s not the same thing as catching up with someone over coffee. Now, I’m excited to meet someone I know on my way to/from work or just smile to a random stranger. Being surrounded by people makes me feel alive and it’s great to feel a part of community again!

I’m also very lucky to have my closest friends join me in the office. Even though we try to give each other space, it’s a lot of fun to share a laugh over a hot beverage or go out for lunch. It’s also very beneficial for my blog as I can always ask someone to take pictures for me! No more awkward selfies, haha!

I wanted to improve my overall productivity.
It’s really up to us to decide what to do with our days and how we keep ourselves productive, but I felt like I really needed to leave home for staying on top of my game. I used to spend endless hours in the coffee shops just so I can really focus on my clients. Now I start my day calmly and really get into the working mode once I reach my desk in the office. It truly does wonders to my productivity as I don’t have to worry about loading a dishwasher or doing my laundry anymore!
Of course, it’s still all there when I get back home, but then it’s ‘home time‘, so the chores even become enjoyable!

I wanted to have a clear line between life & work.
This might have to be one of the most important reasons why I opened an office. Being a freelancer & having a freelancer for a partner makes it difficult to separate work from home. Having an office makes it easier for us to know when it’s time to STOP. We try not to talk much about work at home. Even if we still work on some tasks after office hours, we try and find some time to be with each other and do home stuff such as watching movies or having dinner with our laptops off.
It’s the little things that make big changes!

It makes me feel more professional.
Even if I work remotely with almost all of my clients I still love the idea of having an office in case I ever need to hold a meeting. I also love to have items from the companies delivered to my office rather than home as I can start brainstorming the content instantly.

I also noticed that others started to respect my time more. Before, everyone assumed that I’m available 24/7 as ‘I’m at home anyways‘. Of course, I don’t have a boss breathing over my shoulder, but I try to respect my clients and don’t chat on the phone with, let’s say, my mom if that’s not urgent. I let others know that I work till 6pm and that I don’t enjoy being disturbed before that. And you know what? Everyone GETS IT!

I’m not sure if that’s the final stage of my situation. I still work from home a lot and usually have at least 1 day a week of staying in & completing my tasks from my flat, but at this moment- I feel like having an office downtown really sorts out a lot for me.

Let me know if working from an office sounds like a great idea to you!

If you’re currently working from home, you might be interested in reading:

HOW TO STAY SANE WHILE WORKING FROM HOME?
5 WAYS TO IMPROVE YOUR PRODUCTIVITY.

Thanks to Vaida from DTA for taking these pictures!