Telecommuting as a freelance writer has taught me many lessons. A few things I expected, others really surprised me. Here are ten enlightening realizations from my first year as a freelance writer.

 

1.       At first, I thought I could run around barefoot all day while working from home. A badly stubbed toe and another broken one have taught me shoes are not optional.

 

2.       Old people don’t drive badly just because their faculties are slipping; it’s because they drive less often. I have become a granny driver since I started working from home. I used to weave in and out of Boston traffic like Dale Earnhardt. Now I’m the engineer on the Silver Hair Express. I feel bad about the poor soul who is stuck behind me, but I feel pretty darn good about my smaller carbon footprint.

 

3.       I remember how I used to send psychic darts at my boss every time he walked by, as I sat shivering in my cubicle with three layers of clothing, my finger joints aching while I typed. Now I throw psychic darts at the electric company and turn the heat down lower than my boss ever did!

 

4.       “Early” has an entirely new meaning. Toddlers will not let you work. They are like cats. They will walk all over whatever you are currently working on. Getting up at six once felt “early.” Now, I am up between 3 to 4 to get a few hours work in before the little one wakes up.

 

5.       People online are so darn…NICE! I was really surprised to discover how kind buyers treat you. It is the antithesis of working in an office. Instead of feeling overlooked for a job well done and over scrutinized for an honest mistake, buyers overlook mistakes as long as the final project is done right. When you do your job well, buyers are sure to tell you about it! Maybe it’s because a writer’s work makes buyers money… maybe they just don’t have bosses yelling at them.

 

6.       You can’t go back. I thought I would try freelancing as a way to work from home, but I’m hooked. I’m ruined from office work forever. The freedom, positive feedback and lack of drama are just too good. You can have my laptop when you pry it from my cold, dead fingers.

 

7.       I used to think I was frugal. Now I wait for Wednesdays to go shopping so I can get everything half off at the Salvation Army. If I pay $5 for a pair of jeans, I’m splurging. It’s much easier to resist a Kohl’s sale when you have no coworkers running around in the latest fashions!

 

8.       I have weird hair and I have only trusted a select few hairdressers to tame it. Because nobody really sees me now, I have taken the plunge and learned to cut my own hair. One or two bad haircuts and I’ve got the technique down. No more $35 hair cuts for me, thank you.

 

9.       You shouldn’t work anywhere near the kitchen. While the living room couch looks like a comfortable place to settle in with your laptop, it’s just too close to the refrigerator. Do not be lured by that foul temptress!

 

10.   All you need is…confidence! The only thing that stood between me and a writing career for the past 20+ years is me. Once I took the leap and gave it a shot, then rest fell into place quite naturally. As I gained confidence, I gained skill and my new skills gave me greater confidence to try new things and learn more. Those who do not have confidence do not survive as writers. All you really need to be a good writer is belief in yourself!