Most people think that the biggest cost of having a personal job is travel, but it’s much more serious than that. When you work from home for long periods of time, it’s easy to wonder what you’re missing. I missed the company of colleagues, leaving home for work and having a clear end to the workday….
Most people think that the biggest cost of having a personal job is travel, but it’s much more serious than that.
When you work from home for long periods of time, it’s easy to wonder what you’re missing. I miss the company of coworkers, leaving the house for work, and having a clear end to the workday.
Plus, I know many people who work in-person and wish they had more flexibility, less time spent in the car, and the ability to work from home.
For me, I personally haven’t worked at a “regular” job in over a decade (I’ve been working from home for over 10 years now!), but I’ve always wanted to work in a library. I love interacting with people, and I already spend a lot of time at the library checking out programs, craft classes, and books.
So I thought I would get the opportunity to work in a library and I learned a lot from that experience. The job has a lot of advantages, but there are also some disadvantages that I didn’t see.
In this post, I am sharing:
- I didn’t realize I was giving up by working out personally
- Ways that personal jobs seem more tiring than expected
- Benefits of working in person vs. remotely
- How to make personal work easier and more enjoyable
- Option for those who want to work in person
Recommended Reading: How working from home changed my life (and how you can too!)
I didn’t realize I was giving up by working out personally
I already knew I was giving up some things by working in-person, including common things like flexibility in transportation times and in-person tasks like doctor’s appointments.
One of the biggest things that surprised me about working on a personal job was realizing how quickly my physical and emotional bandwidth disappeared. After work was over, I didn’t have the energy or ability to do the things I usually did after my remote job. Things like going for a walk with my dogs, reading, cooking, or going to a workout class rarely felt enjoyable anymore because I was so emotionally exhausted from work.
Not all libraries are like this, but mine was pretty stressful. Although I am a social person, this excessive social work made me really tired at the end of the day.
Additional cost of working in person
Another thing I didn’t fully consider was how much less it costs to do a job in person.
Of course, there is gas. But there’s also the mental cost of wear and tear on your car, more oil changes, tires, and sitting in traffic. If your journey is long, this can really add up to time.
I also found that it was easy to spend more money on random things. If I was tired after work, cooking dinner seemed daunting, making takeout more appealing. And when you work outside the home, you may also find that you need more work clothes, shoes, bags, coffee, or other small items that you don’t need as much when you work from home.
There is also time cost in this. A trip can easily take 30 minutes, 1 hour or more each day. That time could be spent at home, cooking, taking a walk, relaxing, spending time with family, working on the side, or simply spending a slow morning.
These costs don’t always appear as a big bill, but they can make a big difference to your budget and your energy.
Why do personal jobs seem more tiring than expected?
We don’t talk enough about how individual jobs can make most people feel tired for long periods of time from the constant stimulation of the commute and work environment.
With a remote job, you don’t have to prepare for work nearly as much, don’t have to think about timing as much, and you don’t have to think about traffic and getting out on time. Social overstimulation can be incredibly difficult for introverts, but also for extroverts.
I had to commute long distances to my job and deal with crazy traffic, office politics, and noise every day. The hardest part of working out personally was getting into a good rhythm and then having to stop just because my shift was over.
Recommended Reading: 40 Best Jobs Where You Work Alone
Benefits of working in person vs. remotely
There have been a lot of complaints in this article, so I want to make it clear that in-person jobs have benefits that remote jobs don’t.
The social interaction of an in-person job creates natural conversation, camaraderie, and a sense of belonging that remote jobs really lack. I liked that when I was done working in the library, I felt like the job was really done. Unlike my remote jobs, where I always felt “on”, it wasn’t possible to take it home.
The in-person job structure and routine is (in my opinion) much better than working remotely. I had a set schedule, commute, and workplace rhythm that I’d never had working remotely. I was also more active in a personal role, hanging around the library and hanging out all day.
Most of all, I loved breaking the monotony of life. I loved leaving the house, talking to people, and experiencing something different every day.
In-person jobs can have a lot of benefits – benefits that remote work can’t match most of the time.
How to make personal work easier and more enjoyable
If you’re personally engaged and want to make work and life easier and happier, I have a few tips that I’ve learned that really make a difference.
- Make the morning easier by doing as much preparation as possible the night before.
- Use your commute time intentionally by listening to a podcast or audiobook.
- Make your car feel clean and comfortable so that your journey feels more enjoyable.
- If possible, take real breaks and go for a walk outside.
- Arrange your workplace in a way that creates a feeling of peace and happiness.
- Create an after work ritual that helps you relax.
- Find at least one “safe person” at work, someone you feel comfortable with, even on hard days.
- Support your body by incorporating light activities outside of work, such as walking.
Options for remote workers who want to work in person
If you currently work remotely and want the benefits of in-person jobs, I recommend finding a co-working space in your area.
These provide community and networking opportunities and also help separate home from work. Coffee shops are also great options and are good for people who like the energy of a coffee shop without the office structure.
Libraries are slowly adding personal or co-working pods, which are small enclosed spaces for people who want to study or work outside their home. So, if you want something free this might be an option to look at in your area.
Options for those who want to work from home
If you’re reading this and thinking, “Really, I really want to work from home,” there are tons of options for that, too.
I also love working from home and it has changed my life in many ways. I have more flexibility, and I don’t have to waste time commuting every day. Of course, working from home isn’t perfect, but for many people, it can be a great way to make money while having more control over their day.
Some work from home jobs and businesses include:
- blogging – I’ve had a blog for several years now, and I also work part-time for my sister here at Making Sense of Cents (the website you’re reading right now). He has made over $5,000,000 from blogging in the last few years! You can learn more on How to Start a Blog Free Course.
- proof reading – Proofreaders help writers, business owners, bloggers, and companies find mistakes in written content. If you enjoy reading and are good at spotting typos, grammar mistakes, and formatting issues then this could be a good work at home job. You can learn more at 20 Best Online Proofreading Jobs for Beginners (Earn $40,000+ Per Year).
- Ledger account – Bookkeeping helps business owners track income and expenses, organize receipts, send invoices, and keep financial records in order. You can learn more at How to Become a Bookkeeper with No Experience (Step-by-Step Guide).
- Selling Printables on Etsy – Has printable digital products like planners, checklists, wall art, invitations, budget sheets, and learning worksheets. You create a product once, list it online, and buyers can automatically download it. You can learn more about how I made $6,161 in just 4 months with a new Etsy Printables shop.
- posting on facebook – Some creators are earning money on Facebook by creating content like text posts, images, reels and other attractive content. You can learn more about how I was paid $39,177 directly from Facebook in one month just for posting content.
- print on demand – With print-on-demand, you can sell shirts, mugs, totes, journals, and other products without holding inventory. When someone purchases, the product is printed and shipped to you. You can learn more about how I made $7,500 per month selling print-on-demand gifts.
- travel agent – Many travel agents work from home and help people plan vacations, cruises, honeymoons, family trips, and more. If you love traveling and planning then this may be a good fit for you.
- virtual assistance – Virtual assistants help business owners with tasks like email, scheduling, customer service, social media, research, and more. You can learn more at How to Find Virtual Assistant Jobs as a Beginner.
- customer service from home – Many companies hire people to answer emails, chat or phone calls from home. This could be a good option if you want a more traditional job but still want to avoid traveling. You can learn more at 12 Online Customer Service Jobs to Make Money.
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Cost of Getting a Personal Job – Summary
Unfortunately, my time in the library was short, but I learned a lot from the experience.
I’m hoping that a library will open in my city so that I don’t have to travel so long to work next time.
My perspective on remote vs. in-person work has really changed over the past year, and I’ve seen firsthand how both types of work offer pros and cons.
Do you want to find a job remotely or do you prefer to work in person?
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