I moved to London from Barcelona not long before lockdown (I’m sure you’re wondering why!) I’m self-employed, so the transition to working full-time from home was technically and logistically straightforward.
As I’m a freelancer, you might assume that I already worked from home most of the time and you might also reason that I enjoyed it. Not true. I quit my full-time, office-based job mostly so I could become location independent, or a digital nomad as it’s often known.
In the 18 months I spent as a freelancer before the pandemic hit, I worked from a variety of different places:
I worked from my parent’s house in Northern Ireland during August to escape the hottest months in Barcelona
I took trips to Croatia, Denmark, and Majorca, bringing my laptop and my work with me
I ate and typed in cafes across the world enjoying many brunches with fellow freelancers
I worked in coworking spaces in Barcelona and other cities
I have never been someone who enjoys working from home. I appreciate the freedom I have to do it every so often, but pre-lockdown, you’d mostly find me out and about. So, in March 2020 when the world went into lockdown, I wasn’t mentally prepared.
I wasn’t prepared for how much time I’d have to spend in one place (although I was thankful I wasn’t spending lockdown in my crappy flat in Barcelona). I wasn’t prepared for spending so much time alone. I wasn’t sure how I’d continue to be creative when the only change of scenery was moving from working in my living room to my bedroom.
So, when a coworking space opened up in my neighbourhood at the end of 2020, I knew I had to sign up to become a member. I recently did an interview with this coworking space, talking about why I find these spaces so valuable in terms of finding a community, being more creative, and maintaining good mental health.
You can read all about that and my journey to becoming a freelancer here.