Posted on February 23, 2009 by Ashleigh

Working from home as a web designer, developer or as something else that also offers the flexibility of freelancing is often the goal for many people.

When you work from home, you’re your own boss; deciding what you do, when you do it and how much you’d like to earn for it. You can work in your pjamas, wake up as early as you want, go to bed whenever you feel like it and you can work as much or as little as you want. In the eyes of a lot of people working from home can sound like a dream come true. Whilst I still stand by my choice to work from home as a freelance web designer, it isn’t all sunshine and rainbows like it’s made out to be.

Cue anxiety and depression; the storm clouds that could very well ruin your fantasy.

I have had the joy of being consumed by depression in this past year. Loss of motivation, disinterest in the things I once loved and the inability to get back on my feet. My web design career suffered, The Blog of a Freelance Web Designer took a back seat and I withdrew from the world – electronically, socially and emotionally.

With a disrupted sleep pattern and the feeling that I had nothing to look forward to or work towards, anxiety introduced itself. Along with being depressed, I was suddenly terrified that I was going to die or that something would happen to the people I had come to rely on. I’m only 21 – but I saw myself growing old and dying.

This was six months ago.

Now, I have since moved back to Melbourne, Australia – sought professional assistance and guidance in overcoming both depression and anxiety and am once again full of passion, ideas and life. I love what I do. Being a freelance web designer and working from home is something I wouldn’t change – even when the storm clouds hit. From my experiences, I have learnt – and with this blog post, I hope I can shed the light on the risk of developing anxiety and depression when you’re working from home.

Working From Home: How to Avoid Depression
When working from home, make an effort to get out of the house. Develop a routine that you feel comfortable with and stick to it. Even though you’re not necessarily working from 9am to 5pm, some sort of structure to your day will prevent Monday blurring into Tuesday and so forth. And don’t forget about your friends! Human interaction will prevent you from slipping into the mindset of depression. Instead of sitting at your computer all day,  take a pen and some paper outside and sit under a tree whilst writing your notes. Have lunch in the garden! If you have a dog, take him for a walk as part of your scheduled lunch break. Don’t let working from home take control; allocate some time to sit back and really appreciate the world we live in.

Working From Home: How to Avoid Anxiety
Everyone has felt anxiety at some point. Whether you were nervous about a speech you had to give or worried about a deadline on a project – we’ve all felt anxious and stressed. When working from home, and in most cases running your own business, it’s easy to get carried away and lose perception. Sit back and take a close look at the hours you’ve worked this week. Are they more than what you would consider healthy? This will add to your anxiety! Go for a walk – or even a run. Excess energy often translates to anxiety. If you’re feeling particularly stressed, call up a friend and talk to them about it. Just because you work from home and technically on your own, it doesn’t mean you’re actually alone!