Why I Chose Office Life over Working from Home
Glen / 
11 Comments / 
September 10th, 2008 / 
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It is the epitome of success in our society isn’t it, being able to work from anywhere in the world and still make a decent living. Well, that’s exactly what I was doing: working my own hours, picking my own tasks and working from the comfort of my own home.
So then why would I change that, travel across the world and go into an office environment where I’m working for someone else? Let’s find out shall we…
My Journey
At 16 I left high-school to go to a college to learn programming, being into computers I thought I would be good at it and I would possibly end up doing it as a profession. I couldn’t have been more wrong. I quickly began to struggle at it and dislike it, I realised it was just not for me. Needless to say, I failed my first year and started again, different courses and a new perspective.
My attendance hadn’t been great either because I was spending a lot of time at home working on building websites and my ‘internet empire’, something I enjoyed far more than any college course. In my second year I realised I was going to have to take action on the thing I love doing (internet marketing, web-based activities). In 2007, I registered my own company, ViperChill Limited, and began offering services, at the age of 17. I actually made quite a name for myself through my blog, getting mentioned frequently as one of the world’s top internet marketers and being contacted directly by multi-million pound companies to handle their online marketing.
It was quite difficult to handle everything being a one-man operation so holding onto those clients wasn’t easy. I tried my best by outsourcing tasks to others but ultimately it was only the small clients who I could get to stick around, although it was earning me a decent salary. I was still at college at this time, I’m not sure why to be honest, at the time it just seemed like the next logical step after high school.
In September 2007 I was offered a job by another internet marketing company (my 3rd offer of the year), a company that I had been in close communication with online over the years. This time I accepted the offer, stopped working with most of my personal clients and flew across the world to South Africa. For the last year this is what I’ve been doing (I’m now 19) and I have absolutely no regrets.
Why I did it
You might be reading this thinking I’m crazy. After-all, being able to work from home really is an amazing thing if that is what you want to do. It’s not that I don’t enjoy working my own hours and picking my own tasks, I loved it. However, there were so many advantages in the other direction that I just couldn’t say no…
Other things can wait
Even at 18, I had experienced a lot of the world and went through many challenges. At the time when I was offered the job, I was attending college 5 days a week so pretty much had to put my company on hold for this opportunity. I loved the college lifestyle but really had no interest in the courses I was taking; college was just the next step in my scripted life.
Due to putting company work on hold and losing a few big clients early on, I took on a part-time job in a clothes store. If you’ve ever had a job where you completely dread your next shift then welcome to my world, I couldn’t stand it. When the South Africa offer came along I honestly didn’t think it was possible and completely dismissed it, I had too many things keeping me tied down in England.
It wasn’t until I spoke to my mom and she was behind the idea that I realised it was possible; I really could take the leap and try something new. That day I got back in touch with the company and told them I would take the job. The main reason for this is that I wanted to do something new with my life, get out of the college situation and my crappy part-time job (although after a year of this I planned to going back to my own thing) and fly around the world. The message here is that this is something I wanted to try, I was on the road to getting back to by working from home freedom, but that could wait.
I wanted the experience
Based on the fact that I have basically taught myself everything I know regarding internet marketing, which is common in this industry, I’ve missed out on a few things. I’ve never had the experience of working in a team of people who are all passionate about the same thing, so that was a huge motivation for me.
Besides the experience of working in an office environment and with like-minded colleagues, it was also an experience to work with clients who are some of the world’s biggest companies. Being able to see how large teams in this industry work together and manage projects has been invaluable and something I can take with me for the rest of my life.
And finally, I also wanted the experience of being independent and living alone. Moving to South Africa was big enough in it’s self, but I’ve never lived on my own before so I had to get used to things very quickly. I know if I had of stayed at home working on my own projects it would be at least a year or 2 before they are making enough money to keep me afloat and enable me to travel on my own.
I had nothing to lose
Despite the fact that I quit college, my job and left everyone I know back in England, I really had nothing to lose. I knew that the college courses I was doing would never interest me as much as my internet based work and that’s where I’ve always planned to be making money.
Similarly, the job that I had at the time was always a temporary thing for me and not something I would like to pursue in order to ‘rise up the ranks’ so-to-speak. If it was a bad experience, I didn’t like the job or didn’t get a long with anyone, then in theory I hadn’t lost anything. At least I would have given things a shot and tried something different in my life.
What you should take from this
The main message here is that although I enjoyed working from home, I wasn’t in the right mindset or position to be that type of person. I still wasn’t sure if my company could make enough money for me to live off and therefore I went to college in order to follow the life I thought I should be living, not the one I wanted too. As soon as I started to know I really wasn’t taking action in my life, I set out a plan to get back to my working from home freedom, and was actually very close.
If I’m going to have success in running my own company or at least my own internet empire then I thought my experiences away from home will benefit me and it’s the best step to take in this stage of my life. As I said previously, I don’t regret it for a second. Now, I:
- Can live comfortably on my own, I’m totally independent
- Have experienced living in a completely different culture for over a year
- Have learned so many ‘life skills’ and qualities I would never have gotten elsewhere
- Have taken control of my life and not followed the things others expect me to be doing
Working from home, or at least being my own boss is definitely something I’m going to be back too very soon and now I have the qualities, skills and mindset of that type of person. I’ve worked the 9-5 for a year now and although it doesn’t sound appealing to many, I wouldn’t have had it any other way.
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Glen,
I don’t think you’re crazy at all … if anything, I think you’re very wise for someone so young. It sounds like you’ve had it all figured out and there’s a concrete plan in place. The experiences you’ve chosen to go through can never come from living a scripted life - that itself is priceless. You’re very fortunate to have a mother who’s so open and supportive of your growth.
Yeah I am very fortunate, although I’m not sure she knows how much I appreciate it, I’ll make sure she does the next time I see my family (been over a year now)
Glen,
It’s not crazy. Crazy is doing something because you think you’re supposed to, rather than because it’s the right thing to do. Good on you for knowing what you want.
Great point Sean, thanks for the comment.
Glenn you have followed your authentic path and that’s not nuts. Like you said you have the option to return to being your own boss whenever you want to. Many don’t take their first stab at freedom until their forties. Believe me pal, you’re way ahead of the curve on this one. Just be yourself, screw up a few hundred times and relax you’ve got a lifetime and your story is already inspiring.
You do what you think is right for “you”. Good choice. And you learn about yourself in the process. Sometimes you get it right, sometimes you don’t. The thing is, though, you’re deciding, instead of just staying with the status quo. And that’s what it’s all about.
I have worked from home for years and believe me I would love to go back to an office just so I can come home and turn off. If you work from home and have your business you are working 24/7. I personally am ready for a nice break.
-Tabs
Glenn: Bravo for you! You had an opportunity and you seized it; so great to have that wisdom at this point in your life, agreed!! Sometimes the path to getting where we really want to be, in your case, working from home, isn’t a straight line. As you are finding out, we often get the experience, skills and knowledge along the way to prepare us for that ultimate goal. Everything, and I mean, EVERYTHING in life is serving a purpose and meaning for us to use in our lives. We just have to have the wisdom and awareness to take the signals when we see them, and use them for good……
One cannot truly appreciate the best aspects of “working from home” without knowing the other. In this case, you not only took a job, but created a new home. Home is where we make it, and for some an office working envoronment IS a good life.
Best quality is your confidence to explore and experiment. DO it now, because it is so much harder when a family becomes part of the mix.
Well done for taking a different path. Just because it is commonly accepted that “success” is working on your own, or even better from home, it doesn’t mean that one cannot follow that path if that’s what they feel, or at least give it a try. As you said, what’s the worse that can happen? You can always go back.
The important thing is to constantly challenge ourselves and embrace change, even if what we have looks (or is said to be) pretty good..
With the same attitude I’m going through the opposite path. Left a job in what is considered one of the best company to work for (Google). I thought: it might be the best, but it’s still an office.. let’s see what’s out there. And who knows, I might end up there, but then it’ll be a conscious choice.
As I say about leaving my country: If I end up living in Italy again it will be not just because I was born there, but because I’ve seen a good bit of the world and I’ve chosen it!
What an adventure to be following your bliss! The hero’s journey is not an easy one, but some of us wouldn’t have it any other way. Keep listening to your inner promptings instead of society’s programming. Sounds like you’re on the right path for you. This is a good “you are here” post.