Review of Work from Home book

Sharon Jackson recently tweeted that she was reading my book Work from Home and was intending to review it when she finished, so obviously I couldn’t resist the impulse to ask her to talk about it here!

Hi Sharon, where do you live and what do you do?
Hi Judy, I live in the sometimes sunny seaside town of Morecambe and was a freelance web designer for seven or eight years. I now offer help to grow small businesses in addition to the IT side. [See below for more info].

You tweeted recently to say you had just finished my book – what are the 3 main things you got from it?
One excellent thing I got from it was the personality section; who you are as a person, how this affects your working and how to maximise your effectiveness and deal with the negatives. I kind of already knew I was more of an introvert but it was great to know that there’s nothing wrong with being so and to find strategies for using who I am to the best of my ability.

I also found the procrastination tips particularly, shall we say, useful. I am well aware of my failing in that area and always guard against letting it take over, however, I found many useful hints and tips in your book that I had either not thought of or forgotten about.

Although I am an introvert, your chapter on coping with isolation did resonate with me. Working alone is perfect in a lot of ways but I do need to ensure I get out and about, not only for my sanity but also to make my work better. A fresh perspective from a friend (business or otherwise) is often a great boost to ideas and productivity.

What did you like about the book?
I liked the fact that, unlike other books I had read, you offer wisdom to homeworkers of all types – freelancers like myself and those who work for bigger companies, just at home rather than in a regular office.

I also appreciated the section at the end of each chapter where you share links to further help and advice.

Is there anything you’d like to change about it? (I don’t mind you being honest!)
Hmm, what would I change? To be honest I really don’t know. I got lots of useful information from your book and saw where others might too. You did a good job of being inclusive for all homeworkers, although I am sure there will be someone somewhere who says it isn’t relevant for them.

Are you going to do anything differently now you’ve read it?
Yes. I am going to look further into my personality and try more to balance myself so I can improve my life and my work. I also am going to (again) look at my health as an integral part of my work life so I don’t become ill unnecessarily. I am also going to work on my procrastination habits … maybe.

Would you recommend home workers read it, and if so, why?
Yes I would recommend your Work from Home book to homeworkers. From the start your book has loads of useful information and helpful advice for all home workers.

And by that I mean not only freelancers like myself, but also those who work from home for a regular employer, and those whose business and home are the same such as B&B owners.

You cover everything from legal pitfalls to healthy living, there’s a whole range of subjects covered, all of which are accompanied by real life experiences and links to people and places that can help.

Sharon is a digital life coach. Through her social enterprise Path 42 she offers a holistic approach to web design and beyond, building you a web presence and also helping you create your own path to a happy work/life career.