Caabin fever.

mrp2049

Senior Member
I want to ask this for advice as much as throwing the topic out there to help people.

I work 2 jobs, one part time covers the bills, then design work for the remaining hours of the week. The thing I genuinely struggle with is not really getting out of the house sometimes for nearly 2 days straight! Mounting project deadlines and workload often mean I can't afford to stop!

This is where the cabin fever comes into it...I spend all day in the company of my cat, and if I'm lucky ill see my girlfriend. A friend who is freelance full time goes for breakfast everyday, just to make sure he leaves the house!

Anyone else struggle with this problem? If so, what are your solutions?
 
I used to have this problem. Sitting on my own scribbling away. Sandwich on my own. Coffee (lots of it) on my own....yes I used to go a tad stir crazy. I would dream of office Christmas parties, the birthday wip rounds, the jolly office japes.....getting payed at the end of the month!

.....back in that environment again now.
The ****ty boss, the clock watching, 9 to 5....

Happy days indeed?
 
I also did this in my stint of full time freelance... I used to work from 8am through til 12-1am most days didn't even stop for lunch.. One thing I found which helped was if I had to go out for meetings or a visit to a printer, sometimes I had to for my own sanity..

If you don't feel you can go out for breakfast you won't... go out for breakfast, even if it means you work a hour later just go out...

....although reading back on what I first wrote I'm still doing this now apart from I have a hour in the morning to travel to work..... hmm I'm not really any better off... :confused:

good luck in finding a solution, maybe you can share it with me when you find one ha!
 
Buy a large mirror....it's good to work in a team of two.

I still do a lot of work though the night....plug in the headphones and go for it no distractions, no kids, no phone calls.....no sleep.
 
The annoyance is, I think half hour of human contact and conversation is worth a good hour of internet faffing!
 
Having been in both freelance and office (currently office) based work.. My preference is to work half half :) maybe do a contract in-house for 2 days a week and work 3 days a week from home :) maybe one day i'll be allowed to do that :D
 
I used to work 3 days at a agency while I was freelance and loved the two days I had at home.. I loved every minute of freelance... I need to get back into it full time.. just need some money behind me.
 
For the last two years or so I've worked full time office hours, and freelanced in most of my free time. I'm not sure if I get all that annoyed with it. I think I'm just wired up to be a workaholic. My fiancee is very understanding about it all (My excuse of saving for our wedding will expire next year!) but I do make sure to have at least one day or an evening free each week.

Just let your feeling guide your actions. If you need a break take one, it's all within your power, it just means turning the odd job down or negotiating harder on deadlines.

To get away from work I've started playing golf again, a couple of hours of swearing and frustration directed at a small white ball isn't all that far removed from being frustrated and swearing at a screen, but I do get a bit of fresh air.

Another thing to try is working remotely from a public place if you need to feel the presence of other humans.
 
Ken :) just use the next excuse of having to save for a house, then you can use having to save for a child :) but then it doesn't work after that :lol: unless she would accept saving for retirement :) :lol:
 
Saving for a holiday, a big present, new car, I'm sure this list could be very long!

I've always liked the idea of working somewhere public but also feel like a pretensious ass whenever I do things like that!

its a real struggle to know the answer to this. Perhaps I should give in and get an office job!
 
Not sure on the hours and how they'd suit your current life Mike but have you seen Cardiff's IndyCube? Might be worth a look for a solution there.
Expand your contacts etc aswell ...

Indycube - Co-Working in Cardiff

I think they are still doing "Jellys" so you could pop along maybe?
 
mrp2049 said:
I want to ask this for advice as much as throwing the topic out there to help people.

I work 2 jobs, one part time covers the bills, then design work for the remaining hours of the week. The thing I genuinely struggle with is not really getting out of the house sometimes for nearly 2 days straight! Mounting project deadlines and workload often mean I can't afford to stop!

This is where the cabin fever comes into it...I spend all day in the company of my cat, and if I'm lucky ill see my girlfriend. A friend who is freelance full time goes for breakfast everyday, just to make sure he leaves the house!

Anyone else struggle with this problem? If so, what are your solutions?

I have it sometimes but I have a full time job working for a web design company. At the weekends I normally go to starbucks and read a book or magazine just to chill out a bit get away from the computer and all.. When I worked part time like you did I get sick to the back teeth of sitting in, you have to get out even if its just for a walk. When am feeling the "Cabin Fever" I normally go for a jog with the ye olde iphone and some tunes. Its relaxing and does the job!
 
Renniks said:
Not sure on the hours and how they'd suit your current life Mike but have you seen Cardiff's IndyCube? Might be worth a look for a solution there.
Expand your contacts etc aswell ...

Indycube - Co-Working in Cardiff

I think they are still doing "Jellys" so you could pop along maybe?

Jelly you say? I'm sold! I'll have a look at that link tomorrow when I can take it in. Proof reading is frying my brain!
 
glenwheeler said:
I have it sometimes but I have a full time job working for a web design company. At the weekends I normally go to starbucks and read a book or magazine just to chill out a bit get away from the computer and all.. When I worked part time like you did I get sick to the back teeth of sitting in, you have to get out even if its just for a walk. When am feeling the "Cabin Fever" I normally go for a jog with the ye olde iphone and some tunes. Its relaxing and does the job!

I have been trying to incorporate a bike ride into my days, but the down side is I often put new records on to listen to and find myself 20 miles away by the time the record has finished!

Not a smart move. But I do like this idea!
 
I moved out of London to a market town in the South Cotswolds around seven months ago on my own. I make it a point of either popping to the pub for lunch with a copy of something (normally DW) and chat with the bar staff (like today) or getting rid of the cobwebs with a hearty bike ride or walk. Additionally I may pop to a larger town for a bit more of an urban feel if I am feeling particularly trapped.
 
Back
Top