Jess Lively

Though I love many things about working from home, there are some drawbacks.

I don’t get the friendly interaction with co-workers, casual lunch breaks, and water cooler chatter that others get in a traditional office job.

Coffee shops are a nice alternative. But with Franklin still in puppy mode, it’s hard to keep him crated for a long time. Plus, he’s already going to puppy day care twice a week during my intense consulting or appointment filled days.

And though co-working spaces are a popular option for entrepreneurs and freelancers, I’ve never wanted to spend that much time commuting or paying for separate office space.

So recently my friend Kim and I came up with a new work from home alternative: home-working.

Going forward, each Tuesday we have a standing appointment to work together from one of our homes. For the time being, we plan to work from my place for the most part as Franklin gains longer bladder control and stops attempting to destroy our rug. Jack, Kim’s pup, may also start home-working with us as well in the future.

This home-working arrangement provides us the chance to chit-chat, run business situations by one another, and go out to lunch together (like our husbands do with their co-workers).

It was amazing to see how productive, yet relaxed we were working alongside one another. Having a home-worker friend has proved to be the perfect way to break up a week spent mostly alone in front of a computer or on a phone.

And the best part? It’s free.

No coffee shop snacks or co-working passes to pay for. If we feel like eating out, that’s our big splurge for the day.

Though I personally am partial to the one-on-one home-working scenario, other entrepreneurs could even decide to invite a group of people to their homes and rotate on a weekly basis. The options are really endless when you think about it.

It’s nice to discover “working from home” doesn’t have to be a solo activity.