self employed? Work from home?

[Amiwrong]

ok, I’d be interested in hearing if there are people who are successfully self employed or working from home - what is your job and why it works for you.

[Redgreenblue]

currently not, but this is something i would like to aim for! I want to start up a website and sell my artwork online so i can avoid going to work as i don't like it

[Amiwrong in reply to Redgreenblue]

That’s a great idea, and something you can start whilst still working.

[Redgreenblue in reply to Amiwrong]

i do not know where to start though...... i suppose i need some actually artwork first 😂 so doing that would be first, but after that i would be clueless

[Ilikehotpot in reply to Redgreenblue]

Super good luck Redgreenblue. I think starting with some artwork would be great and I’m sure you’ll do great! I’m rooting for you because I really need to read some success stories here

[JohnKnows]

I was self-employed and used a limited company to work with a UN organisation. I was a software developer and have created websites and software for them and with covid worked remotely for them. I no longer work after cardiac failure and brain hypoxia affected my memory and cognition. But I still have an idea of how to build websites.. just slower.

I loved my job, working remotely meant I would get lost coding and rarely took breaks, was probably what contributed to my cardiac failure. Working from home meant less distractions, being able to control what status I was, I loved that, much of the time I would appear offline so I could focus and just work. In the office you can't pretend to be away 😑.

[Amiwrong in reply to JohnKnows]

It’s so great to hear when people really like what they’re doing. I can see pros and cons to working from home, but as I get older I wish it could be an option.

I am really sorry to hear about your health, but glad you had the opportunity that you did. I bet it was rewarding

[JohnKnows]

Thanks for your message! And yes, you absolutely can go self-employed! After my second job, I also thought I didn’t have enough experience and was too young to make that leap. But a colleague encouraged me, saying I already had the skills I needed. Starting with an umbrella company could be a good way to ease into it.

You might be surprised, but being autistic can actually be like a superpower in this regard—you just need to believe in yourself. Age doesn’t matter; I was 27 when I started, but if you have the skills, that’s all that counts. The key is having enough good references from places you’ve worked and showcasing your talent.

I also enjoy making comics! I used to love drawing when I was younger, but my mum really wanted me to be a doctor. I tried to find a middle ground between her expectations and my interests, which led me into computing, and I stopped drawing for a while. But health challenges pushed me back toward my love for creating comics. I’m now working on an adult animation project similar to American Dad or Family Guy.

[Amiwrong in reply to JohnKnows]

Now see, that’s what makes me happy. I love hearing about people who are working to achieve something for themselves rather than for someone else!

[JohnKnows]

And the great wave by the Japanese artist, I love art!

Roger (American Dad) – Learned from a YouTube video how the animators draw him correctly

[Amiwrong]

So you know money. Is it to help people improve on their financial habits, or do you help with investing?

How do you find finding from home impacts your mental health?