Many entrepreneurs cite the escape from the employment 'cubicle' and the resulting freedom as key motivations to take the leap and set up their own business.
Fast forward 12-24 months, I wonder how many entrepreneurs still feel enthused with excitement and a sense of freedom?
The reality, I think, is that many entrepreneurs find themselves back in a cubicle. (Figuratively, if not in actual fact).
It doesn't matter that you have the 'freedom' to work from coffee-shop to coffee-shop if your interactions are limited to yourself and some digitised forms of communication, like email and online chat. This is silo working. Much like working in a cubicle. You're just completely on your own, not even now with a water-cooler to hang-out and moan at!
As more and more workers take the leap into entrepreneurship, I see this as becoming a real problem. The freedom that technology has granted us - to be able to work anywhere - is actually causing us to retreat inwardly and away from real human (as opposed to digital) interaction. This is not good for us.
There are thousands of years of hard-wired tribal instinct within us. We want to interact with one another. Not just in a constructive world-changing business-building context but also for idle chatter and giggles. Yet over the past 10-20 years, with the advances in technology, this is starting to slip away.
We can work on the beach. We can work in a coffee-shop. We can work in a serviced office. But in each case, we might be working alone.
What price might this change of work patterns have for our long-term mental and physical health?
I, for one, don't think it's good. Yet I find myself in this position quite frequently. Yes, I have the freedom to work anywhere - as long as I have a laptop or just a smartphone. But I am conscious that I need to keep pushing outward to interact with people. Even if it's just making sure that, at the very least, I am on the phone with clients and buddies on the days when I don't get out and about.
Otherwise, I might wake up one day soon and find myself stuck in an 'entrepreneurial cubicle' of my own making...
Posted from my blog with SteemPress : https://businessn2k.com/the-entrepreneurial-cubicle/
I really don't think the concept of working alone is good either but I don't feel it's all bad. We will definitely find a way to balance ourselves socially should it happen
Downvoting a post can decrease pending rewards and make it less visible. Common reasons:
Submit
There is something to be said for having others to bounce ideas off and to challenge us
Downvoting a post can decrease pending rewards and make it less visible. Common reasons:
Submit
Hi Steve. This will be an issue in the future for sure. Maybe it will work for some and not others. I get more done on my own as there are no distractions.
Downvoting a post can decrease pending rewards and make it less visible. Common reasons:
Submit
Thanks for your comment - yeah, it will work for some more than others, for sure. It's going to be interesting to see how this pans out.
I can foresee lots of groups forming for entrepreneurs to drop in and out of. Not necessarily networking, more like recurring groups who like to hang out and chew the fat together.
Downvoting a post can decrease pending rewards and make it less visible. Common reasons:
Submit
This is exactly what i am doing now. I just woke up today and opened up my laptop to start working. I did not head over to office and I kind of miss my fellow colleagues.
There's pros and cons I suppose.
Pros
Flexibility
Productive
Don't have to waste time on transport and it's more efficient this way .
Cons
Lack of Communication
Loneliness
Emotional and Mental health affected
Downvoting a post can decrease pending rewards and make it less visible. Common reasons:
Submit
Absolutely - you've nailed it with your pros and cons list!
Downvoting a post can decrease pending rewards and make it less visible. Common reasons:
Submit