The naked truth about working at home

When you ask work-at-home soloists what they love most about their lifestyle, they’ll wax lyrical about the crazily short commute, or celebrate the extra time they get to spend with their family.

But it’s all a BIG FAT LIE.

See, the true pleasure of working at home is the freedom to be nude.

Yes, you heard me right.

The secret pleasure of many a work-at-home solopreneur is that when they’re answering your call they’re doing it buck naked.

We thumb our noses at dress-down Fridays or casual Tuesdays. And we don’t give two hoots about required meeting attire. Because for us, every day can be a stark naked day!

Don’t believe me? I ran an in-depth survey* and discovered that many a soloist likes to pump up the heating and pop out their wiggly bits.

“I turn the heating up and let it all hang out.”

“Working naked is the unspoken benefit of working at home.”

“I work braless in my pjs #livinthedream.”

See? There’s something liberating about bookkeeping in the buff, writing in the raw and doing your admin au naturel.

If you’re yet to experience the true exposure of flying solo, here are my top tips.

Start slowly. On Monday go sockless. On Tuesday try removing your vest at midday. And on Wednesday why not try just one leg in your trousers? Before you know it you’ll be fully disrobed.

Choose your seating carefully: I can’t think of a more exquisite pleasure than peeling a naked backside from a leatherette office chair on a hot, sweaty day. A fabric chair is the nudey soloist’s friend.

Pick your moment: You know how people tell you to imagine your audience naked when presentation nerves get the better of you? Well the same is true in reverse! If you have a difficult client call to make, do it in the nude and you’ll find the stress slips away. 

Say ‘Yes’ to half measures: If you have a Skype meeting scheduled you can either pretend your webcam is broken or simply dress from the waist up. Just remember not to grab that document off the printer halfway through. 

Feel the chill: If you’re attempting to start your unclad career in the winter months, I highly recommend a beanie, fingerless gloves and leg warmers to keep those extremities nice and toasty. 

Know your limits: Nakedness is obviously a more viable choice for the younger soloists. Us slightly saggier, female types may find the odd word being accidentally typed on the keyboard by our once-perky assets. (Masking tape helps.)

But if all this nakedness feels a step too far, there are other options.

For example, my husband works every day in a furry monkey onesie (complete with tail). And I know others who run highly successful enterprises in their PJs.

In all seriousness, working for yourself is a truly liberating experience, no matter how many garments you choose to wear. Because even if you can’t bring yourself to work naked, you can at least enjoy the fact that the choice is yours. 

Have you ever worked naked? Did you enjoy it? Do you have any embarrassing stories to share about working at home? We’d love to hear them!