A Story About Remote Work for Those Who Feel They Are Not Cut Out for Office Life

"It's hard to go to the office every morning."
"Just dealing with interpersonal relationships wears me down."
"I'm trying my best, but for some reason, I just can't fit in at the company."

In fact, there are not a few people who carry such worries.

Especially, the more serious a person is, the more they think, "It's my fault for not being cut out for company life." But is that really the case?

In this world, there are people who thrive in groups, and there are those who demonstrate their talents by focusing quietly on their own.

If you are the latter, it might not be that you are "not cut out for company life," but simply that "the way you work doesn't fit."

In this article, I will talk about the options of remote work

・Jobs you can do alone
・Online side hustles

from a realistic perspective.

If you thought that "working for a company is the only path," please read until the end.

Your perspective on life might change a little.

WHY | People who feel they are "not cut out for company life" have common traits

People who feel they are "not cut out for company life" have certain things in common.

It is not that their abilities are low, but that they are "highly sensitive."

For example,

• Sensitive to the atmosphere of interpersonal relationships

• Getting tired from small talk in large groups

• Not good with unreasonable hierarchical relationships

• Feeling drained without time alone

• Finding meaningless meetings and drinking parties painful

In fact, there are quite a lot of people who have these characteristics.

In recent years, the term "HSP (Highly Sensitive Person)" has become widespread. These are people who are sensitive to stimuli and tend to be overly considerate of those around them.

Furthermore, in the book "Quiet" by Susan Cain, known for her research on introversion, it is stated that "the quieter a person is, the more deeply they think and the more creativity they demonstrate."

In other words, it is only natural that there are people for whom the office environment—a place where one is constantly in contact with others—is not a good fit.

Despite this, many people fall into the trap of believing the following:

"The reason office life is painful is because I am weak."

However, in reality, it is very often a case of incompatibility with the environment.

WHAT | The option to "work from home" has now become a reality

Ten years ago, hearing that someone "makes a living working from home" might have seemed like a story for only a select few special people.

However, that is not the case today.

With the development of the internet and AI, the "era of working alone" has truly begun.

In particular, the following types of remote work are on the rise:

Web Writer

This is a job that involves writing text.

Demand is extremely high for corporate blogs, SEO articles, note articles, product introductions, personal experience stories, and more.

Moreover, recently, more people are writing while utilizing AI.

Even those who think, "I lack confidence in my writing ability," can start by writing about their own experiences.

For example,

• Experiences of being exhausted at work

• Stories of suffering from interpersonal relationships

• Stories of failing at changing jobs

• My experience starting remote work

Such "real-life experiences" have value.

Kindle Publishing

In recent years, the self-publishing market has been expanding rapidly.

In particular, Amazon's Kindle allows anyone to publish a book for free.

Moreover, once published, it becomes an "asset-type content."

Unlike YouTube, you don't have to update it every day, yet it has the potential to keep being read.

In fact,

• Personal experiences

• Health improvement

• Side hustles

• Life philosophy

• Loneliness/Introversion

• Spirituality

• Saving/Investing

are genres where individuals can compete effectively.

Reselling and Product Sales

It may be surprising, but product sales are a good fit for people who like working alone.

In particular, with used books, CDs, and DVDs, your knowledge becomes an asset.

It is well-suited for people who can "work silently."

By utilizing platforms like Mercari, Yahoo Auctions, and Amazon, it is possible to complete work entirely from home.

AI x Content Sales

Recently, side hustles that utilize AI, such as ChatGPT, have been growing particularly fast.

• Selling on note

• Blog management

• E-books

• SNS management

• Scriptwriting

• Image generation

and other jobs you can do alone are increasing rapidly.

The important thing is not to aim for perfection.

Even 100 yen a month is fine to start with.

Once you experience going from 0 to 1, you will change.

TRUTH | Being a company employee is not the only 'correct way to work'

For a long time in Japan, there has been a strong belief that being a company employee is the only path to stability.

However, that premise itself is changing significantly today.

Lifetime employment is crumbling, prices are rising, and more people are starting side hustles.

In fact, surveys by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications and the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare show that interest in side jobs and concurrent employment is increasing year by year.

In other words, we are now in an era where it is actually more dangerous to rely solely on a company.

Of course, I do not intend to deny the value of being a company employee.

People who can thrive in a company are wonderful.

However, there is no need for those who don't fit in to force themselves to endure it.

Especially if:

• You feel nauseous every day

• You can't move when morning comes

• You can't sleep due to interpersonal relationships

• You think about work even on your days off

If you have reached this point, it may be a sign that your heart is near its limit.

HOW | The First Steps for Those Starting Remote Work

So, what should you actually start with?

I recommend the following three steps.

1. Start by "sharing" before you try to "earn"

Many people think, "I want to earn 100,000 yen a month" from the very beginning.

However, what you need first is "trust."

For example, on platforms like Note or a blog, keep writing about:

• Your experiences

• What you have learned

• Your worries

• Your insights

and keep at it.

Even just with this, your readership will gradually increase.

We live in an era where "empathy" has value.

2. Monetize on a small scale

It doesn't matter if it's only a few dozen or a few hundred yen at first.

It is important to build small success experiences through things like Amazon Associates, note, paid articles, and Kindle royalties.

Even earning 500 yen a month on your own can become a great source of confidence.

3. Choose a way of working that you can sustain alone

The most important thing in working from home is "consistency."

You don't have to force yourself to stand out on social media.

Just build things up little by little every day.

In fact, people who don't mind working alone are better suited for this incremental approach.

REALITY | Working from home is not a "world where you can earn money easily"

This is a part I want to be honest about.

Working from home is free, but it is by no means easy.

There are people who see almost no results for the first few months, or even for over a year.

It is lonely, and it makes you feel anxious.

However, only those who continue despite that will gradually change their lives.

You don't have a "fixed monthly salary" like a company employee.

Instead, you get the feeling of building your own life.

This might be a feeling you couldn't get at a company.

CONCLUSION | It might not be that you are 'not cut out for it,' but simply that you were in the wrong place

If you are currently worrying,

that you are 'not cut out for company life' or 'perhaps a social misfit',

please, do not blame yourself too much.

Some people thrive in quiet environments.

Some people create value by thinking deeply on their own.

In this day and age, there are opportunities for such people as well.

Working from home, online side hustles, Kindle publishing, note, and utilizing AI—

ways of working that were impossible before have now become a reality.

What is important is to find a 'way of working that suits you'.

It may not be that you are not cut out for a company, but rather that you are the 'type who demonstrates talent in a different place'.

And that possibility is greater than you think.