Working at an Office or at Home?

Big question.  Most of the time, it isn't your choice.  But in the creative business, there's some leeway in this regard.  I have three years of experience working since I've graduated, and I have worked at two different jobs.  One was at home for over a year, and another is currently working at an office for nearly two years.  Both had had their good and bad.. also mind you, this is my preference.  So unless you have the exact same type of personality, do not take my view on it as the word of law.  That I'm arrogant enough to think anyone would is also pretty incredible in a sad way.

I personally enjoy working from home a bit more than at an office.  I can start work at 7:00AM or 9:30AM, convenience is a huge bonus.  Certain important and human necessities, emergencies even.. such as a Champions League game where Bayern plays are events I don't have to miss unless I have a meeting.  I also have one hell of an office (for me anyways) made for freelance, so this works out well.  Get the work done and all is well.  However there are good aspects for working at an office.  Talking to people instead of being a creepy, social hermit who only speaks via skype or cellphones is supposed to be healthy for your social skills.  Also if you are a designer working with other designers and people in advertisement, you can bounce ideas off one another producing some potentially fantastic work.  I recently decided to make this blog post because a friend of mine suggested that there might be something opening for his company, but it is working from home.  Maybe another day I will get into a more extensive explanation, but for now I gotta go eat. 

Show Others Your Tricks in the Creative Field

This may be an area where it may depend if my advice is good or bad.  I don't want to superimpose my ideology on this subject since it isn't always the case.  When it comes to what you know, I always am of the opinion that you should show others your tricks.  I am competitive guy, but I think being competitive should be beating someone working your ass off rather than being the weird, I'm not going to show you anything since you're my enemy.  Friendly competitive creative work is always best, especially since you have a more positive attitude on this subject.

a really bad & cheesy helping hand photo

You know some Photoshop tricks?  Show them to someone you either work with or that asks for it.  Someone who could do the work a bit faster in AfterEffects if they tried using the hotkeys, show them.  In group projects, this will always be beneficial since your co-workers will know more and do the work more effectively (and likely better), which means you all benefit.  They will also appreciate you more and the working environment is much better.  If they are decent human beings, they will help and show you their tricks so you can also improve yourself.

The only situation that I can think of where it would be a bad idea to show someone your tricks is to an asshole.  Someone who has a metaphorical knife that they constantly try to stab you in the back with and will use anything against you.  In that case, the obvious answer is not to be so forthcoming in regards to showing your tricks.  Again, this is my outlook on this but there's plenty of professionals that are more reluctant to help others, and I can't put their ideals down.  That's their outlook on this subject, and this is mine.  You have to choose yourself what type of person you'd like to be in the creative world.