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Can you work with your friends?
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Professionally, I mean. Going into it, you never see any real issues. Perhaps the reason why we find working with friends appealing at first is that they already know how we work; they’ll be able to tell when you’re getting stressed or if an idea comes to the table that you’re not particularly fond of. Frankly, it’s easier to be, well, frank with those that know us. But it is a good idea in the end?
If it works out for you, then by all means, who’s anyone to advise you against it? On the other hand, there could be boundaries in the relationship that you may not want to cross. Often, a working relationship explores situations you probably haven’t encountered yet, like sharing ideas that are praised or rejected, competition, or disapproval of the way they conduct their work.
Doing business with a pal leaves no room for the fun, games, and laughs you usually get to share with them. It might feel awkward at first, not being able to enjoy time together like you’re used to. This includes the increased chances of laziness and procrastination; for some reason, we feel like we can get aw ay with a little slackage when we work with people we know well. When the air gets a little stale, you might find that you switch to Buddy ol’ Pal mode when you are trying to work, which could hinder progress.
I’m just now getting personal experience with this and I’ve found that physically being with them all the time when I’m working on the project is not necessary. So far, we’ve done work individually and collaborated together only when the need arises; all the hairs in my head are safely in their follicles and hopefully it’ll stay that way.
Bottom line: make sure to categorize and prioritize your work from your social life when you decide to work with friends. There’s a time for business and a time for gossiping about the antics from your weekend.
