The profits and pitfalls of working from home

I just read an excellent article by Natalie Jost on working from home. It got me thinking about the struggles I face (yes, there are struggles!) and also the benefits.

Whenever I tell someone that I work from home, inevitably they shriek “Wow! That is awesome! What do you do? Can you get me in?” When I tell them that I co-run a web development studio along with my husband, they look a little wistful for a moment, and then say something along the lines of, “That must be amazing. I would love to do that.” It seems like working from home has become the holy grail of the business world, and they wonder how I got to be so lucky.

Well let me tell you something. The grass over here can be a little scratchy. It requires a whole lot of watering, and most of the time it’s hard to get it to grow. In other words, it’s work, baby. Work by any other name is still…work.

Not that I don’t love my job. I wouldn’t be doing anything else for the world. I love the creative challenges I face on a daily basis. I love the problem-solving aspect of web development. I love that I create my own hours. I love that my kids get to see me making a living doing something I love. But there are specific challenges to working at home that I do not particularly relish. My biggest struggle is feeling like I’m working all the time.

For many moms, their children’s nap times and bed times are her sanctuary. They allow her to catch a bit of self time in an otherwise hectic, hectic day. For me, those times are peak work times. I can concentrate and focus on a task without hearing, “Mommy, I need [yet another] sippy cup!” The downfall of that is that I rarely get a chance to chill out and relax.

My solution: Find balance in the “work while they’re up” and “work while they’re down” times. I’ve come to the conclusion that it is OKAY to catch some work time while my kids playing. You just have to make sure that you’ve spent quality/quantity time with them FIRST and that they remain your top priority when they’re awake. How do I do that?

• We make breakfast time a special connecting time. Sometimes we’ll make pancakes together (they’re faster than you think), and we always talk about what we’re going to be doing that day. Basically, we use the time to enjoy each other and catch up on each other’s lives.
• After breakfast, we have a special together time. We’ll read together or play a special game. We might go outside for a little while and play catch.
• After we spend some time together, I work on things that take less focus while the kids are playing together (email, paperwork, filing, etc.)
• I make sure that t.v. is a last resort so that it is more fun when they do get to watch it. Then we make popcorn and make it a special thing for them.
• I work on things that take more focus while the kids are asleep (phone calls, creative work, concept building, etc.)
• I have a “turn off computer” time every day. It may not be the same time every day, but after I say I’m done for the day, I am DONE. I don’t do anything on the computer, even fun stuff.

Not every day is so well-planned and smooth, of course. I constantly remind myself that my children are my ultimate life’s work, as much as I love my job. But when I stick to these simple guidelines, I feel great about myself, my work, and my relationship with my children. When I don’t, I feel guilty and that they might be better off in child care. Setting boundaries for yourself really makes a huge difference.