The problem with ‘working from home’ – i.e. having a ‘home office’ … which, let’s face it is only there to ground me into believing I can actually work from home – is that my work is not really respected as much as if I was at a ‘real’ office being watched over by a beady-eyed boss. If I phone my husband at work and he is busy with something, I get a curt response to my questions or need to converse … basically, I have to respect his space in the work forum and not bother him when he is meant to be spinning his hamster wheel. For me, however, it is impossible to set up any kind of routine at the ‘home office’ since when there is anything to do, besides the regular keeping the house stocked so no one starves, like getting workmen in, making calls, fetching stuff, buying hardware etc., I am expected to drop the relatively unimportant things that I am working on (relatively unimportant because it is, more often that not, unpaid work) and do what is required in my role as … as what?
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I have the same problem. I work from home as a data analyst for a large conservation group. I get paid it is real work but not in the eyes of my husband or pretty much anyone else. Some days I work till 11 or 12 at night because doing the day I have other things like shopping, looking after the baby or running errands for other people because I have so much time. GRHHH! Sorry to rant but it drives me nuts. I often threaten to go back to office work as it would be more relaxing.
I so see where you coming from … and you’re allowed to rant. People who work in conventional jobs rant all the time about their jobs, huh?
There’s good and bad in both options but it’s the inherent critical side of human nature that tends to throw us when we are most content … and I’m including self-criticism here too
Learn to say no and people will learn that you’re too busy to pick up their overflow all the time.
Good luck! x