It used to be a dream to work from home full time. I thought — who gets to do that? I never thought it would be me! I really love my job but I had some expectations that turned out to not be true to reality. I thought I’d tell you guys a little about what those things were!
- Expectation: I will want to eat all the time because…open pantry!
Reality: Nothing ever sounds good so I possibly eat less. It’s weird! - Expectation: I will want to watch Netflix all day
Reality: I kind of do want that but I feel so stressed if I watch even one episode! - Expectation: It will be hard to get motivated
Reality: Because I know it’s all on me to get things done, I’m more motivated. I have very few meters on which to measure my success so I go above and beyond. - Expectation: I will be able to get all my personal errands done more easily
Reality: I still don’t want to spend work hours doing personal errands because then work time runs into family time. However, the flexibility is nice. - Expectation: I won’t be able to stand being in the house all day
Reality: I probably couldn’t if I stayed there! But, normally I’m out at least once to hit the gym, do daycare drop-off or I choose to work half the day at Starbucks. - Expectation: I won’t get any social interaction
Reality: This one is tough but I’m very diligent about making sure I’m social, whether it be spending time with my sister, talking to people at the gym or attending events. I know I need that to stay level and happy — so I make a point to do it! - Expectation: I’ll want to sleep in
Reality: Okay I do want to but sleep is all over the place since having a baby. I normally don’t sleep in past 6am because I always have so many things I want to get done. Sometimes I’m up as early as 4:30am (but some of you already knew that!)
Now that I’ve been working from home full-time since October (with 6 weeks of maternity leave) and part-time from home for a year and a half, I wonder how I would feel being obligated to go back into an office each day.
Offices seem fairly unnecessary in many ways, when you think about how much you pay in rent for them. Though, I do sometimes wish I could be in a meeting that wasn’t a conference call. I think the best brainstorming happens in person.
Additionally, I think about all the time I used to spend socializing, going out to lunch and counting down minutes to leave in traditional offices. So much time is wasted! That almost never happens at home.
With jobs like mine, you can’t and don’t check in and out at 9 and 5. I struggle with bosses who are sticklers for being in at a certain time because so much work is done outside of the traditional schedule.
I’m guessing one day I will have to go back to the normal office world but after having the luxury of working from home, I don’t think I will like it much.
If you work from home, what do you like or dislike?