One thing I have been reading about around the Internet and other work at home parent’s blogs is that it’s so hard for them to “shut off” business and get back to family time when they have a home office rather than an “out of the home office”. For example, my husband leaves his job, comes home to his family and voila it’s “family time”. I, am at work all day and all night long, my home.
Lately I have been found on my computer, checking “just one more email” or “writing just one more blog post” when all of a sudden I am on the computer for two hours. Next thing I know I have to eat dinner, get the kids in bed and then myself in bed. I missed two hours of quality family time, for what? An extra couple of bucks? I mean, really, is the extra couple of bucks worth missing that first step or that first word or giving unlimited piggy back rides to the children I love so dearly? No it is not! But why do so many of us have such a hard time putting up a closed sign when working from home?
I tell you why … for me anyways, it’s that I am working for a purpose, well a couple of purposes:
- To make money and have more family time.
- To get my husband home working with me full time so he no longer has to go to a labor intensive out of home job six days a week.
The latter of the two is what keeps me working passed my “office hours”, I feel that “extra couple of bucks” will push us closer to our goal of opening a computer business and being full time work at home parents. The first of the two is what I lose track of, “more family time”, I forget how fast these little ones grow, before I know it they will be in high school, taking drivers ed and not too long after that they will be off in the real world being adults. Gosh, I don’t want their young years to fly by that fast, but they do and if I miss most of them with my head in my work, well then was it really worth it? I say not.
So what I say to you, those who work at home, is set an hour to close shop and do just that – do not check emails, do not touch that computer, for me that means I literally SHUT DOWN my computer I use for work, yeah that means there are two other computers I could go to, but the one I shut off is my “main office computer” and so I can’t check my business emails, which means I can’t work. This has worked for me so far this week, and I invite you to do this as well … see if we can’t all work towards enjoying life with our family a bit more, creating those long lasting memories we so love looking back on. If you do give this a try, please let me know how it works for you, or if you stuck to it, because you know I will be writing about it IF I don’t stick to it too! 😉
New Blog Post: Working From Home: Shut Down That Office Computer http://bit.ly/kimsn
I can totally relate to this now that the kids are out of school for the summer. My kids are sleeping later so I try to start early before they get up. Lately I have been emailing people or updating on Twitter when I will be gone for several hours and letting them know when I will return. This has helped, because without that warning everyone assumes that with a home office I will be back to them immediately. I’m hoping to have a real schedule where I can just tell everyone that I am not available during certain hours of the day, but I’m not at that point yet.
.-= Tina T´s last blog ..What Are You Left With When Your Relationship Ends? =-.
Totally true, girl. Add to that, I have 3 laptops around the house that are constantly ON, plus our iPhones so we’re connected all the time. Though I have a hard stop at my fulltime job eventhough I work most of the time here at home, it’s my blog that’s keeping me busy outside of my normal working hours. Like you, I’m also dreaming to make it on my own and not be tied to the corporate world someday… oh….
Great article Brandy! I work from home sometimes and it is really hard to “shut down.” I am on vacation now and yesterday I had to make a serious pact with myself that I am not going to check anymore work email until I’m off vacation. As a matter of fact, I think I will put an out of office reply on my email. Thanks for the comment love.
I am right there with you. It is so hard to just shut down. I love to twitter, blog, go to the wiimommies forum and just plan be on the computer. Ia m working towards shutting down earlier and it is finally starting to get a little easier.
.-= Tricia´s last blog ..Fitness Friday ~ Three words =-.
It took me about 6 months to adjust to working from home and managing the family. Clothing took a big hit. I had a buttload of laundry piled up. I’m finally getting everything straight.
.-= Julie@Momspective´s last blog ..Random Tuesday Thoughts – I Hate Balloons =-.
Wow, I wish my office looked that neat! I do think it’s important to put work in a proper perspective. Quality family time is something you don’t get back. I once worked three jobs at a time and missed out on a lot. I do admire what you are doing so that both of you can be at home. I think the operative word is ‘balance.’ If you can balance being at home and working, that seems to be the ultimate.
.-= askcherlock´s last blog ..The Michelle Obama Factor and Iranian Women =-.
It’s so hard to NOT go on to the computer. I mean… it’s RIGHT THERE… calling me! Sometimes, I just have to pack us all up and head out to the park or the beach to shut down. That’s not such a bad option. Helps with the one negative thing that’s been bothering me lately: losing inspiration being home too much.
.-= Sugar Jones´s last blog ..The Dish on Food, Inc. =-.
You know what…when you walk past the computer and see it’s on it’s absolutely magnetic the way it draws you in.
.-= blueviolet´s last blog ..Cemetary Storms – W/W Wednesday =-.
Sounds like a good idea! I need to do that just with my personal one. There’s always something else I’d like to do, one more thing.