Working at home is…
- staying up really, really, REALLY late.
- having a to-do list that is a mile long and an ocean deep.
- returning e-mails instead of watching TV.
- having laundry on the couch, unfolded.
- doodles and sketches and ideas on notebooks all over the house.
- dreaming about building my business, about being a better person.
- BEING HERE with my kids – every day (all day).
- not always easy.
- totally worth it.
Do you work from home? If not, have you considered it?
ALSO – Do you have any questions for me about working-from-home? I may answer yours in an upcoming post.
I do not work at home – it is something that I have considered, but I have not yet found anything that would work for our family. I think that it would be great to have the extra income!
I’m a stay-at-home-mom, but I don’t currently work from home. I have been trying to brainstorm ways to earn an income, even a small one, while still staying home with my son.
I used to work from home, til I had my baby in November. I’m still blogging (sporadically at best), but I’ve dropped all my writing and transcription clients for the time being. I’m sure once he’s a little older I’ll go back to work, but probably out of the home. It was hard enough for me to maintain a normal schedule when it was only me at home, but with a baby, I’m not so sure I could do it. People think it would be easier, but I’m sure every WAHM would say it’s not.
Oy, working from home is hard for me! But it’s much better than leaving home, so I always try to remember that.
Here is my question: It seems like as soon as I step anywhere near the computer, my daughter stops whatever she was happily doing and starts whining and crying for my attention. She truly detests when I am on the computer. What do you do with your kiddos when you absolutely MUST be at the computer?
I really want to work from home. I really need to work from home. I really don’t know how to start.
I work from home a few hours a day and I love it. It can be hectic and stressful at times but for the most part it is perfect. I get to spend all day with my Girl. Like right now she’s sleeping on my chest.
I mostly work from home and I must admit, it is VERY challenging at times. I am very passionate about my job, so when I am “off the clock”, but I know that I still have things to do, I will get on the computer and work on it. I would NEVER change the fact that I get to work from home though. I get to spend time with our son and also help change the world!
I would love your help on how to make sure I am not “stressing out” about my to-do lists and to make sure my “off the clock” times are not snuck in with an email here or there.
I do have a question for you – Do you only go on the computer for work when your children are sleeping? If I try to get actual work done (the kind that requires me to be on the computer), I need to do it when my 17 month old is asleep. He doesn’t yet understand what I’m doing on the computer and will try to type along with me! I was wondering, does this get better as the kids get older?
I am very fortunate that my bank allows me to work from home 2 days/week. I am in the office 3 days/week and have an in-home sitter that I trust 100%. For me, this is the perfect balance. When I really need to concentrate on my work, I can do that in the office. When I need a break and want to take my son to the zoo, I can do that on my work from home days (I do my work after he’s in bed). This schedule allowed me to exclusively breast feed my son. He’s an only child and the sitter has a few other children, so he is learning social skills as well. Plus, this allows me to continue earning a full-time salary plus benefits so we are able to live comfortably and not have to rely solely on my husband’s employment.
There are days when the balance is a bit off (for example, when I don’t want to leave him at the sitter or when there’s too much work to do at home and all my son wants to do is play) but for the most part it works. I wouldn’t change it for the world!
I work from home once every 2-3 weeks… I wish it could be more, but as of now it can’t. My husband is still looking for a job and my job really is great, so for now it is the way it is. I would love to be a SAHM with a little extra income (once my husband finds work) but I don’t know where to start. How on earth did you get started? Do you really actually make money???
Well, I suppose technically I don’t “work” from home, but that’s my choice since I don’t really want to have my children in day care and spend my evenings grading papers and lesson planning. We live smaller so we can afford for me to stay home.
And I probably could be a lot more efficient with my time… I need to work on limiting computer time. It’s amazing how much I got done when we had a power outage last week! (although it does make things like laundry and ironing hard to do!)
Your list looks exactly like mine! I wouldn’t change it for the world! I was just thinking today that we can practically relocate whenever we want if we keep at it. I even considered homeschooling. We’ll see what happens…hehe.
So, I have been wanting to work at home for two years now. I am a SAHM but need to help financially and I haven’t been able to do anything yet.I have been searching every avenue and coming up empty handed. I bought your e-book and loved it, but I must be doing something wrong. I would love to figure out how to work at home, any advice?
I work partially from home and partially at the office: about a 50 – 50 split, trying to fit in about 20 hours a week. At the moment I am reconsidering because it seems too much right now with my kids at 4 months and 2 years. I get to take my 4 month old to work, but I think that is only going to work for the next month or two so I might cut back then. Although right now it is actually the at-home hours that I’m having the most trouble fitting in. I would like an at-home job where I could put more or less hours in depending on how the week is going. That might be what I end up doing… we shall see!!
I would love to work at home but can’t find anything and my current employer won’t let me work at home even part time. Any advice on finding a good work from home job??
I’d love to know your hours and your sacred no-work times. I’m constantly reconfiguring my schedule and fine inspiration from other moms who are in the same boat. I never work Ssturdays and don’t go online until Sunday night.
I do. I’ve actually been feeling the itch to work outside of the home again, though. Though that won’t happen any time soon…
Working from home has been a Godsend with my little ones… I’m very blessed to be with them daily.
Nell
Great post! I love working at home, although we all (or is it just me?) have those weeks where we’d love to get away to a quiet office and concentrate (that was me last week). BUT, I then get my brain together and remember that when I want to take my kids to the beach, I can. And when I need to feed my baby, we are both right there. (Even if I’m nursing, typing and talking on the phone at the same time… :)
I worked from home for the first two years of Levi’s life. Being able to stay at home with him despite being a single mama was an incredible blessing. I didn’t at all mind the extra work involved in being a WAHM. However, I am glad to no longer be doing that. Being single and working from home was tough stuff…worth it but very difficult. Before we got married, I told Stephan that I was never working again. I was only half serious, but I am very grateful that now working from home would be a choice and not a requirement.
I love this because it’s so me! I work from home doing 3 different part time jobs. And end up staying up WAY too late most of the time! My laundry is never ending because there are always more fun things to do with the kids. I have a hard time with the balance of working at home but I wouldn’t have it any other day!
I am finishing up my masters and work for the university doing research, which luckily I get to do from home – but some days the days get very long =) but I still love being able to be home with my son!
Since I work nights and take care of the kids during the day, I can totally see myself staying up very late if I worked from home.
I don’t work from home, but my to do list is ALWAYS super long.
“being HERE with my kids- all day (all day)” , I would love to be home with the kids!!!
I want to work from home, but I’m one who needs 8-9 hours of sleep at night — I think that one factor makes it unrealistic for me to consider it, but I AM considering it. I gave notice at work last week in a massive leap of faith. Now I’m hoping to find a part-time job with which to help pay the bills. I referred back to your previous post about how to find a legitimate work from home job and I’ve been searching the online databases, thank you again for those resources!
I wish I was able to work from home! I *think* I would have the discipline for it – I know that it is not easy, and I would be afraid that the laundry would pull me away. Still, I think I could do it..
I’m so envious of those who can work from home!
I love your list and the really cute pics!
I work from home, most the time I love it, sometimes I wish I could get away, because I know it take me twice as long to accomplish anything. But at the end of the day, I know it’s a HUGE blessing.
You do it all so well and with such grace! Thanks for staying up late, having big dreams, encouraging all of us to follow our own, and for setting such a great example of what it means to be an amazing wife, mom, and friend!
Dude, I’ve gotta give you mad props…I was just talking about this this week…
http://www.wellgroundedlife.com/
1) is evident
2) is spread across Toodledo & Outlook tasks
3) is my life
4) is there…literally…right now…
5) Not so much (I’m a virtual note-taker..)
6) totally (but maybe more vague than a “business”)
7-9) Thank you thank you thank you thank you NOT THE CASE but I’m glad you view it as “totally worth it” :-)
Do you find you feel better writing out your convictions? I do…