Recently, a friend asked, “Do you talk about your work at home a lot?” At first, I thought it was kind of a strange question but since I work from home as an online instructor, perhaps my work perception is a bit different from others.
And that’s the funny thing – I work from home – so it’s always there, always with me. I can’t just leave work at the door and leave the day behind me. My work day and my home day are all meshed together – it’s kind of like bread pudding. The bread is my work and my life, the yummy, ooey-gooey, crispy bits are all of the rest of my life that envelop it.
As far as actual discussion of work, I would say I talk about it about as much as anyone else who works outside of the home. Mike and I will ask each other about our day, I’ll mention to my bestie when my boss is having unrealistic expectations, and I’ll explain to the kids, for the millionth time, that I will be there in just a minute, after I finish grading this paper, writing this paragraph, etc.
One of the strange things about my job – since I work from home and teach for a major online university – is that I don’t feel that many people (including those I happen to live with) really have a clue about what I do. For all they know, I’m sitting at the computer online shopping all day (I’m not saying that doesn’t occasionally happen…). When I have a pressing deadline or a large project due, it’s difficult for me to explain to them what I do – how meetings are ran – or why what I do is significant. Sometimes, I’ll find myself trying to explain it all – but usually that is met with blank stares.
I work for many reasons. Of course, I work for money – to pay bills, to travel, to save for the kid’s college funds and for our retirement – but I also work because I enjoy it. I don’t know what to do with myself when my brain is idle. Actually, I do – I apply for more jobs, plan elaborate vacations, and helicopter parent – but that’s exactly why I need to work!
Since I started working from home six years ago, I’ve gotten better and separating my work life from my home life most days. I have set times when I turn the computer off and walk away – despite the pressing work issues that might be weighing on me. I’m also much better at setting aside chunks of time to work, even if it means hiring a babysitter to do so. But reaching this balance hasn’t been easy – there have been many trials and errors – many moments when I thought I had it figured out only to end up in a panic moments later. As my family and kids grow, my work and work life has had to evolve and grow around them as well.
When it comes down to it, I think my kids probably do know more about my work than others might – simply because they see me doing it so often. And I probably do talk about my work more than some, trying to explain what I do and why I do it, because my situation is outside of the norm.
How much do you talk about your work when you’re at home?
About the Author
Jamie Weitl is a WAHM teaching for several online universities and raising three precocious little ones. In her spare time she enjoys writing, baking, and running. For more info, see my Google Plus Profile.
