I love my jobs, and I have a few, however I am blessed to be able for the most part, to work from home. Working from home allows me the flexibility to be able to work around what is takes to run a large family and is essential for us to be able to find some sort of balance in our lives. There are a few downfalls though, though with planning most of them can be overcome.

The Problems With Working From Home

Others Think I Don’t Work

I am rushing straight to the most challenging of all my struggles in working from home here, so many people assume I don’t work at all. I have had many discussions with friends and acquaintances, where I have had to explain, time and time again that I do in fact work and that I actually work very long hours. It does my head in that people assume that I don’t work. We do not need to leave the house in order to work a long and hard day or to contribute money to our family.

Many see my presence on social media as a sign that I mustn’t be working, but that is part of my work. It is what keeps me connected with my readers, and in many cases my clients. It opens the doors to new opportunities and is now also a form of Networking.

I actually run a business, a blog and am in the start-up phase of a new business, which surprises people all the time.

Working Hours Tend To Blur

I don’t keep a tight schedule, and by that, I mean I don’t set tight working times. I have a daily, weekly, monthly and yearly list of things to achieve, and I work when it fits in with our family, to get this done. The issue I have, is that it is nothing for me to get up at 4am, to get the work done before the kids get up, or to be still working at 9pm.

I find it difficult to set strong times, but when I worked in an office, it was no issue for me to do so and adhere to them. It is an aim for me this year to ensure I create downtime in each day. I have taken on far too bigger loads in previous years, but this year is about stepping back a little and setting some firm boundaries.

I Don’t Have A Uniform

This may sound like a ridiculous problem to have, but not having a uniform contributes to people thinking I don’t work and it also makes it difficult sometimes to slip into work mode. Think about it, when you put your uniform on, you are generally already gearing up ready for your work day. It’s nothing on school holidays, for me to work in my PJs until the kids are up, and as they are teenagers that can be midday.

Before working from home, I thought this was the dream, but I have learned it doesn’t work for me. Now days, I make sure I get up, dress like I’m off to the office, which helps me to get work ready.

Distraction

With only myself to answer to, it is easy for me to become distracted by my phone, social media, the washing, cooking dinner, picking up after children, patting the cats, yelling at the dogs, you get the picture. There are dozens of things every day that beg for my attention in my work time, and this distraction can be really damaging on my productivity.

School holidays are the most challenging time for me to work and the time of year (especially prior to Christmas) in which most of my days begin at 4am. Our kids sleep well after 10am most days on the holidays, so the 4am start give me a good days work before they are even awake. Great to have the flexibility, hard on my sleep patterns.

All in all I wouldn’t change working from home without a very good reason. I simply have to work hard to ensure I put the necessary measures in place to ensure a smooth and productive day.

Do you work from or in the home? What are your frustrations?

Nicole xxx