Knowing When to "Leave the Office"

by Kori Rodley Irons | More from this Blogger

05 Jan 2007 12:21 PM

While I know that some people have trouble staying motivated when they work from home, I find I have just the opposite challenge-as the single parent wage-earner supporting three kids, I feel constantly motivated to try to squeeze a few extra dollars out of the day. For me, knowing when to close up shop and actually "leave the office" isn't always as easy and balanced as I'd like.

Even though my kids are older and less of a constant distraction, and I do some of my work out of the house, I do a lot of my writing work from home. Knowing the potential for additional income is so near makes it hard for me to stay away from my desk. Also, since I'm still really building my business and have been through some tough times over the past several months, it's hard for me to justify NOT working. Okay, I get how unhealthy that is, but I also know that the flexibility of working from home can be both fabulous and lend itself to some boundary failures.

One of my daughters has taken to prompting me with "It's time for you to be off the clock!" if she thinks I'm not exactly "home" when I should be. It helps to jar me into the reality that just because I CAN work all the time, doesn't mean that I should. I've talked with more experienced home business owners and find that many eventually end up keeping very regulated business hours to keep from under and over-working. Having a designated separate space for work also helps to establish some boundaries.

As you can probably tell, I haven't completely figured it all out yet. I find I work when I probably shouldn't, and don't work when I feel I should be. Part of me misses the luxury of knowing that I'll get paid the same amount of money in my regular paycheck regardless of whether I actually produce at work at not (I worked in nonprofit organizations for years)-but the rest of me loves knowing that I'm more in charge of my income now-I just need to learn balance and moderation. I'd be interested in hearing if any of the rest of you who work from home finds that you have trouble "leaving the office" and being completely present for your family at home?

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Debbie LaCroix (334) 06 Jan 2007 09:10 AM

So true! I also have this problem. My DH bought me a laptop hoping I'd spend more time with the family. However, it just makes it easier to stay on the clock!

Debbie