Work at Home: Competing Issues

by Sherry Holetzky | More from this Blogger

24 Apr 2006 05:30 AM

Sometime your work at home job, work that needs to be done around the house, and time for family, become competing issues. You'd probably rather do paid work than tasks that can often seem thankless. It's not that you don't enjoy taking care of your home and family, but sometimes you also need to take care of your sense of self.

If you scrub the kitchen floor, no one is likely to notice, nor will they sing praises for a job well done. On the other hand, if you don't do it, someone will invariably notice. The opposite is often true when it comes to your work at home job or your home business. While there may not be applause, you are rewarded through either appreciative comments, payment, or both. The latter tends to offer a greater sense of accomplishment than perusing your clean, shiny floor.

It can definitely become a juggling act, because those household chores still need to be done, and sometimes our families feel we are neglecting these things -or them- in order to work. Sometimes they're right. We have to be careful to avoid placing work before home and family, since being available for our families is the main reason we opted to work at home.

On the other hand, our spouses and children seem to forget that just because we work at home, and are physically there, that does not always mean we can stop what we're doing to take care of other things or to play.

Talk to your family members and make sure they understand that while they come first, your work is still very important. Ask for their help and support. Also, don't beat yourself up over preferring that sense of accomplishment over mundane tasks at times. It is perfectly natural to feel that way, and in time, you will achieve a good balance.

Getting out of the house once in a while, and getting together with others who work at home to share experiences, are also great ways to blow off some steam and rejuvenate yourself. Afterwards, you'll feel more refreshed and better able to cope with the demands of work, home, and family.

Learn more about Sherry Holetzky

Sherry Holetzky is a work at home mom and freelance writer. Married to her best friend, Sherry and her husband are raising their family in a quiet rural setting in the beautiful Ozark Mountains.

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