Work Life Balance

Okay, so I've had several hours to take some deep calming breaths since that last post and get past the idiot who sent me not one but two RANDOM comments about something posted on my blog two years ago.

That is the risk of having a blog and putting yourself out there to share your experiences, every now and then you have to deal with the crazies.

Moving on. . . .

I have been "working from home" every Tuesday for the past month and I have to say it has been WONDERFUL. The only thing that would make it even better is if I worked from home EVERYDAY. I know there are a lot of challenges with working from home namely the lack of face time, which can hurt your career and the feeling of isolation from your team.

But in my opinion the pros definitely outweigh the cons, especially for mothers working outside of the home. Shall I list my personal faves:

1. No commute

2. Saving on gas

3. No commute

4. Literally rolling right out of bed to log on

5. No commute

6. Throwing a load of laundry in the wash while waiting on an email

7. Putting a roast or chicken or whatever in the over while on a conference call

8. Grocery shopping on your lunch hour

9. Picking your children up from daycare/school early instead of ten minutes before the daycare closes(!)

10. Did I say NO COMMUTE?

Not having to get on the freeway and fight my way through traffic is the biggest plus for me because when I work from home not only am I always on time but I don't spend thirty minutes talking about the idiot who cut me off in traffic on my way to the office. No stress. Very peaceful way to start the day. I honestly find that I am way more productive when I work from home also because the proverbial water cooler is missing.

I think most people who work a typical 8 to 5 office job spend quite a bit of time socializing instead of actually working, i.e. congregating at a co-worker's desk gossiping, in meetings that last way past the scheduled time or taking group lunches that last more than an hour. Or is this just me and the people where I work??

But when you eliminate those distractions, it's a lot easier to be productive. You've got to make sure you're disciplined enough to work from home or it can be a disaster. I have three main rules I follow:

• No t.v.
• No kids
• Set up computer in a separate workspace- not my bedroom!

This has been a wonderful accommodation by my employer and because it is going so well, I may get to add another day.

I feel so much more refreshed and calm when my kids get home on Tuesday evenings because dinner is already done and I'm not all wound up from sitting in traffic and feeling rushed to get a meal on the table. I have more time to focus more on them and we can spend quality time together as a family.