Work From Home

National Work from Home Day is coming up on June 30. Many of us feel like experts about this “new normal” of working from home. Some of us may have risen to the challenge of managing our work and our home life simultaneously, and some may be ready to go back to the office full-time. If you are having a meeting with me at any point of the weekday, just know that I am probably on my second load of laundry for the day. In the past two weeks, I’ve answered the “How are you doing? How has your day been?” from clients and colleagues with “Good. Busy. I was cooking up a storm all morning.” 

If you think about it, humanity as a whole has usually worked from home or around the home. The boom of the Industrial Revolution was really the start of working in factories, and for some, eventually working in offices on set schedules. 

I, for one, really enjoy working from home. I am able to care for my family and my precious toy poodle, Feather, up until a couple of minutes before a scheduled meeting. I have been known to sit out in the backyard and play with my dog, while I review projects for upcoming meetings. In fact, I am able to schedule my work around things I have to—and want to—do during the day. I am able to cook up a meal for my aging parents and serve them a delicious cup of coffee every morning. I am able to give my dog an outlet for his energy by doing scent work all over the house or by playing fetch in the backyard. I am able to clean the house and do a couple loads of laundry during the day. 

Even though I am able to blend my housework with my work, I push myself to stick to my set schedule. I have set times during the week to focus on financials, strategic partnerships, business development, and on writing the weekly blog post. 

Did you know that Americans predicted a life of leisure around the turn of the century? It was believed that because we, as Americans, saw such economic growth in the 20th century, we would enter a period of shorter work week, more vacation time, and a general lifestyle that is not consumed with working as much as possible in the 1970s onward. Though as a culture, we have not reached a level of leisure in our lives, I am blessed to be able to spend time with family months at a time and follow every sensible whim that arises. For example, a few weeks ago, my sister and I planned a last minute beach day. And there I was. It was Friday morning and my sister and I, along with Feather, saw the sun rise on the beaches of Galveston, Texas. We drove back home to Houston, cooked up a delectable brunch, and enjoyed the moment. Now, I understand everyone’s life, life choices, and hobbies may be different, but this working from home thing is truly working out for me. Plenty of my mentors who own their own businesses have worked exclusively from home for longer than I’ve been alive! Some roles or entire industries may not work too well remotely. My siblings, a medical doctor, an operating room nurse, and a kindergarten teacher obviously report for duty early every morning. 

How has working from home affected your work life and your home life? Are you celebrating Work From Home Day or are you ready to physically get back to work?