Challenges of Working from Home
Posted on 01. Aug, 2009 by Laura-Jane - Whimfield in House
Yes, those raspberries and cherries came from our wild, untamed garden and property. No, I do not have a semi-related story to tell. (I wrote one last year around this time that might suffice.)
Why am I pawning you, dear reader, off on a year-old blog post? Because these days I am so brain-dead by the end of the day that I have little energy for writing for pleasure.
My work revolves around being creative for other people and their projects. When I get busy with work, I get really into my work. As a result, my own projects, such as this one, fall by the wayside.
Yes, I get to work from home, which is amazing. But….that also means that I am always at work! I have yet to learn work/life balance. My work ethic has followed me to our new life here at Whimfield.
Yes, my hands are lily white in the above photo because I am holed up all day at my computer in my home office working from dawn ’til dusk; no speck of sunshine dares cross my lily white skin.
And while I work life seems to go on around me.
Plants are growing, things are happening!
I think I’m coming due for a deep breath and a mini-reset. Will someone please remind me why we embarked on this adventure in the first place? I must continue to remind myself about the important things in life. Yes, it’s all too easy to slip back into the way things were.
Perhaps every few months we should all schedule a deep breath and a mini-reset. “How am I doing?” “What should I change?” “Do I like the track my life is taking?” Even if the answers are positive, it’s important to keep checking.
I just checked in with myself. My answer was that things are good, but I think I need to slow down a little. I hope that I’ll let that epiphany guide my decisions over the next few months.
Michelle
Aug 1st, 2009
I started to write you a long email. It’s in my drafts folder waiting to be condensed. It’s about berries. Those red ones you inquired about… highbush cranberries or red currants. They are one or the other but not chokecherries for sure.
Highbush cranberries have a single pit. Red currants have many little seeds. Which are yours?
We bought a red currant bush last year which produced 1 1/2 cups of berries. I made 2 and 1/2 small jars of jelly. It is gold. You MUST make some jelly from your bounty of red berries… I will tell you how easy it is if you’re interested. Really easy and really worthwhile.
Working so hard to what end? That is a question one must ask oneself. I would work hard if given the opportunity but for now I’m just loving summer and my life.
When I’m in the right mindset (soon) I’ll post on my blog with pics and updates of ‘whatever’ and perhaps give you a glimpse/reminder of why you came to these parts.
Freda
Aug 2nd, 2009
Raspberries and cherries, yum!!
Just need to try and set the old time clock and shut the office down at 4or 5 in the afternoons. Working from home gives you a lot of options but must try to enjoy what you have outside, even if it is for a few hours in the evening.
We enjoy reading you and do not want you to get burnt out. A mini vacay sounds like it is needed.
Take care of yourself.
Brad
Aug 2nd, 2009
Both of you are still on the adventure. You’ve just forgotten to pull off the side of the road once in a while at one of those scenic views.
Give of yourselves to your clients, but set an alarm clock to go off sometime during the day that tells you to stop for a breather. Obey it!
No falling asleep at the wheel!
Shake yourselves loose and go run around on your land. Roll in the grass. Play tag. Make an appt. at 6pm every day that requires both of you to go outside, discover something you’ve never seen before and report on it.
When was the last time both of you walked the complete border of your property TOGETHER, slowly with no tasks in mind?
That long, huh?! Get going!!
Mary@TurkeyFarm Treasures
Aug 2nd, 2009
I totally understand what you are saying. I have this problem with my husband (who works at home about 50% of the time). The work is never really done, so when do you call it a day?. Some nights he can be persuaded to shut down the computer when offered a glass of wine and a snack.
I’ve haven’t tasted red raspberries in years. Only black ones growing around me. Still very tasty all the same.
Freda
Aug 2nd, 2009
Very well said, Brad.
Lets hope Laura Jane and Cameron pay attention and take heed.
Breathers are very important in every day activities just as they are when you are out and about on the road.
Yes, take the time, force yourself everyday. You will get back in the groove.
Gary Gray
Aug 3rd, 2009
Hi L J
Welcome back, you have been missed! I know you were out having fun being busy. But, now you are back and all is right with the world again. lol
I actually thought that some of your followers were about to send out a search party.
Great post and hope you are having a great summer.
By the way how are you doing with Seth Godin’s book “Tribes”?
Here are a couple more for you to read since you are looking for things to do. lol
“The Element” by Sir Ken Robinson (if you are looking for your passion) and “Free” (marketing of the future) by Chris Anderson of Wired mag he also wrote “The Long Tail” (how the market has changed with technology and how micro niches have evolved)
Stay happy, read a book, work less and get some sun.
Smiles :o)
Gary
Kerry
Aug 3rd, 2009
We also moved here to escape our harried, chaotic way of life, as you did. The challenge is to not slip back into our old ways and just do the same thing in a different place.
I was offered full time employment at my job and turned it down because I moved here to slow down, not gear up! And working at home is even more difficult as there is no punch clock to say your day is done. One must be very disciplined to retain balance. So don’t forget to relax, have some fun, breathe!
Beverley
Aug 3rd, 2009
Laura-Jane, I’m so happy you’re back! But also distressed to hear that you’re working so hard and not spending hardly anytime outside enjoying summer. Many years ago I lived in a basement suite. My landlady worked from home and had a very demanding job. I was always amazed at the rigid hours she kept. She walked downstairs to her “office” at 8:00 am and walked upstairs at 5 pm. After 5, it was time for herself and her family. I remember her finding it difficult at first, but she soon realized she needed time for herself, her family and especially to keep her sanity/health.
It’s easy for me to say as I don’t know all your circumstances. Just a bit concerned for you and what about that garden you planted??
Vicki
Aug 3rd, 2009
As with every new job you have to go through a learning process. Just realize that & then start to make changes slowly. Just remember it isn’t forever it is just while you learn to adjust to your new job. Don’t be hard on yourself just give yourself time to adjust & make little changes when you can.
Michelle
Aug 3rd, 2009
Most everyone here is pretty much saying the same thing. I work from home but not as a self-employed person. Even so, I have to decide what time is mine and that means any hours outside of a normal work week. If I were unemployed and really busy, I’d have to find a way to work smart, not hard.
Good work ethics are wonderful so long as you’re not burning your candle at both ends. IF you have a specific goal in mind and choose to work like a dog for X number of months/years, then you have to remember to come up for air once and awhile and get refreshed; otherwise, you’ll burn out.
Go play in the and enjoy what there is of this very short wonderful season. That goes for fall, too!
I really would encourage you to make sour cherry jelly (I did that today) or raspberry freezer jam, those other berries…. make something from those as well. Come the dead of winter, you’ll be glad you did.
Laura-Jane
Aug 3rd, 2009
Love and kisses to you kind people! Lots of good ideas here. But now I must execute on them!
Mmm. Sour cherry jelly… That sounds delicious..but what about the pits?????? Don’t tell me there is depitting involved…?
Michelle
Aug 4th, 2009
umm…. depitting…. umm, yes but not like you think. I mashed mine with a fork while they were cooking (sadly they need sugar and cooking) then used a sieve to pour the mixture into jars, bits at time, using the back of a spoon to push the liquid through. Lots of pulp gets left with pits but that’s OK.
I can email you more details if you wish. Wasn’t that hard and I’m no queen in the kitchen.
sayantanee from India
Aug 4th, 2009
Hi Laura Jana, Hope you start enjoying the vacation soon, the one that you envisioned when you moved bag & baggage…… And we start reading the great posts…. “We are very focussed as to why we would like you to enjoy ;-)”
Andrea
Aug 4th, 2009
Hi Laura-Jane. You have wonderful support here to lace together, and it also lies within your own old posts. I remember reading your words about the wonderous things that always unfold while on a walk with Cameron.
Breaking from work and getting outside may seem counterintuitive when you have glaring deadlines, but I promise you that the quality of your work will be even higher when you take time to hit the refresh button every day, multiple times. I still have to practice this, but I’m always amazed at the difference a walk, a stretch, a quiet muse in the field can make to my day.
Andrea
Aug 4th, 2009
One more thing: have you read ‘The Good Life’ by Scott and Helen Nearing yet? The couple lived self-sufficiently in the country for years had an incredibly fullfilling life. They lived by this formula: 50% of their time was spent working (their land, teaching, building their home(s), etc) and 50% of their time was spent on leisure.
They had lots of visitors to their homestead too… community is vital. When visitors pop by you have no choice but to break and enjoy (or you put them to work)! It’s win-win ; )
Phil
Aug 5th, 2009
Laura-Jane –
Though others have pretty much said it already in other forms, I would only remind you that you partook of this adventure because you simply had no other choice. You and Cameron both live and breathe the nature of what you’re doing, and to do anything else with your life would be stifling your very core.
It can be all at the same time exhausting, exhilirating (sp?), thrilling, and mind-numbingly boring to live out one’s passions. Trust me, I know. But, really, would you trade any of this for the flat-line of your past lives?
(the above is a conversation repeated to me often when I lived in Manila, working with sponsor kids, in a maddening culture, with ridiculous heat, far from home. And, while I long for those days from time to time, somewhere in between that and Stability has come to be a nice place (you know, except for all the brain surgery and all).)
warren
Aug 5th, 2009
You gotta slow down…you got fruit!
Birds and other critters will appreciate your gift to them if you don’t harvest, but…wait…critters don’t show appreciation….get picking!!!
Andrea Coutu > Become a Consultant Blog
Aug 8th, 2009
Maybe you need an office that isn’t in your home.
Vicki
Aug 13th, 2009
Get ready here we come!! See you on Friday night!!