for those who work at home...

redbirdmom · April 2011

I am about five months into working from home. I am starting to get a little depressed being by myself all day (we just moved, hence why I work from home, so I don't really know anyone in this community, and unfortunately have to travel most weekends for work or family obligations).

So any advice for how not to go crazy would be appreciated!! A secondary question is, if you work from home, anyone planning to have an in-home nanny? I would love to have LO downstairs within reach while I work upstairs, but not sure if it would be too distracting.

FordFalcor · April 2011

I've been working from home for over 2 years now so I totally get how lonely it can be, especially because I am definitely a "people person".

Does your work keep you on the phone with customers or is it quiet work? If the latter, I will sometimes put a movie, TV series, or stand up comedian on Netflix in the background just so I have some noise while I'm working. If work requires me to be on the phone all day, I'll try to get outside on my breaks/lunch to either take a short walk or meet up with DH for lunch. Also, if weather will allow, open the blinds, crack the windows and let yourself hear outside activities. It really helps with the cabin fever feeling.

When LO gets here, I will be taking 12 weeks maternity leave and when I return, my mom and/or dad will watch her in my home a few hours a day so I can get some work done. My boss anticipates me being distracted thinking about her if I tried to put in my regular 8 hour days so we are doing a modified part-time schedule of 4-5 4 hour days.

gmc222 · April 2011

I work from home typically 3 days/week, but since I've been pregnant its been more like 4 or 5 (my office is an hour away). Its nice to be in the office a day a week just to have interaction with others, but I'm also on a lot of conference calls, so at least I can interact that way. I also like to put the tv on for background noise although I don't pay attention to it. I try to take a 30 min. break during the day to take the dogs for a walk just to get out of the house.

As for daycare, it won't really work for me to have the baby home. I don't have a dedicated office, and since I'm on the phone a lot I'd be to scared of others hearing the baby cry, etc. However, my SIL works full time from home and has someone come to her house every day (she exclusively BF's, so this was a must for her). She has an office in her basement, but the baby and nanny are upstairs all day. This allows her to go upstairs and BF the baby when she needs to, then go back to work. She loves it.

I'm sure you'll find a groove and will love working from home...I do!

redbirdmom · April 2011

thanks for your thoughts and advice, ladies!! I am not on the phone all that often, so I will try out having the TV on... I have felt guilty about doing that because I feel like it's "cheating," but I think if I put on news for background noise it will help and I won't feel guilty.

Part of the reason the past two weeks have been so hard is because of the constant rain - I typically take our dog for a walk during lunchtime and its been so hard to be stuck inside!

Again, glad to hear about others making it work successfully. I was so excited at first, and still know how lucky I am, but never thought it would be so lonely/different.

rose1883 · April 2011

I was laid off 2 years ago and DH already ran his biz out of the home, so I started working with him. He's never seemed to mind it bc a lot of his "part" involves him being outside, but now my side of it involves me being in front of a computer all day or on the phone. I DEFINITELY get lonely and went through a hard transition for a while, especially because I'm a big people person and missed the daily interaction of a regular office environment.

1. I always keep something on- music, tv- anything. Right now there's a huge scandalous murder trial going on locally and we stream it on the computer lol The computer stuff is easiest (trial, pandora) because I can easily mute it if a call comes in.

2. I make a point to try to get out once a day. DH is introverted and doesn't understand. It helps my sanity. Be it walking into the bank branch instead of going through the drive through or making a quick trip to the grocery store at lunch time to buy one thing (there are a lot of people in there at lunch time to buy a salad or sandwich or something) it really helps me to have some sort of interaction.

3. Daycare/childcare... this will be interested. We won't have a nanny or daycare. So my duties will have to be scaled back business-wise because I'll probably be doing more of the LO care.... I'll have to report back after she's here because DH thinks its no big deal but I most definitely think it'll put a huge kink in the biz flow.

aichandaich · April 2011

I've worked for home for the past two years. I know the feeling of lonliness, I'm with the others - put on the radio, movie, something to keep the noise level up.

I do not plan to have the baby at home while I'm working. It will be just too distracting even if someone else is watching her. Hell, when my DH is home sick, he's a distraction and a big pain in my a$$. I try to work elsewhere on those days .

Good luck with everything!

GracieLou Freebush · April 2011

I get lonely sometimes too. Luckily, my H works shifts so he's home with me some mornings/days. I keep the TV on and make myself shower to feel more normal.

We're planning to have a nanny. My H will watch her when he's home (again, he works shifts) and the nanny will watch her while we're both working. I plan to make our guest room an office and I'm excited to be able to see LO during the day and to BF more easily.

ETA: I asked about a nanny while working from home on the Working Moms board and people had good things to say. They did say it gets harder as they get older (1 yr +) b/c LO will know you're home. We plan to switch to a day care at that point b/c she'll really benefit from the socialization too.

ladymcp · April 2011

Also a laptop, phone and a cafe with wifi is a great help too. Sometimes you just need to be around other people and I find that working from Starbucks or something can do wonders for my day. I also have an iPhone so I can sit in the park (again depending on the weather) and work from there for a while. I will hire someone to be with LO once she is here but only on a few days a week.

I also agree with pp's about netflix etc, I love that too.

I found with my DS that it was best to have some scheduled activities for him and the nanny to do. They went to museums, little language classes, park etc. This way he was off on a fun activity while I worked at home and then we could meet up too.

Good luck!

colorschemer · April 2011

I'm working from home, taking one class on the campus of the local community college and volunteering twice a week. The class and volunteering really do help me to stay socialized and the volunteering has helped me to make some really great professional connections outside of the network of people that I already knew.

I did get lucky in volunteering though in that the nonprofit that I am at had a huge need (empty position that took some time to fill) for someone with my particular skills just when I came along, so that cast me in a particularly good light.

tjmtjm · April 2011

I don't know how you ladies do it. Working from home always seems so depressing. I don't think I could handle it!

My favorite part of work is the social aspect!

Five_letter · April 2011

I've been working from home for two years now. I too had to get over the guilt of cheating with the television, even if the sound is off it's something.

I also have a dog, who is my bff during the day.

Working from home has become slave labor for me. I have no real start/finish time, and my company is based on the west coast. I end up working most days 8am-8pm and sometimes even longer.

Once I realized the long hours I was working (including weekends for tradeshows 10 times a year). I got over the guilt a bit.

My suggestions....Join a book club to get out of the house. Get a dog that you can take for walks, or hit the gym for an hour a day. I haven't had a "lunch" in 2 years since that is the time all of my clients want to speak with me.

If you have clients, work from your car and visit them every once in a while. It's great for your business relationship and it just gets you out of the house. I also work from relatives houses at times, just to be around other human beings. In the summer, I'll work from a relative's house that has a pool. Big Smile

As for in-home childcare, I'd love for that. All of my coworkers in similar positions have opted for that, at least for the first year. However, my MIL has offered to watch LO, and she's more than welcome to come and go as she pleases, but I don't think she'll stay at my house the entire day (her house is 9 miles down the road).

Gummybear · April 2011

I worked from home for a few years, pre-kids. I actually worked from home when we moved to Indiana for DH's job, so not only was I alone all day, I knew NOBODY except DH. Talk about lonely. What I did when I was there (which probably isn't a possibility now but something to keep in mind for later) was to find activities in the community that interested me. I joined a running group and trained for the Indy Mini and I volunteered twice a week at the local animal shelter. I met lots of great people, made a couple good friends (one I still am in touch with 7 years since moving away) and I LOVED both of the things I was doing.

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