Today's "highlight" was when Max snuggled up while I sang him a lullabye before bed. I love how he wiggles until he finds just the right spot to rest his head on my shoulder.
Today's "lowlight" was when I snapped at my husband without waiting to hear his side of the story. I rushed to judgement and quickly realized that God is right when he says: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry. I was none of these.
I thought I would take a moment to share with you my "highlights" and "lowlights" of working from home.
Highlights of Working from Home
- I do not have a commute.
Seriously. This cannot be stressed enough. I live in Minnesota, where snow is common and "snow days" are not. In other words, all of those states that basically shut down when a snowflake crosses an upper layer of the atmosphere can just take a backseat for a moment. When it snows 8 inches overnight, schools do not even close here. I'm not kidding. Maybe they do in outlying areas, but not in the metro. This wreaks havoc on the life of a commuter. Even if there is a "dusting" of snow, a 45 minute commute turns into a grueling two and a half hour drive that moves at a pace that would make even your grandmother impatient. In the past week, there have been several minor snowfalls (READ: 2-ish inches) that have fallen during rush hour. Each and every time this happens, I am thankful that I get to actually be home for dinner and not sitting on a freeway somewhere. - I get to wear sweatpants every day.
I really, really love sweatpants. So do you. Just admit it. Enough said. - I get to be there when my son wakes up and goes to bed.
Those are some of my favorite times. I love how he is all happy and energetic first thing in the morning. I love that sometimes we throw a blanket on the floor and have a "picnic breakfast." I love how he wants me to read bible stories to him during breakfast. I love how he chooses book after book before naptime. I even love when he is whiny and crabby after he wakes up from a nap. I love the challenge of moving at just the right pace and finding just the right things to do to help him ease out of that naptime funk. These are things that I would either not get to do or would have to rush through if I worked outside the home. - I get to have my own office
Not everyone who works from home is able to have a separate office room, but I think it is CRITICAL to have at least a dedicated space for work. One of our spare bedrooms doubles as my office and Max's playroom. I love that I get this space. I have shared many classrooms and cubicles, and it is really nice to have four walls and big window that are mine. My office isn't really anything special. It's not decorated super cute or set up with a fancy desk, but I love it. (And if Pinterest has anything to say about it, one day it will be perfectly organized, color-coordinated, and kid-friendly.) - I get to set my own hours.
Again, not everyone who works from home has this luxury, but I am thankful that I do. Most weeks, I have at least one scheduled meeting, which I need to schedule around, but other than that I mostly get to set my own hours. As long as I get my work done, nobody cares when it happens. Although, tomorrow I will be calling about 80 students, and I'm pretty sure they wouldn't appreciate their phones ringing at 6am. :) - I get to spend more time with my family.
As mentioned earlier, I used to commute 45 minutes one way every day. And that was on a good day. Some days--even without snow--it was more like an hour. If you add that up, it's almost 8 hours of driving time each week that I don't have to do anymore. All of that time can now be spent driving toy cars with my son or cleaning up the house so that after bedtime I can actually spend a few minutes with my hubby.
Lowlights of Working from Home
- I struggle to walk the line between being a "good mom" and a "good worker."
Sometimes I want to shut my computer and play with my son without distractions. Sometimes I want to shut the door and leave my son out of the room so that I can work without distractions. It's hard to juggle both. - I miss having "real" co-workers.My fellow online teachers seem great, at least in our emails and Facebook group. But I will never have the same kind of relationship with them as I did with those people that I sat next to for 40+ hours each week. We don't share jokes the same way or give each other knowing glances during yet another ridiculous meeting. We don't grab a sandwich for lunch or a quick coffee during a tough morning. And my cats just don't have the same satisfying reaction when I groan after seeing the long list of assignments in my grading queue.
- I don't get "dressed up" very often.
No, really. I know this sounds conceited, and I never thought I would feel this way. BUT sometimes I actually miss putting on my gray slacks and sassy-yet-sensible heels with the stereotypical cardigan that every 20- or 30-something wears to the office. Those clothes made me feel good, like a professional. And then I remember how uncomfortable those slacks were and how much I love my sweatpants... - I have to clean up after every meal.
Again, it sounds stupid, but that is my least favorite thing to do. The sticky hands and dirty high chair. The constant loading and unloading of the dishwasher. I wish Rosie the Robot would just take care of it all for me.
Love,
Lisa
You are an incredible woman!
ReplyDelete