Oh, you work from home? You must...

amother

Wed, Jul 15 2009, 1:11 pm

...not need to send your kids to a babysitter. Have so much free time. Be able to watch my kid because I need a break. Be able to run an errand for me. Let my cleaning lady into the house while I'm at work. Do all your cooking and cleaning during the day because you're home. Etc, etc, etc.

Argh.

The only ones who stop asking for favors/assuming I do nothing all day are the ones who call to find out about my job but realize it's not for them because it's too much work. Twisted Evil

Sorry, just needed to vent!!

Mrs.K

Wed, Jul 15 2009, 1:28 pm

I wonder if we have the same job.....

Totally hear you and very much in the same boat. There is no time off, there are no days off. I work from 2 PM to midnight. If I get up to use the bathroom, I must clock out. Kids need to be out of the house. I work all holidays, all chol hamoed, Yom Tov up until candle lighting and then the moment after havdala until wee hours of the morning. I get 4 days off a year, which are not allowed to be used during times where everyone wants to take off (Chol Hamoed, Summer, etc.)

Sweety, I don't even get up to make a coffee, how can I run to the dry cleaners for you?!

mimivan

Wed, Jul 15 2009, 2:44 pm

wow Mrs. K...who does the dinner, bath bed routine!

yes, I find that the house was cleaner when I worked outside the home because there weren't little and big feet messing up the floors or people who needed to be fed lunch and cleaned up after.
You need to let the answering machine screen your calls during work hours.
I will admit, working at home does provide me with SOME flexibility...but my virtual office has become just that...because they want to keep track of every shekel...everyone has to be logged into office chat during working hours and productivity is observed. So it is really like being in an office.

I love not having to commute, I love the fact that yes, I can b'h keep my baby home (but if my efficiency would drop, I'd have to get childcare) but a work at home job is a real job!

I have stopped trying to convince people otherwise. In fact, I don't tell people in my kehilla I work because having internet is frowned on..
I just screen my calls. Wink

drez

Wed, Jul 15 2009, 2:52 pm

Thank Gd I have a great boss who is not so strict... but then it is hard cuz I have to keep cheshbon. So if the baby needs my attention I have to clock out in my mind and keep track of time... it is a bit of the pain. And when I say I want to send her to the babysitter longer everyone is like "why you work from home..." so annoying Rolling Eyes

creativemommyto3

Wed, Jul 15 2009, 3:20 pm

Mrs.K wrote:

Do you live on caffeine? find it hard to get out of the house?

Mrs.K

Wed, Jul 15 2009, 3:34 pm

Mimivan....the only way I manage is with a very very very helpful husband.

Creative, you do what I do don't you? (Am I making that up? I think I remember us working for the same company...)

creativemommyto3

Wed, Jul 15 2009, 3:38 pm

Mrs.K wrote:

Mimivan....the only way I manage is with a very very very helpful husband.

Creative, you do what I do don't you? (Am I making that up? I think I remember us working for the same company...)

Yes we do... and lately I have been breaking my head with my inlaws trying to figure out how in the world to go to America and work.. makes my head hurt!

ora_43

Wed, Jul 15 2009, 3:50 pm

Mrs.K wrote:

amother wrote:

Mrs K, from your other posts, I believe we work for the same company.

Very possibly! Wink

Is it an israeli company? Because what you describe doesn't sound legal, if it is... you're entitled to more breaks + certainly to use the bathroom!

gold21

Wed, Jul 15 2009, 10:37 pm

well my dears, I am a stay at home mom and dont work. I have a son who is out at daycamp for a few hours a day, and an eleven month old baby home all day. and guess what! im darn busy too! so I dont get why someone would think a wahm is not busy, if even sahms are busy. in the morning im running errands, doing housework, or (most of the time) entertaining / taking care of the baby. in the afternoon im entertaining both ds1 and ds2. in the evening im serving supper, putting ds1 to sleep, then getting ds2 ready for bed, and putting him in. at night, I am doing housework or taking care of ds2 who wakes up kvetchy most of the time shortly after he goes to bed. uh when do you need me to do you a favor?

nicole81

Wed, Jul 15 2009, 10:41 pm

I hated working at home; I found it much harder than working in the office. I had so many other things to take care of during the day that I would end up staying up til 3am to catch up on work.

bonnie

Wed, Jul 15 2009, 10:42 pm

Mrs.K wrote:

Mimivan....the only way I manage is with a very very very helpful husband.

Creative, you do what I do don't you? (Am I making that up? I think I remember us working for the same company...)

what do you do?

queen

Thu, Jul 16 2009, 12:03 am

CALLER I.D. MAJOR!!!!

Don't pick up the phone during work hours from people not work related.... or get a separate work line and completely ignore home line while you're "at work"

FraydaSue

Thu, Jul 16 2009, 12:56 am

I've been working mainly from home for over 14 years. It is tough in some ways, because unless you are totally disciplined, you end up being "always on call". A lot of my work is with people in the States which obviously means that their emailing times are different to mine.

I've found it better to work early in the morning - start around 6:30ish; take a break lunch time for a couple of hours; then do another hour in the evening.

My findings over the years - It's great when the kids are sick or on vacation because I am around; on the other hand, it's hard to concentrate. I can stick in a load of laundry or put up a pot of dinner while I'm working. On the other hand, it does take over your life and gets quite boring having no-one to speak to.

HooRYou

Thu, Jul 16 2009, 2:15 am

My problem is that my DH is the one who thinks that since I work at home I should be able to make him fancy breakfasts and the like. I always say to him "would you expect me to come home from the office to do that for you?"