Hello,
Today, its the first time that I'm not sharing any of my latest designs with you. Today I thought of posting a small, yet effective, discussion with my friends and fellow designers from all over the world. We all, participating here, are a part of a single community called --- WOMAN, MOTHER, DAUGHTER, SISTER, and not to forget the most important roles of our life --- a WIFE !
Today, I give here some views about what we, (as a wife and mom), really feel about this term which everybody calls--- 'WORKING FROM HOME' !!!
It all started last week, when out of frustration, loneliness, and trying my best to meet the deadlines--- I asked a simple question to my friends (and to myself too) about their experiences on working from home ! And believe me, the answers came bursting... some funny, some very serious and practical.
To start with myself :
I work from home. I'm a mom of two, (was only) a full time 'be-at-home-mom', (now) 'a full time-work-from-home-mom'.
Surprised ?
No?
Ah, I knew that.
It's simply because now-a-days more and more people are opting for a job that gives the freedom of working at your own choice of time. You have all the time in the world to do the household chores as well as your job too! So what's new in this ? Well, nothing. It was just a post compiling some of my friends' views towards this modern way of doing a job. I'm in too, so I can't deny the fact that its the most suitable thing I ever got in my life--- time (read My time !), + money ! But 'But' do you all really think that working from home is just the one thing you wanted in your life ! Hee...hee.. when any answer/question contains this 3 lettered word ''BUT'', it simply means that the matter is not that simple as it looks !
Others may think (and yes they do think), that we, as a full-time home makers + doing a job from home = a total peace of mind and a wealthy me !!! But may be the case is somewhat different when you actually go through this phase--- of working from home.
So my dear friends and my lovely readers, here are a few of the views (from my fellow designers and friends), who, like me, work from home.
And feel free to write to me (in the comment area) if you have any funny views too that I've mistakenly left behind unnoticed !
WARNING: ''Don't take us seriously, just enjoy the post !''
Julie Lalonde says that she loves working from home ''BUT''...(in her own words), ''but my daughter is in Kindergarten and I send my son to daycare so I can actually get work done...''
And what when the kids are at home and are seen roaming around you aimlessly most of the time to get all your attention, and also for some untimely and endless snacking calls... ! She has a superb idea to this situation too !!! She says that she keeps a basket of kid snack (a 100% fruit chew, nuts, apples) on the shelf above her desk , and this helps her for the--get home from school demand a snack time ! Great idea, isn't it?
Gill Eggleston smiles at my question saying that, '' I have a dog that sort of does the same thing. He comes and sits next to me and stares imploring me to play, walk him or feed him... '' Personally, she says, she loves the flexibility of working from home, but hates the ''rubbish speed of internet connection and (yes) the sense of isolation...''
True, the feeling that we are cut off with all our fellow designers and also to the outside world physically. But thanks to the great world of internet that we are here (although scattered all in different parts of the world) with one another, sharing and caring other people's problems with the same feeling !
Ludmila Adams has something different to say. In her own words,'' My hubby sort of doesn't take my working from home as seriously as when I leave the door...''
Yeah, this is just an another phase many of us has to deal with ! Spouses... oh, how I forgot them !!!
Jennie 's hubby is quite supportive at times, and she gets enough time to complete her assignments on time when her kids are asleep or her hubby dear takes the kids out for a ply in the garden ! And then is the time for her ''...undisturbed designing work ...''
Justine has the same working mode like me--- drawing-wait-drawing-wait...
''Wait'' means pause, interruption. occasionally made by a sudden telephone call (or say wrong numbers, grrrr...), door bell, vendors, friends' untimely hello, loud speakers, cats/dogs/crows/sparrows... ! The list grows on and on if you start counting the things that comes between you and your work, in your working hours... And how much time do you get to work in a day? Two-three hours a day, and if you aren't finished with your deadlines you tend to have those night owls times too ! Ahaa... I love that time of day, I mean night, when no one not even a single sound can be heard anywhere near you. No one to disturb with all those tempting Disney channel movies (especially Barbie movies!), no home works, no tea/juice/cake/chips demands. Nope. I love to work at this time when the only sound heard is the deep breath of my cutie kids and an occasional snores from my darling hubby !
But apart from all these interruptions we do love to work from homes, because it gives us the freedom to work in our home clothes ! Eeep! but did I hear--- ''ME TOO' ! Yeah, Jan and Majo agree with me... You see we don't have to change into office clothes daily, with matching footwear and not to forget those accessories too... So, as you can we see we actually SAVE a lot of money.
But still some people like Anna, Monica, and many more agree that when your kids are all grown ups and there is no such untimely snacking times any more , you feel quite lonely... you actually 'miss' those cute and snuggling moments with your little kids... Yeah dear, this is the 'one' stage of life which we all have to deal ... Ah, Now don't blame me ! I warned you earlier that if this post is all about funny things, it also has its share of some serious and practical views too... ! So keep your tears away...
I know that there will be a time when I'll too miss all these interruptions, but life is like this... you have to pave your way through all the difficult times to achieve your goals ! And we ARE doing this. OK, no more seriousness...
And what about the household chores...? Hmm... especially the kitchen ! Haa...haa... I think each one of you have the one and only answer to it ''a messy kitchen''... That's where Nicola, Kathryn and me agree to each other!
But there are so many out there who quit their full time office jobs and chosen this full time working from homes ! Amazing, isn't it? Yes, its true. Bethania, Michelle are good examples... Bethania worked 19 years as a civil servant and left her job to cherish her dreams of becoming a surface pattern designer, and to work from home ! Amazing...
So you all see that this topic has all the pros and cons. We can't reach to a final solution. We love the flexibility of our job timings, yet we don't like to be disturbed by anything/anyone during these work hours too... On on hand we have to meet the deadlines of the outside world, and on the other, we have to keep pace with our home front too ! Juggling in between these two worlds, we are managing to keep a balance in our family and job--- no compromise on either side is acceptable, as both are equally important...
I know it was a long post, but thanks so much for bearing it with me !!!
Thanks to all my friends to take part in this unending, un-solvable discussion. Lesley, Clare, Shruti, Sharon, Licorice, Noorani, Julia, Bethania, Nadine, Miranda, Jacqueline, Tina, Jo-Anne,
(You can click the names one by one to know more about these friends !)
See you !
