I am so glad I am not alone.
I received a survey from my friends at www.WAHM-Articles.com that asked if I ever got the work at home blues. And honestly, before I got that survey and someone asked me, I never really thought about it.
Every once in awhile I get grumpy, and I tell my DH that he really has no idea what it’s like to be at home with the girls and work all day. I get kinda cranky when I haven’t been out of the house for a few days. Truth be told, so do my girls. But, for those of you who work at home know, sometimes it’s hard to get out of the house even if you really need to, especially if you have more than one child. And I have two babies under 2 – that’s not so easy. It is getting easier though, my baby is getting bigger and we can handle being out of the house for a while. But a quick trip to the grocery store to get milk is still a production.
Anyway, I digress…
When you work at home, it is challenging to stay motivated and happy with your work life. I have to admit, I miss the socialization of going to work. I’ve said that from day one. I have many online friends and networks I belong to, but it’s really not the same as talking to someone in person. I try to call my online friends at least once a week to chat and catch up. Sure, it’s mostly about work, but that’s OK, it’s all about the interaction.
I never really realized how “social” I am. I would have never called myself a social butterfly. But now that I don’t have the chance to interact as much as I do, I see I miss it. So there are a few things I’ve done over the last few months to help me with this:
- I joined a professional networking group. I am a pending member of BNI (Business Networking International). My application still needs to be approved, but I joined for my SendOutCards business. I had attended a few meetings as a guest and I just loved the energy and camaraderie among the group. Keep your fingers crossed my application is approved soon.
- I try to meet with a girlfriend at least once a month. Sometimes more, sometimes less. But, I really recognized that I need to get out of the house and have some alone time every once in awhile. It really does wonders.
- I am actively working my SendOutCards business. I know this sounds like an oxymoron, but I have met some AMAZING people because of SendOutCards. Some are prospective customers, and others are distributors that I have met at events. Either way, I have met some great people that I am proud to call my friends.
There’s a great article about the Work at Home Blues http://wahm-articles.com/blog/2010/03/the-work-at-home-mom-blues/ . Read it to get more ideas. But really, all the motivation I need to remember why I am home. I have an amazing opportunity to stay home and raise my girls. They are only little once – so I have to enjoy this time with them. I have watched them grow every day since they were born and that is a gift in itself.
What do you do to overcome the work at home blues?
