I wish my job would let me do that

Working from home is not something that just falls into our laps (but if it does that’s great!) It's hard work. If you work from home, you have negotiated with your boss, created your own career or spent hours searching for work-at-home jobs. It’s important for us WAHMs to remember that we earned this, and it’s something to be proud of.

Do you think you’ll ever go back to a real job?

Of course this question is never meant to be malicious, but it can start to wear us down after a while. As a nurse, I often have friends and family ask if I will ever be a “real nurse” again. I sometimes feel guilty for not using my nursing skills when there is such a need. However, I am able to come back to the truth that I am still using those skills, just in a different way. Working from home, in many regards, is harder than going to an office every day, but so worth it!

Wow, must be nice…

I have a bad habit of feeling guilty about my flexible hours and career with friends who are struggling to work full time and raise young children. My previous coworkers often say things like, “wow, must be nice!” I feel like I shouldn’t talk about all the things going well when they feel like they’re drowning at work. But the truth is, there is never a reason to feel guilty for following your passion. We all have a choice to make when it comes to our careers. So be proud of your work. Maybe you’ll inspire your friends to make a change!

You must save so much on daycare!

This is a common misconception for those who don’t work from home, and even for those who do. Working from home is never a replacement for childcare. Just try working a full day with your 3 year old and see what happens! If your work hours are flexible, you could certainly aim to do the bulk of your work when the kids are asleep (early morning or late evening) or at school. However, trying to sneak in work throughout the day when you have 5 minutes usually does not result in much work getting done. It leaves you feeling drained, knowing that you were not fully present for your clients or your children. Make a work schedule and treat it like you would any other job. This way you will be able to truly enjoy your family time without stressing about what else needs to get done.

Would you mind running a few errands for me?

Oftentimes when others hear the phrase, “work from home” they hear sitting around in your pajamas, drinking coffee and maybe working a few hours per day. They assume you have hours of free time, while they are slogging away at their office jobs. I’m lucky that my husband respects my career, but find myself sometimes not valuing my time as much. I do try to run errands and do housework in between working with clients. This always ends up making me feel stressed and less productive. The next time someone asks you to take on another task during the day (even if it’s yourself), just kindly reply that those are your work hours.