The Unique Pleasures of Working From Home
- I’ve got a three-second commute each morning.
- I work in my pajamas most of the time.
- And I almost never have to eat lunch out during the week.
What am I?
I’m a work-at-home dad! Booyah!
And I love it, to tell you the truth. The proximity to my family, the heart-comfort and groundedness of time spent at home, not to mention the lack of expenses (renting office space, buying office clothes, eating out all the time, etc.), is wonderful.
I couldn’t have the time I have with my kids if I worked in an office somewhere.
Of course, paradise is not without its drawbacks.
- My wife may be the one tending to the kids, but I hear the crying of the two-year-old when she bonks her head against the kitchen counter, just the same.
- Amazing discoveries my kids make don’t wait until “closing time” to make themselves known to me; I’m regularly barraged by kids, shouting, “Dad, dad — look at what I made today!” (Not that I mind this one much, but now that the two-year old can turn a doorknob, my stints of peace and quiet are much fewer and further between.)
- I almost never get to eat lunch out during the week.
Sound familiar?
If you’re a work-at-home mom or dad (as I am), who knows intimately the joys and challenges, of working at home, then you owe it to yourself to check out Wendy Piersall at eMoms At Home.
eMoms? I’m an eDad!
That’s okay — in fact, it’s perfect. Wendy says her site visitors from all her blogs (she’s got four of them) average about 40% men. So if you’re an XY-chromosomed entrepreneur like me, Wendy is a great resource.
One of the things I like about Wendy is that she espouses some very Monk-ish principles. In her own words:
It’s not about the home business, nor about what you are doing as much as who you are being. Be true to the real you, the brilliant, spectacular, talented and remarkable you, and guess what?
Your business will skyrocket.
See what I mean?
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Thanks for the nice words, Adam! I actually wish I hadn’t chosen the URL that I did - I like yours a whole bunch, actually.
But, now I make the best of it and have resigned myself to the fact that I am eMom and I will forever have to remind people that eDads and eGuys are readers, too!
Adam, love this post. As a work-at-home eDad myself, I know what you mean. My three year-old daughter’s favorite question is, “Daddy, you off work yet?” I probably here it twenty times a day. She’s even started calling me on the phone several times during the day to ask me her other favorite question, “Daddy, whadda doing?”
The great thing for me is that when I come out of my office, sometimes scantly dressed, I don’t have to see other employees. Instead I get to see my kids and my wife. We eat lunch together many days. It’s a great life being an eDad. And, it’s challenging sometimes to stay focused and get work done. But I’ve worked hard to be an eDad and wouldn’t want it any other way.
Thanks for a great post.
@Wendy: You’re welcome! And hey, there’s nothing wrong with picking a niche, especially one you love working with. And since it seems you’ve had little trouble appealing to us guys, too…
@Dawud: I hear you, totally. My girls are often a distraction, and yet a very welcome one.
All the pictures you see above you were taken Monday-through-Friday, too, which is something that wouldn’t have happened if I’d been away at an office.
Snowing? Beautiful spring day? I’m there!
And the kids and my wife love my flexible schedule, too, and the fact that I’m always there for breakfast and dinners… my own dad worked three jobs, and was out of the house quite early each morning. I know not being with us as much is at least a partial regret of his (and mine, too).
Sounds a lot like our life. Though I’ve had to set structured work hours to actually get things done. Works great, though. At times, I can even choose to work a partial day and go play with my family.
Sometimes in the summer I’ll work from 4am to noon and then be off for the day. Talk about flex time.
I love working from home. And so does my family. I can’t imagine having a commuter job again.
Hey Wendy, I think it great that you chose eMoms. As an eDad and a big fan of yours, I’m totally fine with it. I read your blog for your content and could care less what it’s called.
Hi, I’m a single eMum and find the ‘mum, mum come look at this’ very distracting but I keep reminding myself of the other benefits.
Glad I found your site Adam
P.S. Do you have any single brothers????? LOL
Adele: True… it can be a pain, but would we have it any other way?
Easy answer.
And I’m glad you found my site, too.
Sorry, though — no single brothers (I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been asked that…) — I do have one older brother, but he’s happily married.