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I’ve been working from home for so long now I don’t think I can ever go back to the old 9-5 commute. Heck, I even started this blog so I could pass on what I learned so you can feel the same way.

We all know the benefits of the remote work lifestyle, right ? But I have to be totally honest here, there are plenty of downsides. Working from home isn’t all sleeping-in, hanging-out, and watching The Golden Girls reruns. There are times when I get so carried away with my work I neglect the everyday things.  And then there are times when the little distractions are too hard to ignore.

In Fact, Working From Home Often Looks Like This:

Things just keep on stacking up

I can never seem to get out from under dirty dishes.  I eat three meals a day and even though I eat healthier here at home, I find myself using at least a spoon, a bowl and a pan or two for each of those meals. Oh, and plenty of glasses. Much more stuff to clean than when I only ate one meal at home when I used to commute.

And then there’s this:

It just keeps piling up. I don’t know why I can’t seem to take out the garbage and recyclables when the can gets full. Guess it’s easier to keep stacking it up and take it out only once a week. Sigh.  Please don’t judge me.

And the layer of dust isn’t pretty either

I have a little confession to make here. The dust you see in that picture, well, it’s what gathered on the TV stand, which is made to collect dust so the screen doesn’t get covered with it.  And the TV is always on in the background. Still, one of those neglected chores.

Sometimes I just don’t give a crap about my appearance

Holey socks?  Check.  Ratty sweatshirt?  You got it.  Want to know what really takes the cake? My all-day yoga pants, worn so thin you can see…well, you know.  Oh, I also wear my husband’s old shirts.  Ya, I dress like a schlub.

Sometimes I don’t shower until late afternoon

And there are days when I forget to shower at all. Now, before you say “gross”, know that I brush my teeth at least twice a day. Without fail.

My cooking skills need attention

Believe it or not, I’ve been known to serve burned potatoes with dinner. Because I like to multi-task, I sometimes find it easy to make a real mess of dinner. I guess I should put the computer away and concentrate on preparing dinner.

My back hates me

Because I work wherever my laptop finds an internet connection, I tend to neglect my back.  And boy, does my back let me know it.  All hunched over, contorting my vertebra into shapes it shouldn’t know, I seriously think I should get one of those back support belts.

Since I’m on the computer anyway…

…I may as well do some reading. And see what’s going on with the guys over at Smashing Magazine. While I’m at it, I wonder if there are any cute purses on Ebay? And I need to catch up on any of my friend’s mommy-blogs.  Heck, I don’t need to make any money today, right ? Wrong !

And then there’s this little guy

He loves his big ball.  And what’s more, he loves it when I play with it, too.  He has a way of wriggling his little face at me, throwing in a hard right hook, trying to entice me to join in on all the fun.  As hard as I try to resist, he won’t give up.  I think he has some sort of telepathic power because I always give in.

But I’m still alone

It’s great having time to myself; time when people aren’t pestering me with their needs.  But I gotta tell ya, it can get pretty lonely being alone all day.  So every once in a while I make it a point to get out of the house and mingle with people.  At the grocery store, at The Home Depot, at the post office…wherever, as long as I’m around people.  In case you’re wondering, I change out of my grubby clothes before I go out 🙂

They will say: “since you’re home anyway, can you…”

This is one of those things you just have to get used to hearing.  Family, friends, acquaintances, anyone who needs something done in the middle of the day will contact you.  Over the years, I have come to realize that people don’t take my work at home lifestyle seriously.  It’s weird; even if you end up working way more hours than anyone you know, people often don’t see it as real work.

The owner of this piece of art is my biggest distraction

Oooo, what a fantastic artist !  I LOVE it when my niece comes to visit. Sure, I don’t get any work done for at least a day, but who cares ?

Can You Relate ?

I bet you’ve had your share of distractions because they’re always there, lurking around every corner.  My question to you is this:  How do you handle the ugly side of working from home?  What do you do to keep you mind on task?  I’d love to hear your thoughts on this.