Forum Discussion
Remote working and what it takes
I loved the point on boundaries as well AnnaChu. 🙂
They can even be important on the flip side of that coin. With the "office" just a few feet away from the "family room", when I'm not working, it can be all too easy to say, "I'm just going to do like 10 minutes worth of work....."
...You will then find the family staring at you or beginning to feel like you are never "off work".
Being disciplined with ourselves to ensure we are "off work" can be a hard balance to find, but one that is equally important. 
DavidWarner I find that challenging as well, but it was one of the first challenges I really worked to overcome, and where my wife really supported me. When I´m working, regardless from where, I´m at work. I dont do anything with the household at all, a part from during lunch breaks if needed. That means that I have more time, and that I also CANT put the blame on "private stuff" when I struggle with deadlines. That makes more more focused in general.
When my daughter is at home, she is three, its more challenging since she of course wants to spend time with me, or at least look at me when working. However, we can usually come to some to some agreement 😛
Simon Binder can totally relate. A 3 year old can be hard to reason with and not understand work time and play.
When my kids were a bit younger, I trialled having a nanny at home instead of 2 kids in childcare as it was a better financial choice. It only lasted 3 months!
I couldn't duck out to meetings and then home and straight to my desk. If the kids new I was home they wanted me.
There were times I was on a call and I could tell the nanny was dealing with a tantrum outside the study door because my daughter wanted me and she was trying to give me work space.
That balance of work time and family certainly can be difficult if there are children at home. I only work when the kids are in childcare/ school, and switch off from work mode from the moment I pick them up. But my job isn't reactive so it works.
- Thanks for sharing Megan. That was not something I considered with WFH with very young children, if you don't have the luxury of having a segregated space just for work, truly 'working from home' presents a challenge. Someone should start up a granny flat business just for remote workers!
- I remember when my child was that young. It is impossible to reason with them as they just don't understand. Fortunately it doesn't last forever. Yet in the mean time it is emotionally draining on both sides.
