Working from home: What I've learned

Lately I've been inspired by blogs like Life is Glossy and Her Bad Mother that have a more personal (and sometimes a refreshingly honest) focus. So following up on my brief reflection of the past two years, here's a few things I have learned about working from home / being your own boss: the good, the bad, and the (sometimes very) ugly.

1. Pro- You can dress comfortably when you work from home. Goodbye pantyhose. Con- when your spouse gets home at 6pm and you're still in pyjamas, this is a problem. Casual Friday does not include bunny slippers.

2. Pro- You save time because you don't commute. Con- You justify watching Gossip Girl episodes on-line because, well... you can justify many things when you're your own boss. Which brings me to...

3. Pro- No one watching over your shoulder, you control how you spend your day. Con- No one watching over your shoulder, you control how you spend your day. Twitter is a wonderful marketing tool, but is reading about what @RyanSeacrest had for breakfast income generating? Not really.

4. Pro- When I am productive and in the zone, I am able to accomplish a lot as I have quiet and no interruptions. Con- I do miss interacting with other creative adults on a daily basis. My son hasn't quite mastered the skill of a good brainstorming session (he has mastered sucking on his big toe, however. Go John!)

5. Pro- setting your own schedule allows you to brunch, to shop, to take vacations at whim. Con- there is no con to this. Ha ha! I absolutely love being able to take a long lunch in the middle of the day, meet with creative peeps like Jen of Rambling Renovators, sit front row at a fashion show, or leave John with my mom and have some quiet time. The flexibility is great, as long as you can manage it all.

6. Pro- I have learned that balance is so important when you work from home. Con- I suck at achieving balance. I sucked at it before I had a baby (ie. workaholic, constant e-mail checker) and after having a baby, I learned I really suck at it. But having a baby has really reinforced where my priorities lie (my faith, my family) and that e-mails will still be there in the morning and yes, they can wait (thus why I don't think I will ever get a Blackberry).

Balance is a whole other ballgame and deserves a post of its own. But for now, I am turning off the computer, closing the ten tabs I have opened (all opened to design blogs, PS) and spending time with the men in my life that mean the most to me (what a classically cheesy ending. But I love cheese. I need more of it in my life).