It would be excellent if having a home business would relieve you from household chores. However, it does not. Being a home business professional does not excuse dirty dishes in the sink and a mountain of laundry. As someone who works from home, I am expected to have everything in order by the mere fact I am at home. Let’s face it, if the house is a mess it is hard to get business done. Or maybe that is only me? I find getting work done while housework needs to get done difficult. However, I also find getting housework done while I need to finish up business difficult. The two need to be in balance for me. My office is a corner in my dining room so there is no shelter from a messy kitchen or toys all over the living room floor. I am grateful for the bird’s eye view since I need to be constantly aware of both environments. If I had my own office I would forget the rest the house needed tending to. I get rather involved in my work and let everything else fall apart around me. Yet, once it has fallen apart I get frustrated and have to take care of while I put off answering emails, writing articles, and other business pursuits.
Wow, was that confusing or what? The only answer is balance. I find that I work best in a clean, calm, and relaxing environment. If things are out of order outside of my office corner I feel rushed and uneasy. I feel like I am neglecting my family and my home. That leads me to feeling guilty. I did not decide to work at home to neglect my home. The best balance is to come up with a solid and realistic routine for work and household chores. Do not allow one to bleed over into another until your routine is firmly established. If Monday is the day you answer emails and wash laundry then don’t worry about writing an article or dusting the living room. Focus on one or two main objectives for each side of the coin. Once you have those accomplished…well…your day may likely be over. Set office hours so you can tend to the needs of you home on your off hours. Yes, you need off hours. If you worked in an office you would eventually pack up and go home. You need to transition in a similar fashion to maintain a balance. Good luck finding it and don’t be too hard on yourself.