Twice this week I have heard the phrase, “Well at least…” This always refers to how much more fortunate I am for the work I do at home.
It can be a real battle for me to hear those words. Because while it is true that I am blessed to be working from home and doing what I love, the context of those phrases is what gets to me.
For instance, a family member was complaining about her schedule and how she can never take off work to get her children to doctor appointments and the like. Then came the “Well at least…you have flexibility.”
Granted, it is true that I have flexibility but at the same time I probably get just as much work as she does on a weekly basis. I still have only a week to complete it. So although my schedule is flexible, it’s not like I get more hours in a week than anyone else does. And it doesn’t mean I enjoy working the weekends, even though I sometimes have to.
Then my son was complaining about his work bagging groceries and pushing carts. He wanted to call in sick one day simply because he didn’t feel like going. When I told him he couldn’t, he said, “Well at least you have a job doing something you like.”
Yes, I totally agree. I not only like my work, I love it. But that doesn’t necessarily mean my life is easy. I think that’s the stigma attached to my work that gets to me.
I am blessed to work at home and I am blessed to do work I love. But believe me, I have plenty of challenges that others aren’t aware of. I have children who are sometimes home when I am trying to work. I have barking dogs that cause me to lose my ability to concentrate. I have people who don’t respect my time. I have interruptions of all sorts…I could go on.
Please stop telling me, “Well at least…” I already know my blessings but at the same time, I also know my challenges.
If you work from home, can you relate?
Related Articles:
When Your Passion Becomes Your Job
Challenges in Working from Home with Teenagers
Working from Home Doesn’t Mean I Have It Easy
Photo by ishane in Flickr