Working at home VS working away

It’s not the first time I am talking on this blog about my working status. You all know by now that for the past 4 years I’ve been at home looking after my two daughters and for the past two years i’ve mostly earned my living by working as a Freelance Digital/Social Media Manager.

I am very lucky to be able to be around all the time for my girls especially when their dad is away most of the time. To be able to earn a little bit extra it’s just perfect as it lets me spoil and save a little for our future.

However, I do sometimes miss getting up in the morning and the whole “going to work” routine – getting dressed up and put make up on. I miss my old friends from work and having a chat and drink after work with them. There a lot of things I miss but this is why I decided to write this post.

By the way, before I tell you the ins and outs have a loo at this video from www.furniture-work.co.uk:

Benefits of working away from home

 

Children are more independent

Despite the fact that I am trying as much as I can to educate my girls to be independent individuals I have to admit that sometimes I spoil them too much. By now they are use that their motherwill know where their things are when they can’t find them and when they need helping wiping their bums. But there are so many kids that have to rely on their own judgement in my home country. I mean Miss A is a tiny bit too little to be left on her own but there are kids that are the same age with Miss K that can prepare their own meals – breakfast or lunch, do their own homework(and I am still sitting next to her while she does it even though she is almost 9),pack their packs for school with no help. There are kids of same age that go and comeback from school on their own but I still go after her although there is only a 5 minute walk. Doing all these little tasks that a child can do on his own makes the child more independent and responsible. ( I need to implement this more with my girls).

Looking forward to spend time with your kids

When you work away from home you spend 8-9 hours away from your children. So when you see each other again the time when you are seeing and spending together is more appreciated, is even more special

You can take time off when you are ill

That almost never happens when you are working for yourself or from home. If you have flu and you are working in an office you will be excused and sent home to work so that you don’t make everyone else from the office ill too. But when you are working from home…that it’s not an option. Well unless you are really ill and your brain doesn’t function and you really need to rest.

Face to face adult time 

You know what I mean – you have conversations with your colleagues, you have a proper lunch break and you don’t run around to prepare the kids favourites. I remember how much I use to enjoy some quiet time, eating my lunch in the park or reading my book with my headphones on , on my way to work. Now the only quiet time I get is when the girls are in bed during the night but that’s the time when I usually fall asleep too feeling truly knackered.

Benefits of working at home 

No more commuting 

I use to spend an hour, an hour and a half on my way to work and another hour , hour and a half on my way back, For many hard done by office workers this would be the main bonus – losing the daily commute. Outside of getting a personal helicopter lift to and from work, the daily trips to and from work are often infuriating and insipid. The elimination of several hours a day of travelling would do wonders for stress levels. Along with freeing up time to concentrate on work, money would be saved from transport, and it would give everyone a lie in each morning.

Being there for your children 

No matter what you do (unless you need to have a strict working schedule) you are there for your children – taking them to school, helping them with their homework when they need to, supervise them when they play , serve them lunch and dinner, play with them and even go out to the park with them and let them play while you work. (I do that a lot in summer). Plus whenever they are ill and off nursery or school you don’t have to take time off to be there for them. You are there already.

You can work whenever you want

Working as a digital marketer is really good for me. Because of applications like Hootsuite or Buffer I can schedule part of my work and if it’s needed not work at all during the day. You know sometimes kids can have busier days fun with activities and you need to have flexibility for those moments. Of course, deadlines exist for freelancers as well but being able to work at any hour is a plus.

Work in your PJ’s 

During the winter I have moments when I simply don’t go out of the house if my dad or my hubby take the girls to school and nursery. Or I take a long time to wake up…and lounge around. I know it’s better wake up in the morning and be active but…days like these are nice too.

No matter what you choose to do – work away from home or from home – I believe that you need to be an example for your kids. You don’t need to be the best at it. Balancing your life between work and spending time with your family is more important than anything else.

So where is your job? Away from home, in an office or like me you work from home?

Would love to hear from you and what benefits or downsides you found from working either from home or away from home.