Working From Home Has A Learning Curve… For All Involved

I’ve never worked at home before; I wasn’t prepared mentally or physically set up for it. I’ve been hands-on, even in office jobs, for twenty years; sitting at home at a laptop felt alien to me.

But by far the person who had the hardest time adjusting was my wife; she couldn’t understand that “at home” meant “at work”. She couldn’t understand how all the chores weren’t done, why I couldn’t stop what I was doing and chat every time she wanted me to, or how difficult it was sometimes.

This was frustrating at the start but still completely understandable; I still didn’t really get it and I was the one working.

I managed to score a free day off. At the same time, her work was asking her to sit a lot of online courses. We figured that it would be a perfect opportunity for her to not have to go into work and use the home office for a change.

Not thirty minutes into her work from home:

Me: “You didn’t last long.”

Wife: “Oh, yeah. Does the office always get so stuffy?”

Me: “Yeah, that’s actually better than it used to be. Try keeping the window open.”

Wife: “I did, but the road is so loud.”

Me: “Yeah, I know.”

An hour later:

Me: “Oh, hey, you’re down again?”

Wife: “Yeah, bit lonely on your own up there.”

Me: “I know. Want a coffee?”

Wife: “Yeah, but I should get back to work.”

Me: “I could come up and chat?”

Wife: “No, I really need to get on and do this. I won’t do any work if you’re there.”

She almost made it to lunchtime but came down again.

Me: “Oh, hey. I’m not finished with lunch yet. I didn’t expect you so soon. How are you getting on?”

Wife: “Terrible. How does anyone concentrate at home? I mean, the noise, the emptiness. Oh!”

Me: “Yep.”

Wife: “Yeah, working from home isn’t for everyone, huh?”

Me: “Nope.”

Wife: “Probably shouldn’t expect you to do everything as well as your job?”

Me: “Nope. Lunch?”

After just one morning she got it, while, of course, I still work and tidy or use my lunch to prepare dinner. She gets that working from home is still working.