I homeschool, mother, and do housework in the daytime while Joe works. Joe fathers, cooks, and does housework in the evenings while I work.
From a chair in the living room.
It's crazy and hectic.
Most of the time, I love working from home, but it has a whole slew of challenges.
My job - my consulting, my blogging, and my work at AboutOne - relies entirely on my having a reliable internet connection. No internet, no work.
Late yesterday morning, my internet connection went out. I rebooted and massaged {read shook, jarred, and tapped} my wireless router. Nothing.
I called customer service, and they talked me into disconnecting my home phone. {How weird is that?} They said they'd put in an emergency order and hopefully would get a technician out to me this week.
{gulp}
I knew I had a couple of posts written and scheduled {thank you, Jesus} and I didn't have any consulting appointments scheduled for the early part of the week, so those fronts could stand a blackout.
Unfortunately, however, my boss at AboutOne depends on me getting my work done. I can't just skip a day without careful planning ahead of time.
What can I say? I'm valuable.
And modest.
Anyway, I had to make other arrangements for my work time as I couldn't manage everything I needed to do from my iPhone.
I decided to go to McDonald's. They have nice music, free Wifi, and cold drinks.
I found the only visible electrical outlet in the entire store underneath a booth occupied by some angst-ridden teenagers. I ate a sandwich in an adjacent booth, waiting for them to vacate.
Once they were gone, I was ready for working utopia - no kids climbing on me and making demands, no television, no cats sitting on my laptop, no bedtime drama. Just me and my laptop and my distraction-free brain.
Cue the productivity music. Momma's in the zone.
Shortly after I sat down, a family with a 2-year-old (I know because she told me.) sat down in the booth next to me.
Shortly after that, some rowdy teenagers came in.
Shortly after that, a family with 3 badly behaved kids {named Montana, Rebecca, and Tori} arrived and stayed to eat, and I was shocked by the kind of language people use in public.
Clearly, I spend a lot of time hanging around with people who are just like me.
Not so at McDonald's.
About two hours into my office hours, I looked up to see my youngest running toward me, squealing. Joe followed with my friend.
I greeted them, puzzled.
So nice to see you! I'm working. Come back another time. {Things I wanted to say but didn't.}
They sat down.
HELLO! I'm trying to work here! {I didn't say that either.}
And started chatting.
I left my comfortable chair to sit in a McDonald's booth so that I could work! Here! By myself! {Also unsaid.}
With me.
I give up. Tell me about your day.Â
We had a nice conversation. I hadn't seen my friend in a couple of months, and I always really enjoy her company.
Nonetheless, I was happy to see the whole crew leave. They had to pick up Daisy Girl Scouts a quick 20 minutes after they arrived, and I was free to get back to work.
Almost every day, I see a photo on Instagram of some work-from-home-mom working at a coffee shop or fast food joint while I'm working in madness, and I am jealous of her quiet work time. Her grass looks so much nicer and greener than that under my feet.
Today, I realized that there is no such thing as working utopia.
The mom in the coffee shop has just as many distractions as I do in my living room. Â Their names are different, but they are no fewer.
I'm almost glad that my internet went out so that I could have this experience.
Almost.
Cindy says
What you need is a good set of earplugs. Try it and see if your McD's experience improves. 😉
Tara Ziegmont says
Sadly, I'm back at McDonald's because my internet still isn't fixed. I should've stopped at the drug store to get some. I'm pretty good at getting in the zone and blocking stuff out. I have lots of practice at home. 🙂
Leslie Maddox says
Also, the woman in the coffee shop really needs to use the restroom but she's waiting until she gets home so that she doesn't leave her laptop unattended. I know, because I've been that woman.
But I will say that working utopia exists. It's called "my parents are out of town so I left the kids with hubby to housesit for them and can work for hours and hours without distraction and can even use the bathroom anytime I want."
Tara Ziegmont says
I know! I took my laptop and phone and purse to the bathroom with me after asking friends on Facebook what I should do. That's something you wouldn't think of until the urge strikes. 😉