It’s amazing to me at least at how a good number of people exercise tunnel vision when it comes to the subject of working at home.

For example:

Friend:

“I stopped by before and didn’t see your car. You were out shopping, right?”

Me:

“Uh no. I had to (go take orders to the Post Office) ~ (go visit a client / bride, etc.”) ~ (attend a meeting with a local business owner & his tech staff).”

Friend:

“OH NO. It’s such a nice day outside and you were WORKING?”

Another example:

Phone call comes in from friend (who mind you has other friends, boyfriend, etc.)

Friend:

“I locked my purse and keys in the trunk. Come and get me.”

Me:

“I can’t right now.”

Friend:

“Sure you can. I would’ve called my niece but she’s working.”

Me:

“I’m working too. I’ve got a client on the other line on hold.”

Friend:

“Well tell them you’ll call them back later. You can always do that stuff later. Come and get me.”

Me:

“Um no I can’t. I’m working and can’t just up and leave whenever.”

Friend departs in a huge huff.

By now please understand my eyeballs are SO DONE with rolling backwards they are in danger of getting stuck behind all that hair on the back of my head.

I don’t know about the rest of you who work at home, but I have found that the majority of people who have immediate access to you ~ friends, neighbors, family ~ just do not take working at home seriously and do not afford it the same respect as working outside the home.

Now, I watch the caller ID during working hours ~ whether it’s the phone on my desk or my VOIP service. If it’s a friend, neighbor or family member, I let it go to voicemail and listen to the message. If indeed it really is a genuine emergency I’m there faster than the speed of light. If it’s chitchat, or other stuff that can wait, well you can certainly believe that it does indeed wait.

Of all the disciplines one must learn in order to succeed with one’s home business when you are self employed, I think this one, the Setting Boundaries Discipline, is probably one of the most difficult. That and learning not to allow yourself to become upset by other people’s lack of understanding and acceptance that working at home is every single bit as real as working outside the house.

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