Working at Home

[mama_bel]

I wonder how many of us are WAHMs (or WAHDs)?

I do a little freelance writing and editing work, but nowhere near what I was doing a couple of years ago. Now I run my home-based business (see sig) and it keeps me busy enough.

I seem to cram my work in between my parenting, homeschooling, farm and community responsibilities. It's part of who I am... :trippy

[Merlion]

i'm currently looking to work at home as i spend at least one day a week taking jess to her dr's appts one day i will be a WAHM too

[melchpeppi]

Me!! Pick me pick me pick me!!! I make stuff (nappies and carriers) and have been doing this for over four years now :gasp

Our main bedroom (you know, the biggest one with the ensuite and the WIR) is my workspace - and I need every inch. Its well organized and I love the space in there! And FULLLLLLL of FABBBBRRRRICCCC (glorious fabbbbrrrricccc)

Most of the time lately I have no idea why I started doing this, its hard work and I spend way too much time 'sourcing fabric' (ie, fueling my addiction) and am up way too late most nights :(. Its lonely and really hard to stay motivated most of the time and I cant wait until the day that my attempts to expand (in a non-traditional/non-mass-produced/NO factory kind of way) actually come to fruition :blushing.

I'm just hoping (well, I have complete faith) that this is just the way it is for us, I need to have a creative outlet and if it makes money then thats even better, but trying to spread myself equally over every bit of toast is H-A-R-D. Then there is the fact that no matter where I post I have to be on my best behavior because of my business pfffffffft.

Oh I must be feeling spritely and positive today huh :laugh

[mama_bel]

Then there is the fact that no matter where I post I have to be on my best behavior because of my business pfffffffft.

I did not know that rule. Uh-oh! :wink_smile

[melchpeppi]

hahahha - except for here of course, I can be my mad self here !!!

[Joey]

I wish I worked from home. Hoping to one day. Just haven't found the right thing yet

[Stardust]

I am...sort of. If buying at markets and selling on ebay counts? Actually, I'm kind of struggling as the things that sell best are baby things, but I don't agree with so much of it! So am at a do-I-Don't-I stage atm.

[Madi]

I would love to work at home in the future..... but for now, I save us more money by being frugal and having time to do and make things from scratch than I would if I tried to work iykwim?

I'm always having business ideas, but when I do the costings, the time/effort to renummeration ratio never seems worth it.

[Kathryn]

We've managed to get working from home working for us, but only with childcare for DD2 until school kicks out as it's office-based 'need to concentrate' kinda work. Still, it means that the girls can be home with us in the afternoon rather than us all coming in at 6pm or later starving and tired, and school hols aren't quite so stressful. It also means I can escape my desk and help out at school, attend assembly and get the girls to their after-school stuff when I need to.

I find it's also drawn us together as a family more. We work well together. :wub

[marmee]

Working from home, for me, is not all it was cracked up to be. Much more difficult that working out of the home in my opinion. Don't get me wrong - I am very blessed to be able to work from home, my own hours and around all other appointments, but I am still struggling with letting go of things I used to do before working from home...which means I am busier than ever being Mum, wife, taxi, cook, cleaner, carer, playgroup Mum, soccer Mum, dance Mum, shopper....etc....and employee.

I tend to work when children are in bed (day time and late evenings), on weekends when DH is home or one day a week when Mum has the two little ones.

Really, I *am* lucky. But working from home certainly ain't easy!

[Savannah]

I am working towards being a WAHM. I take my hat off to those of you who are doing it successfully.

My biggest struggle is making the time to work and dealing with the constant interuptions.

[melchpeppi]

Yeah, if I had actually done the proper preparation before heading into WAHMland I dont know that I would have actually done it, mainly because part of it (well, a major part of it..) is the fact that you may actually make something that people don't want to buy... And if you don't take the risk you never know. TBH I just got lucky.

Madi if you find something that you are passionate about the renumeration comes, if it is the right thing IYKWIM. For me it was just a path I accidentally went down and the universe has done the rest. I never believe in overthinking anything - your spirit will lead you to the right thing, and will never let you down :)

The time factor is what gets me. I still practice AP and find it REALLY hard to get anything done when the kids are active and awake. It really tears me apart :(. And yes my kids come first but when there is ALOT of work piled up in my workroom I can feel resentful toward both parties (and myself) for not seeming to get anything done. Then there is the added pressure of the customers, of which I have formed a bond with usually and feel massively that Im letting them down when I cant get things done quite on time. Then there are the forums where people talk about you as if you arent a person. And I've got it easy in this little 'arena'! Some of the other WAHMmamas get it really bad :(.

I would love to see more of a WAHM community happening again. At the moment it seems to be quite fragmented, which is really sad :(.

[Snoozie]

I'm not talented in the crafty way like most of you ladies are but I have recently had an awesome opportunity present itself to me in that I could work remotely for a new company doing something I really enjoy although still not my passion (music) it is something that pays the bills and I find rewarding.

So I'm crossing fingers that it pans out. I received a "comfort" call yesterday (we haven't forgotten you and we're restructuring the office to incorporate remote office) so I'm feeling a teensy bit hopeful and somewhat flattered they consider my qualifications worthy of extra effort.

Susan

[melchpeppi]

Awesome Susan!!!!!!!! You will have to fill me in!! Good luck - its amazing how the right things come at the right time :D

[Kathryn]

Yes, Marmee... I can relate to not being able to let go of the SAHM stuff.

It helps that my work is self-managed, if you know what I mean. No-one is pressing me for stuff - my job is my responsibility to get done, so I don't feel guilty doing other things when I know I'm mainly on top of work stuff. I do some evenings when work gets really busy, but try to not even go in the office on a weekend. A degree of separation is good, I think!

We are really lucky that DH is home too, so he can cover for me at work while I help out in the classroom, for example. Also DH does a good share. I have relegated most house-work-type-stuff to Saturdays when everyone helps out, and DH and I share the dropping off/picking up/lunches and dinners/grocery shopping (although I prefer to do that given his tendency to overspend and buy bad stuff!)

I certainly couldn't do everything myself and do a set number of hours or I'd be working into the evening every night.

[Snoozie]

Mel: The part you added to your post about APíng and feeling torn really hits home here. It's a good part of why my study/stuff for me fails because I feel guilty doing things for myself when the kids are wanting/needing attention and then with a shift working husband it becomes harder again when he works odd hours and then OT on top (he worked 2pm-7am the other night!!!!! :gasp)

I am trying to convince myself that my study IS for my family in the long run and that's why I'm sitting in the bedroom right now still on here ... although my computer keeps crashing so I'm about to reboot lmao ... hopefully my text book will be somewhat dry by now!

Definitely need to be organised!

[Ethereal]

Oh this is close to home (er, pun not intended? Lol) atm for us. Initially for cost factors I will need to work from home but very, very soon I need to have an office off-site or I will get nothing done.

Will wait and see how it all goes along. But it is M's last day at work today :ohmy and I am so freakin' excied and nervous and excited and scared and excited :laugh.

I am getting mother-guilt already. I counter it with the fact my kids will get at least one parent full-time which is pretty awesome I reckon. :heart

[Esther]

I am an on again off again wahm :laugh Life just gets busy and my business takes last place :( I love being creative but feel overwhelmed so don't do much atm. I always make sure my customers are looked after but take breaks making things or taking on more work. Though I am getting together with a lovely mum to design some clothes for her. It is going to be fun draping fabric around her :D She is very creative herself and does incredible paintings and drawings. It's going to be lots of fun and I even get paid. What more could I ask for :D

[mamma]

My biggest struggle is making the time to work and dealing with the constant interuptions.

yeah that! i have finally decided after years of being told my stugffs good enough to sell, to try selling it :)

[ali_celt]

I'm doing it. Been doing it for years and years. I have noticed that the business has taken a distinctly new direction in the last year or so and it's really been helping a LOT - the focus has shifted from me making EVERYTHING (and seriously running out of time and like others have said, totally feeling like I've let both family and customers down) to me onselling supplies as well as making bits an peices here and there.

I like the balance of this much better. I have a few products that very few people in Australia have, and even though it's a very specific market it doesn't matter - it keeps the business churning along and gives me a good opportunity to still create the things I love doing, without so much pressure.

My ultimate dream is to work out of home, but doing what I love - I want my own shop SO BAD.... hopefully one day I'll get there.

Esther! That sounds AWESOME! Enjoy!

[mama_bel]

It's so lovely to hear about everyone's work - even the challenges! I never really planned or desired to be a WAHM, I just can't seem to help myself. I figure that I have so many projects going on, I might as well make one/some of them pay!

At tax time dh did a projection of how much turnover I'd need to increase to so that he could stay home too. It worked out this HUGE amount I'd need a warehouse to store and we'd be unpacking and packing full-time! For now, I love growing my business like my garden, with love and care and increasing in manageable amounts!

[Ethereal]

At tax time dh did a projection of how much turnover I'd need to increase to so that he could stay home too. It worked out this HUGE amount I'd need a warehouse to store and we'd be unpacking and packing full-time! For now, I love growing my business like my garden, with love and care and increasing in manageable amounts!

:ohmy Oh my... That's a lot of stock! You'd keep the local WAHM's you deal with in business though!

[melchpeppi]

Yep, 2010 is the year for expansion for us too - and Im excited also!!!!! ITA, growing your own business is just like growing a garden - you learn with time what works best where, and exactly where the right position is :D.

[emd]

I started out as a WAHM. Now I have a little shop where I work three days a week, and have staff the rest of the week, but I still do a lot of work at home in between attending to children, household, partner, and volunteer work. My little eco-friendly shop gives priority in product selection to WAHMs and fair trade products. I'm also talking to a couple of other local business women about a program using micro-credit to support rural and indigenous women in starting their own small manufacturing businesses at home.

I must say that I vastly prefer working out of home. I find it hard to separate my personal, business, and volunteer work. It's easier for me to do this by defining days and spaces for those things, and there's not enough space for me to work at home full time anymore. I do feel like I've finally got the work/family balance close to perfect for me though - I'm not a woman who copes well with full time parenting.

[´*~·Meje·~*`]

I work form home with limited onsite work (up to 1 day a week).

I couldnt work out of home. Being on my own with the kids means it would be intense (and expensive!!) trying to co-ordinate it! Childcare doesn't fit in with how I choose to parent, and school holidays would mean childcare the whole time if I worked out of home.

I could never go back now, its just too perfect for my situation, as I still get to be a SAHM at the same time and can work my own hours :)

Some aspects were very challenging in the beginning (like business calls with children demanding my attention!) But its has got easier as they have grown, and next year will be even easier, as I will have 2 days a week (in term) to work...alone! wow! LOL!

Although Im thinking Im going to allocate one of those days (or at least a morning!) to myself, to pursue my other interests. Something I have struggled to manage to maintain on a regular basis since becoming a solo parent.

[Savannah]

Good plan Meje, nurturing yourself is so important.


I sat down last night and put my WAH plans on paper. I feel I have some clear goals to work towards and I feel positive that I can make it happen.

DH gets home at about 4pm, so if I am organised, I can work for a few hours in the arvo. Over a week, that time adds up.

The markets that I am aiming for are in early Dec, which means I need to get some things finished ASAP for my application to have a stall.

I also went through my stock, which I want to use up before buying more preferably. I found a few things that reinspired me too (thanks Eilleen for prompting that)

[Rinelle]

I've dabbled on and off in WAH for the last few years, but a few months ago, when DH quit his job, it suddenly became a lot more serious! Now I'm working from home kind of full time, selling stock photography through an online site.

It's been a huge adjustment for us. We're determined as a family to make it work, but some days it is really hard. DD sometimes doesn't understand, and says she wants daddy to go back to work, but I think she'd change her mind quick smart if it happened!

As everyone has said, I find finding a balance is really hard, especially since my work involves a lot of creativity, which I find really takes a lot of concentration, and a lot of thinking about even when I'm not actually working. Add to that the fact that my 'hobbies' that I do to relax are creative too, and I find I'm really drained. I feel bad that I'm not spending more time with DD, and I'm wondering how on earth we're going to fit in homeschooling, but I know in my heart this is the right choice for our family, so we're just going to have to figure out how to make it work somehow!