Working from home has been a bit of an adjustment for me. I’ve had a job since I was 16 years old and have held some pretty interesting positions. Retail was my first experience in the workforce and I have great respect for those who can do it well. I cannot. No matter how much I was asked and expected to pounce on the next potential owner of a cheap pair of earrings, I simply couldn’t throw myself at a customer when I knew they just wanted space to shop on their own. Since then I’ve had some pretty eclectic jobs: camp counselor, graphic design intern, tutoring scheduler, brochure designer for a senior travel group, day care assistant. The list goes on.
One job led to another and eventually I ended up in the mental health field and then, finally, for the next 12 years would be a visual assistant for the blind. I coined that job title and thought it had a snappier sound than simply saying I was Patty’s caregiver. I also thought it was better than the description Patty used when introducing me to strangers: my friend who helps me. Don’t get me wrong, it was endearing, but not a very solid job description according to the IRS.
Since I’ve begun my new venture as ‘professional artist’ I’m finding that I have many crucial decisions to make. Serious decisions that bombard me on a daily basis:
1. Do I get dressed or don’t I?
This is a difficult question because really, if I’m just going to be painting all day then do I really need to get dressed? I mean, the UPS guy has seen me at my absolute worst and I’m pretty sure by now he thinks I’m an agoraphobic drunk.
2. Style my hair, or just cover that mess up with a ball cap?
I suppose however I choose to answer question number one will dictate how I answer question two. I mean, if I keep my PJ’s on all day then why do my hair? On the other hand, if I get dressed then it would look kind of silly if I walked around with my hair sticking up like I’d just poked my finger in a light socket. Unless of course I had just been playing around with a light socket, which should immediately leave you thinking, ‘should she really be allowed to stay home by herself while her husband is at work?
3. Sit down and eat a relaxing breakfast at the dining room table, or kill two birds with one stone and just eat while I paint?
I can already hear Geneen Roth whispering in my ear on this one. Of course I should be focusing on my food and how it tastes so that I am more aware of when I’m full and thus not overeat. Still, I find myself being drawn to my easel when I get up in the mornings and many times end up thinking that I’m some highly evolved multi-tasker who can do three or four things flawlessly at once – until I have to throw out my fourth cup of tea because I’ve mistakenly used it (again) to clean my paintbrush instead of using my water container. (That happens more often than I care to admit right now, btw).
4. Teeth are starting to feel a little gritty. Brush them today or just let nature take its course?
Just kidding. I take oral hygiene vey seriously.
It has certainly been quite an adjustment. I now dictate my own schedule. Well, I mostly dictate my own schedule. Actually, the dogs dictate some of what I do. Because of them I rarely sleep in past 7 AM; they simply will not allow it. Emmie sneaks onto her hind legs and if I’m facing the edge of the bed she aims her nose right at my mouth and with one swift movement, I’m being assaulted in my sleep. Brulee is a bit more subtle. He just jumps onto the bed and walks up to where my head is. When I open my eyes, he scares the living heck out of me while his face is inches from mine, panting his dog breath at me. I don’t know about you, but I have no desire to go back to sleep after that display. I can almost hear them saying, ‘We are hungry, two legged thing who feeds us. Please get out of your giant rectangular dog bed and tend to our stomachs for we are ready to eat and then be petted the remainder of the day.’
I’m starting to think that maybe it would do me some good to have a little less flexibility and more scheduled things to do. It’s going to be a long winter and even though I could stay cooped up in my house and just paint until Spring, I’m not all together sure it’s a good idea. When I was in college I used to use a small chalkboard and block out time to do specific things. That may be something worth exploring right now.
And just in case you’re wondering – yes, I did get dressed today. Not for me, but for you – my readers. I figured that somehow you’d see right though my lies if I weren’t actually dressed and freshly deodorized before posting this morning. You are welcome. 
See you later in the week!
xoxo,
Ellen
I struggle with this too, but only because I hate people coming to my door when I’m frumped out, and they ALWAYS DO! If you get dressed, they won’t show up.
Best reason ever to get dressed! (But I have painting clothes that are only one step away from PJs… or ARE PJ’s, but I only use them for painting. …What?)
Also, put the drink on a table away from you. It’s the only way. *sigh* Getting creamer out of my brushes took a long time.
Good advice, Kyra. Moving the drink out of reach will force me to move more, and of course that counts as daily exercise, right? (and I assume you’re talking about the red PJ’s)
I either worked from home or on the road for the last 12 years of my career, so might can shed some light. Feel free to email me directly if I can help or provide encouragement that whatever you do, it’s the right thing for you!! Yes, I advise getting dressed, but not to the degree you got dressed to go be Patty’s Visual Assistant (I love that BTW). Dress for comfort based on what you are doing, but be clean and somewhat well groomed. Wear the ball cap or don’t wear it – whatever fits your frame of mind that day. The thing that always helped me most and is what made my working from home so successful is that I went with MY BODY CLOCK and totally let go of any traditional expectations or mindsets. I worked when I felt creative, but thought absolutely nothing of taking a few hours to sit outside and read or head for the hills on a gorgeous day. I am a disciplined organized person and knew myself well enough to know that the work WOULD get done and one of the perks of working from home is that is could get it done on MY schedule, not someone else’s. I think you and I are much alike personality wise, so I suspect you’d operate in a similar way. It took me awhile to get out of the 9-5 mindset, but once I did, I knew I’d NEVER go back to it! Again, email if you’d like to talk more specifically.
Thanks, Sharon. I should have posted about this a long time ago. I never realized how many of us there were that worked from home. You all have an abundance of information. I will be keeping your email address close by.
LOL. I can so relate. I am retired from my old job, but attempting to be a full time quilt artist at home. Its been a year, and it seems like I have just now developed a comfort level with my non-schedule.
You are lucky. My dogs wake me at 6am!
I like it better when I get dressed. Not because anyone is going to see me, but because I like to walk outside frequently.
My biggest issue right now is, exactly how much housework does an artist HAVE to do.
Right now I am actually trying to not do anything else while I am eating. I fix such delicious food, and then am so disappointed when it is all gone, and I haven’t enjoyed it as much as I should have because I was reading blogs or something.
6 am? Now, that’s just crazy! lol
I do feel better when I get dressed. It’s the ‘getting’ that seems to be hard, when I’m actually ‘dressed’. Just not appropriately dressed!
Very good reminder about the food as well, Debby. I will keep that point in mind tomorrow morning.
I have nothing of value to offer, just wanted to say that I love the term “visual assistant for the blind” – that is genius!
Oh and also I snort-laughed at “agoraphobic drunk”. That may very well be my new favorite phrase!
You leaving a comment – whatever that comment is, is of TOTAL value because I love hearing from you, Jill
I quit my job about 7 or 8 years ago to work at home and through a lot of trial and error, finally found what worked for me. Well, it was manageable anyways. What I did find out is that I’m not a very good boss. Though having said that, I’m still the best boss I’ve ever had.
BTW…not giving you to go ahead to try to scare your delivery guy or anything, but I’m sure they’ve seen it all. I once answered the door in a mud mask with my hair piled on top of my head like the bride of Frankenstein. (I had forgotten that I requested the package pick up and thought I had the whole afternoon to myself.) I don’t think the guy even skipped a beat.
You would be an awesome boss. I’m a pretty good boss, too. Just ask my dogs. lol
Yeah, I think my delivery guy is numb to the things he sees in our neighborhood. Thinking of you in a mask and hair piled on your head though, now that just sounds cute!
I have nothing worthwhile or healthy to recommend on this subject. I am still in my PJ’s at 1pm, my hair is not only uncombed, but standing up in places from the dirtiness, I ate a mishmash of weird food while reading. It started to rain and I ran out to pull in the radio from the deck only to find my poor dog laying out in the rain like a complete and utter idiot. People ignore my “Go Away” sign I have posted at the front door and are used to me parading around my yard in questionable clothing. But I do get things done. I worked on a quilt all morning, wrote, cleaned, searched for a dropped needle in the carpeting…
I would like to say that this is a rare occurrence, but as you know, I seemed to be hard wired strange and sort of catch as catch can. But it works for me.
Hey maybe that is what I can offer. Do what you want and if a “want” makes you feel like shit about yourself, stop doing that.
I like that you mistake your tea cup for your rinsy thing (a technical term – try to keep up). It made me smile. Now if you drank it and did not notice it and were left with a burnt umber mustachio… that requires another picture and maybe a more serious discussion about habits. OK not really, but definitely a picture.
Me mistaking my tea for my rinsy thing (thank you for the correct terminology) happens so often, you’d think I was missing half my brain, because I cannot seem to learn from it. I get so distracted I just dip and swish the closest body of liquid available to me. No worries, though. Haven’t accidentally gulped any tea-paint-water down yet.
I love that you are such an artist and get so caught up in your art that you put your brush in your tea.
I love you, the artist, all together.
I say let there be days where you get up and go right to your easel and eat while you work.
And let there be days where you get dressed and try to be more “civilized” about everything.
if you’re stuck and can’t paint, then get dressed and see what happens.
But, when you’re on a roll and your creative juices are flowing let everything else fend for itself (except the dogs of course.)
I’ve had to start making a point of getting dressed and “fixing up” just because I was feeling to blah if I didn’t.
Allow yourself to *Be* and create and have fun.
Yup. That is good treepee advice. Heehar.
Such a totally honest post – when I worked from home, I found that it I treated it like I would if I went to an office, I was way more productive… But I can’t say that I always got dressed… It was more about setting a schedule and a start AND end time every day. I had to separate work from the rest of my life or I’d never stop working!
I’ve actually been thinking about this topic lately, as I’m in my last semester of my medical coding program with an ultimate goal of working from home. I think, just like finding a way to lose weight, it’s important to try out the possibilities and find what works for you! Good luck Ellen!
I struggle with these same decisions very day that I have off. For me I simply don’t feel human until I’ve showered and dressed, but some days I just don’t wanna! I’m digging the go with the flow advice, do what feels right for the day and if you find that it’s not working then do it differently.
Also, I my have gone a whole day without oral hygiene. Maybe!
I was at home for 3 years and I quickly learned that if I didn’t get into a routine with regards to personal hygiene I was going to fall into complete disrepair. So, I made a point of showering and getting dressed first thing. I didn’t put on make-up unless I was going out, but at least my hair and teeth were clean and I was dressed (albeit in sweats).
These days there is often one day per weekend where I don’t do that first thing and it becomes a PJ day, with unbrushed teeth and bedhead until bedtime, when I’ll finally have a shower. I’m not proud of it and will start doing better in that regard.