I’ve been working from home for a few months now, and because of that I have heard several myths about what it’s like to work from home.
Whether you work for yourself and your office is in your home, or if you telecommute and work for someone else, I’m sure you’ve heard some of the myths below as well.
Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE working from home, and I wouldn’t change a thing. However, some people have said certain things to me that really make me laugh. Working from home is still work.
I understand that not everyone works from home (although, I did read a statistic in an article the other day that said 30% of workers actually work from home) and the thought itself can seem unattainable, but it is possible for you if you want it. Also, I’m not mad at anyone for anything that is said to me, because I know that I used to think some of the same things.
Here are common myths about working from home.
You’ll have time to work out all the time.
This is something I thought would be true for myself. I thought that I would especially have time since we have a full gym in our basement. Yes, I have been doing better when it comes to working out, but it took a long time for me to get to this point – and I’m still not perfect.
I don’t like to work out until I get the majority of my work done for the day, and I think that’s my problem. I use work as my excuse. There will always be work, and I just need to have a set schedule for when I workout so that I can stop making excuses.
Aren’t all work from home jobs scams?
When I tell people what I do, they usually don’t believe it. Many people think that most home businesses are scams. I can see why some people would think this, considering I see so many home scams all the time.
Not all work at home jobs are scams. I have a legitimate business! Just like anyone else who has a business, mine is a business as well.
It’s easy to just stop working.
When you have your own business, it can be very difficult to completely stop working. Whenever we go on a trip, I almost always continue working the same amount that I do when I am at home. When you are a business owner, I feel that (especially in the beginning) you want to bust your butt off to make your business successful. It can be hard to separate work and life.
You’re not actually working.
For some reason, many people associate working from home with not doing any work at all. Boy, are they wrong! I have even had people not believe me and then ask for a full schedule of what I do each day to prove myself.
I’ve had several people ask me what I do all day long. Umm hello, I WORK! And, I’m working harder than ever before.
You will spend all of your time on social media.
This is something that I thought would happen to me. However, I’ve noticed that I’m on websites like Twitter and Facebook much less than when I had my day job. Don’t get me wrong though, I’m probably still on it too much!
You won’t have a social life.
I’m often asked if I get lonely working from home. Considering before I switched to self-employment I worked independently in an office and hardly ever had human contact, I can honestly say that the answer is no. I talk to people all day long, it’s just not face to face.
You will spend all of your time in pajamas.
This one is TRUE, especially for me. Ah, I wear pajamas so much that I call myself disgusting all the time. Don’t worry, I still do my hair and makeup every day. Now, yoga pants are just a part of my daily outfit.
What myths have you heard? Anyone else experience the same thing?
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I know, I need to start waking up and working out, but all of those emails are just calling my name!
I usually have to defend myself when people direct some of these myths my way. No one ever believes me!
My husband has worked from home from years, and he’d agree with you on most of these points. And he also wears his pajamas most of the day. 😉
What does your husband do? 🙂
Oh man, it is really hard to get out of yoga pants most days! Doing hair and makeup definitely helps 🙂
Haha yes, at least I do my hair and makeup everyday! 🙂
I find one of the most common myths is that people think I’m just “messing around” on the computer and can be interrupted at any time. I don’t think “non bloggers” realize how much time and effort it can take to research, write, edit, format, publish and promote a decent blog post. Furthermore, once you’re “in the zone” when it comes to writing, there’s nothing more annoying that being interrupted as it can take AGES to get back into it 🙂
Yes, I agree! A lot of time goes into creating a good blog post.
I bet it’s much harder when you have a child at home when you are trying to work. Just trying to work with my two dogs can get tiring! Haha
Haha sounds like you have a handful!
Hi Michelle
While I don’t work from home, I do try to do so at weekends on the part time business I want to develop. I’ve found that getting a bit of exercise before breakfast and going into the home office means no excuses not to do any later on.
The Internet can be a huge time waster. I find that once I start looking at social media and different blogs I can’t stop. So now, before I do anything else I make sure to complete at least three tasks of the to do list, that way at least I’ve been somewhat productive.
Yes, I always try to complete important tasks before I hop onto any social media websites.
I think the hardest part for me would be stopping working. I’d have to set up much better work/life boundaries than I have right now. I don’t interact with people a lot at work but I like having officemates. I think if I were working from home I’d go out in the community to work just to be around people for part of the day.
I had officemates, but we never really talked. I guess that’s what happens when you only work with much older men…
I haven’t really worked from home with my current job. When I have it’s because I’m sick and I decided to stay in instead of going into the office. But I don’t think that’s a good representation of working from home. I think I would enjoy it if I had the freedom to work home every once in a while.
Yeah, working from home when I was sick from my day job wasn’t really the same. I felt like I never got anything done on those days.
I find I actually work more on the days I work from home. Without the allure of leaving the office to go home, I keep working well past my normal stopping time. It is nice to work in my pajamas and take breaks to hang out with my dog though, so it’s still better than being in the office!
Yes, I love taking breaks to hang out with my pups 🙂
The problem for me would be the “always more work to do” part. I would be determined that if I just kept working and working that I could break through.. The fact that I have a day job that “pays the bills” keeps me grounded a bit.
Yeah, it can be hard to stop working. I feel like I’ve been on the laptop all day!
Some of these made me chuckle. I couldn’t handle being in my pajamas all day!
Haha I love my yoga pants!
The pajamas are so true!
And I wish I had a partner to workout with me!
It’s almost noon and I’m still in my pjs 🙂
Great post Michelle. Thank you for going over the myths. I have worked from home most of my life. Actually, I coach others who work from home. I have been through many obstacles that working from home provides all at different stages of my life . Having clear goals and a daily action plan helps you get more done!
Doreen Dilger, The Home Based Business Coach
Thank you Doreen 🙂
As someone who works better with structure, I can see the need for scheduling myself would hamper additional goals while working. As far as your workout goals are, it might be best to try working out first before you do work. As you say, there’ll always be work to do but at least if you get that out of the way, it would enable you to continue working and feel less guilty about doing so.
And I don’t have work today due to a snow day and I’m still in my PJs, lol. 🙂
Thank you Tara! Lately, I have been trying to work out in the middle of the day. And, luckily it seems to be working! It’s nice to have a little break in between work.