I can’t remember the last time I went to bed at a normal hour.
Can you?
I’ve worked at home for eight years now….and honestly….I’ve become some kind of freakish owl-person.
It’s almost 2am right now….and what am I doing? Typing. Typing this blog post.
I’m also thinking about coffee. Coffee sounds good right now.
I’ve honestly tried to have a normal schedule. But when you work at home – and especially if you’re a work at home mom – what exactly IS normal???
I’ll wake up tomorrow at 6:30am. Why? Because I can’t sleep through my husband taking his shower and turning on the closet light. The kids will be fussing at each other and my daughter will come in and stare at me until I get up and help her find the t-shirt with the peace sign on it.
OH I TRY to sleep through it. I really do. But it’s impossible.
So – I get up. I stumble around and act like I have my act together and help make lunches if I didn’t do it the night before. I’ll make sure my high school-er has his wallet, cellphone and glasses.
I’ll write any notes that need to be written – make sure my daughter has a snack packed and her water bottle with her.
I do all these “mommy” things. Wonderful “wife” things.
Then they all leave. Sometimes I can lay back down. But most times not.
So I go through the day in a fog. A really thick fog.
I do some laundry, check email, make beds….I drink coffee. A lot of coffee. Oodles of coffee. I do a little work, a little research. I eat….
I might dust and vacuum. I might clean a bathroom or two.
Maybe even pull off all the sheets on everyone’s bed and wash them.
I might walk the dog.
But after I pick the kids up from school….
And they come home….get their snack and head down to the TV room — I take a nap. I sleep from 3:45 to 5:00. I really sleep. Power nap isn’t even close to what I do. I go into a coma.
At 5:00 I get up and start dinner. I feel good. Refreshed…..like I slept for years.
Then…at about 11PM….I feel tired. But I resist….I start working.
And I work and work….either here at my desk or on my laptop.
Finally about 3am….I think…wow…I better get in some sleep because 6:30 will be here soon.
It’s not a healthy lifestyle. I am sure I’ve royally messed up my circadian rhythm.
But what to do, what to do??
Working at home allows you a lot of freedom, a lot of flexibility. You can use that power/privilege for good or evil.
I have fallen to the dark side. The dark…as in night.
I’d like to be normal. I’d like to go to bed at 10:00 and get up and have all this spaze energy. And someday soon – I will dag-gummit. But for now….I am Kelly the Owl. I am hooting in the wee hours of the morning.
For it is at this time that the laundry doesn’t call to me…..there are no grocery lists to tackle, there are no beds to make, no children to ready for school…..
No dinner to cook, no vacuuming to do….
I am focused on work. My “work at home”.
So all you work at home wannabes and all you other work at home moms….try to use your “work at home” powers for good. Keep regular hours. It has to be better for you.
Pleasant dreams.
Hoot! Hoot!
