Dr. Amy Johnson
I’m a mom, running a home-based business. And I share home base with a Stay at Home Dad.
Am I insane? Climbing the walls? Headed for divorce?
I know what you’re thinking. “She must live in a mansion with a private business wing, a separate play room for the baby, and a pimped out man cave for that SAHD saint.”
Um…not exactly. Read on. Here’s how it really looks.
My business is happiness. I’m a Psychologist and Master certified Life Coach and I work with clients to create a life they design.
My job is to help people do big things. For example, with support, accountability, and an amazingly effective step-by-step system, one of my clients finally left the corporate job she’s hated for years and started her own custom bakery. Another worked with me to implement changes that led to her tripling her previous income.
As part of my happiness mission, I write a popular blog and a free weekly eZine called Enlightenment for Unenlightened People, where I give everyday people strategies and mindsets to help them live more joy-filled and successful lives.
I work with people all over the world. As I write this, I have clients in Kosovo, Australia, the English countryside, Hong Kong, and 8 U.S. states. On any given day, I’m leading seminars and group coaching via teleconference, strategizing with clients through email and online chat, and working with my private clients in regular old fashioned phone calls. Or I’m writing. Lots and lots of writing. Blogging, writing enlightenment tips for my eZine, putting together ebooks and manuals for clients, blogging, more blogging…
And, I do it all from a bedroom in my two bed, two bath 1900 square foot condo in Chicago. My bedroom doubles as my office and let me tell you, it’s a room in a crowded house. There’s Pepsi (8 year old yorkie), Buddha (3 year old yorkie), Willow (11 month old daughter), and Ora (uber supportive husband and Stay at Home Dad extraordinaire). Plus me, and my lists of things to do everyday.
Saving the world from my bedroom. It wasn’t always this way, though.
Before we had our 11 month old, I had all 1900 glorious square feet to myself while my husband worked outside of the home. Well, I shared with Pepsi and Buddha but they didn’t take up much space. So the tight quarters are a relatively new thing.
It won’t be this way for ever, either. We’re trying to sell our little mansion just as soon as the market cooperates, and I will have a beautiful, large, private office in our next home. I can’t tell you how often I remind myself that our situation is temporary.
But even now, it’s not as bad as it may sound. I enjoy the same perks as any Work at Home Mom. I get to sneak peeks at my daughter toddling around; stick my head out of the “office” when I hear her laughter filling the house. I’ve been able to nurse her for 11 months while working full-time and I haven’t missed a “first” anything.
I get to spend more time with my family since I don’t have to commute in Chicago traffic. And although I also don’t fall into the sweat pants and t-shirt stereotype*, I do get to wear my favorite jeans or cute yoga pants most days.
The typical challenges that WAHMS share apply to me, as well. I, too, am guilty of taking the laptop to bed and of sometimes choosing the Smartphone over sex or sleep**.
I often feel trapped in the bedroom. If I run to the kitchen to refill my glass of water and the baby sees me, we’re in trouble. Don’t get me wrong—I love that she wants to be near me but it breaks my heart to feel my husband peeling her out of my arms while she cries “mama!”, all so that I can go jump on a teleconference. Not to mention my paranoia about the psychological damage this constant peeling may cause. (On the bright side, she’ll only have to walk down the hallway to my “office” if she needs some psychological help dealing with her separation anxiety. Urg…)
To cope, I constantly strive for ways of mixing things up. I’m lucky to have occasional access to an outside office and I work from there at times. Like when I’m recording something that really shouldn’t have barking or crying in the background, or when I have a full day of back-to-back phone calls.
I also arrange my schedule so that I can do most of my writing and admin tasks from my favorite coffee shop. There’s actually quite a bit of variety in my typical week.
With my husband working at home too, our space is sacred. He’s excellent at keeping things clean and clutter-free during the day so that we can relax together in a nice environment in the evenings. Our nightly walks are our version of scotch and a valium—much needed escapes, absolutely essential to our sanity.
This set up might sound crazy to some, but I’m guessing that most readers know what I mean when I say the benefits greatly outweigh the challenges. Especially since we all like and respect each other as much as any family can.
By the way…if you know anyone looking to buy a 2 BD/2 BA condo in Chicago, send them my way.
About the Author:
Dr. Amy Johnson helps people create a life they design. She is co-author of the book Changes of the Heart available on Amazon.com and her coaching has been featured in several national publications and in a documentary film. She regularly speaks to audiences about cultivating success and happiness.
To read her blog or sign up for her free eZine, visit www.DrAmyJohnson.com
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