Business road trip can be therapeutic | Nov 08th 2006
by Jacqueline Dooley
One of the interesting challenges I deal with as a working mom with a home office is the yo-yoing of extremes that are a product of switching roles so frequently and quickly.
One moment I may get the good news that a new client has signed on (causing me to pat myself vigorously on the back) and the next moment I’m getting yelled at by my daughter because I made her share a toy with her sister (causing me to massage my temples with frustration).
A stark example of contrasting extremes is what I’ve dubbed the “pajamas vs. business suit phenomenon.” This is just a way to label the unique experience of complete isolation that is a day-to-day staple of working from home, but quickly changes when I travel out into the world and work on-site at an office.
I’ve accepted that occasionally I need to venture out of my isolated cocoon and come face to face with actual people, sometimes more frequently and sometimes less. Traveling into Manhattan even once a month (that’s where most of my clients are), can be a bit of drag considering the commute from Kingston, but I think it’s a fair tradeoff for not having to deal with the trip on a daily basis. Plus I get to read a book on the bus, a wonderful luxury for a working mom with two small kids.
Leaving the comfort zone of my home office to work side-by-side with real people to present in front of a crowd of 60 or more offers a few perks besides those few hours of alone time I get on the bus.
Let’s face it, working by yourself day in and day out with no coworkers on hand to chat with at the water cooler can be a real drag.
Visits that require me to leave my home office and meet face to face with clients or colleagues enable me to stay focused on the fact that even though I am not physically in the business world, I am a valid contributor to the organizations I work for.
It also enables me to keep my people skills sharp and presents great opportunities for me to network — one of my key sources of new clients.
Spending a day outside of my pajama-zone also gives me an opportunity to focus on myself. Often the only times I splurge on myself — whether it’s a haircut or a new pair of shoes — is when I have a big meeting or presentation coming up.
Spending an entire day out and about also helps me remain appreciative of my rather unorthodox working arrangement. There’s nothing like 12 hours away from home that involves commuting to make one appreciate the calm respite of their home office where things are less rushed and the kids are just a flight of stairs away.
Like anything else in life, a healthy home business requires balance. I’ve learned that if I spend too much time at home, my people skills wilt and my focus shifts away from myself and my business.
This is because I tend to wear the mom hat a lot more often when I’m working from home. Getting out of the house and back into the grown up world of traffic, briefcases and meetings is a good way to restore the balance from pajamas to business suits.
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This article was published in the Poughkeepsie Journal on Saturday, October 14th, 2006