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Where is that DMZ in the Home Office?
By Jeff Zbar | February 2, 2009
I work from home.
Nothing strange, unique or from-left-field there. Millions of Americans work from home. They run small consulting firms, big eBay and online commerce outfits, and generally add much to the American economy from the shadows of the suburbs.
Except my family lives here, too. And quite frankly, that gets to be a burden sometimes in a place where no real DMZ exists between home office and home itself…
My kids need help getting ready for school in the AM — lunches made, breakfast served, someone to keep an eye out when they’re dressing, cleaning their rooms and (hopefully) brushing their teeth and hair.
I volunteer at their schools for various events. I attend other events. I bring lunches when they’ve been (Oops!) left behind on the kitchen counter.
Then, starting around 230pm, my once-productive home-based business turns to a cacaphony of chaos as the little ones start arriving home again. And that’ll last through evening.
And so it goes. Day in, day out. Has since around 1993, when our oldest started pre-school. Will until about 2016, when our youngest graduates high school.
So how do I keep it all in check?
Relegate, delegate, parse and punt.
- I relegate different times to different efforts. I awaken usually an hour before our oldest has arisen for high school. During that time, I work, go through email, and generally make some headway on the day ahead before the insanity has come down hard on me.
- I try to delegate my work when possible. Sure, I handle everything in my home office. But I will work on certain, low-concentration tasks — like billing, banking or Web research — when I know the kids will be around. Phone calls and writing, on the other hand, are saved for when the kids are at school, at a friend’s house, or generally not here to pester me.
- I parse my day or week into times that are most beneficial for tasks, projects or the mindset of the moment. Just as Mondays are good for research and writing, but bad for business development, I watch the school calendar to know what’s coming. If I Friday is a “teacher work day,” I’ll plan harder efforts earlier in the week - just to make sure I make some headway in my efforts. After all, with three kids at home, Friday will be a lost cause.
- And yes, I punt. When there’s too much going on in the home office to concentrate on the here-and-now of work, I’ll put work off until when I can refocus my mind and energy on the work itself.
Truth be told, we have good kids. Haven’t once had to run down to the School Resource Officer’s pokey to spring ‘em for bad behavior. And they never arrive home from school or a day out and about with any reason for me to question their behavior.
That’s the true benefit of the home office: I’m close enough to be involved, but not so close as to have them really screw up my day.
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