Friday once more! I have to say this week flew by and here I am again ready to goof off because Fridays are for fun. Well I would goof off if I could, but I shouldn’t so I won’t.
Some people don’t understand that REALTORS are independent contractors, as such we are self employed. With that said, lets talk about bunny slippers.
When I had a traditional job I used to imagine how cool it would be if I were self employed, and how nice it would be to work from home in my bunny slippers. I may be self employed but spend as much time in my car as in my office. I have driven in my slippers but the ears get caught in the peddles.
My office is in my home and it is nice but it is not quite like I had imagined it would be. It took several years to break my old work habits from life in corporate America, like getting dressed and actually leaving the house before noon.
For most of my work life I was in the office by 7:30 in the morning. Now I start work between 4:30 and 5:30 AM, two or three hours earlier than I used to because of the 90 second commute, which I could do in 60 seconds if I didn’t stop at the coffee pot. Since I can’t just walk past a coffee pot before 2:00 PM, I may never be able to beat my own personal best of 90 seconds.
This is where the bunny slippers come in. When I had a traditional job I wore real shoes and didn’t have a problem with a meeting at 7:30 or 8:00 in the morning. These days I get cranky when someone wants me to be somewhere earlier than 9:00, I prefer 10:00. There are days when I get busy and don’t get dressed until 10:00 or even 11:00. The phones ring and the email just keeps coming. I don’t work in my bunny slippers because I want to, I do it because I either can’t find my shoes or I am too busy to actually get dressed or both.
There are other little things about working from home that people don’t think about. Like last week when I was on the phone and someone was pounding on my office door. I answered the door, in my slippers, and it was Excel energy just letting me know that they were going to turn off the power for two hours.
They said that they work on the residential lines during the middle of the day because it isn’t as disruptive. Boo! I wasn’t ready to go anywhere and had to find some shoes and appropriate attire. It was only 9:00 AM!
Family members and neighbors have interesting ideas about what self employment is like. I have to make sure I am home for plumbers, furnace cleaners, roof repairers and all of the other support staff we have for our ancient house. There are the other little problems that come up during the day that people with normal jobs miss out on.
The lost dog, the child with the skinned knee, the neighbor who needs a ride to the airport, or help shoveling out from a snow storm, or a cup of sugar. This is St. Paul, we still knock on our neighbors doors when we need a cup of sugar. I have one neighbor who borrows ice cubes. I don’t get that one at all. She works from home and sometimes comes over in her slippers. I have another neighbor who just knocks on my door or walks in at random times. The dog doesn’t seem to mind so it must be O.K.
I know I am not alone. When I show houses to buyers I notice the home offices and can tell that they are real offices and that the owner probably runs a small business or works from home. I see the slippers under the desk and even though it may be 2:00 in the afternoon I wonder if I messed up someones day.
Being self employed is the way to go especially for women. This week it was in the news again about the income gap between men and woman. The pay gap starts out at about 10% right out of college and widens to around 30% as women progress in their careers. Self employment may be the best way to achieve economic parity, and have an engaging career that allows for almost unlimited personal and professional growth. It is rewarding once we really understand the truth about the bunny slippers.
Have a great weekend. It is supposed to me nice out, enjoy the weather and have fun.
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I LOVE THIS!!! My daughter loves bunnies, but we don’t have bunny slippers. I’m totally with you on not being able to find shoes!! And don’t you love the phone calls in the middle of the day from friends who think that because you don’t go to an office, that you have time to chit chat? LOL
Oh my how I can relate to your blog post!I too work from my home and before I started doing this I would often complain to my fellow agents at the “formal” office after being good naturedly reprimanded for showing up at the office in the afternoon that the early bird gets the worm.I’m too busy working to get dressed to come “work” They being of the mindset if you not at the office you are goofing off
well we know better than that don’t we? I wonder how many of them are answering emails at midnight or at daybreak on a Saturday morning? Does it take disipline to work at home? I don’t know because I love my job and I might be accused of being a work- a- holic. My dogs and cat have threatened to find new homes due to lack of
quality time taken with them. They have conspired to knock my computer off the stand in front of my recliner and drag it to the backyard in hopes it will be rendered useless after a good heavy rainstorm. I’ve managed to thwart their plans more than once and continue to be perfectly happy working from my home. Gotta go I just got another email.
Sally in Greenwood SC
I’m with you Teresa. I work more and more from home, which is a desk in my bedroom with French doors overlooking my garden. I am much more productive and some days I even take a shower and get dressed! With a ponytail and a little lipstick, I can be out the door in 5 minutes, but only if necessary!
I know little about being up at 4:30 except to use the bathroom, but I working from home is a great thing. The only problem is that I never feel like I am off of work in this job.
I prefer monkey slippers – but I get it
I prefer monkey slippers – but I get it
I work from home too- but no bunnie slippers- too hot in Arizona- I prefer socks. My biggest distraction are my dogs, yard and garden- and if anyone wants an appt before 10 am – it throws the whole day off. But tommorrow- the day is free and I get to play with my new toy- the Lawnmower
and I am going to watch my newly planted cantelope and watermelon seeds pop up- these are the days I cherish.
Great post—I especially like the commute time–made me laugh out loud. I just moved my RE office home last fall. It took some getting used to but I cannot believe how much more I get accomplished–most of which in my slippers/sweats/pjs (unless I go out of showings of course).
I think you are either a great work at homer or horrendous – there is no in between! I can work at home happily getting 5X as much done as I do at the office BUT my husband (who is a super hard worker) cannot work without the structure of office hours and deadlines provided.
T, I know what you mean about the neighbor coming over in their slippers! Like you, our St. Paul neighborhood is very friendly. I even forgot about not getting dressed (I was in my robe) one day and walked the dog across the street in the rehabilitation park. I was half way around the park when I realized what I had done. Of course, I fit right in because the residents from the hospital are all in hospital garb. Everyone probably thought I belonged in the hospital.
Working from home is the best. I get so much more done!