Hello again to all of you home office workers out there! It seems that many of you have issues with working at home with those you love. This seems to range from kids, to significant others, to extended family, to roommates. I have run into some issues with this one, myself. Let me share my introduction to working virtually with my boyfriend when we were first dating.
When Jim and I were first dating on a more serious level, I was going to stay with him at his place down in Tampa. I didn’t see any issue with my change in location as I was a consultant and a completely virtual worker at the time. I had my laptop and cell phone with me (like they wouldn’t ever be with me, anyway), and he had high speed internet, so I was all set. I flew down over the weekend, we had a lovely time, and then Monday morning rolled around.
The alarm went off, and I rolled out of bed and walked downstairs to get setup. I turned on my laptop and walked out to the kitchen to pour myself a bowl of cereal, when he stumbled downstairs. It seems that Jim was going to work virtually for a couple of days (consultant, as well), and then fly off to his client when I flew back to Boston. As I came walking back out into the living room, he planted himself down on the coach and turned on the TV.
Here’s where I knew I was in trouble…..not only were we still in the newly serious dating category, but he also did not really have a ton of experience working virtually. Jim was normally onsite between two different client locations, so he was normally in an office. This was one of the first times he was going to work from home, and he was not mentally prepared for it. I asked him if he was going to keep the TV on long, to which he told me just long enough to catch some of the news and then he’d shut it off.
I shifted over to the kitchen table and ate my cereal while responding to email. As we neared 9:00am, he pulled out his laptop to start working, but the TV remained on. I knew I had a conference call that I needed to actively participate in, so I relocated back upstairs in one of the bedrooms so as to not compete with the TV. When my call was done, I came back downstairs to find him eating his breakfast, working on his laptop and laughing at something on Regis & Kelly. I learned that day that some people aren’t meant to work from home, and that he has an annoying habit of needing to overly-stimulated with information, sound, etc.
Now, I realize that I am probably on the extreme side of being able to work virtually. I can work at home, in the car, on a plane, on a train, in a client’s office, running through an airport, you name it. However, there are plenty of people out there who are not comfortable with it and may not even realize it. Jim and I have come a long way through our years together; however, when he moved in with me, I reminded him that he should not try to work from home….he needs to get out of the apartment to really focus on his work. I need him to get out of the apartment to really focus on my work, as well. It’s a win-win situation. We do have our days where our home working overlaps, and we’ve learned the most important thing….always ping the other on IM before walking into their end of the apartment talking a mile a minute….you never know who may be on a call.
Kari Klein is the Manager of Global Performance with Nuance Communications in the Boston area.
