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You write computer programs or write scripts for TV shows, or maybe draw up balance sheets … Whatever you do, if you work at home, the rest of the family involuntarily strives to put all the household chores on you.
There have always been those who prefer to work from home, but with the advent of the Internet era, their number has grown immeasurably. Sometimes companies even encourage such employees: thanks to them, you can save on office rent. In addition, a work-from-home worker uses a private car less, and the fewer cars on the road, the better for the environment.
It is also convenient for the employees themselves. No need to waste time on the road, stand in traffic jams or suffer in the crush of an overcrowded subway car. At home, colleagues are not distracted by conversations, and the same amount of work can be done faster.
The only significant disadvantage is that for some reason, relatives expect that at the same time you will do all the homework. The main argument: “Since you’re at home anyway.” This is followed by the continuation “…why don’t you wash the dishes, dust, fix the outlet, walk the dog, go to the store next door?”
How to counter this? Here are some ideas.
Do not get carried away with the role of a house fairy
Clear agreements are needed: who will do what around the house. For example, a person working from home may cook dinner, but someone else will do the cleaning. All the things that you are doing now just because you are staying at home should be distributed among all family members. It is best to establish such rules from the very beginning.
Choose things that don’t take up a lot of your time.
It takes 5-10 minutes to load the washing machine. Just the same amount to take out clean linen and load another portion. Then you need to take the time to hang and iron the linen.
Arrange for everyone to clean up after themselves from the table after breakfast.
Such duties take up quite a lot of time, but your efforts are not highly appreciated. Assign responsibilities: you can load the dishwasher, and let someone else unload it.
Dress like you would go to the office
This will give you solidity in the eyes of your family and reduce the chances that one of them will take you for a housewife. Arrange for everyone to clean up after themselves from the table after breakfast. Most likely, you will have to be reminded of this more than once, but over time it will become a habit.
In the morning, try not to burden yourself with household chores and sit down to work – it’s important to do this before the others leave the house.
Set up a safe work area
Even if you usually work by placing your laptop on the kitchen table, it is better to get, if not a separate workplace, but at least a cabinet for storing papers. It is important not to mix things for work and things for home.
Leave your home regularly during work hours
At some point, your family will take your presence during the day for granted. If you disappear from time to time, they will realize that you have a lot of work.
Schedule business meetings at the beginning or, conversely, at the end of the working day – then other family members will have to do household chores. The night before, you can delicately ask if they can replace you in your absence.
Don’t take it all on
After leaving, you returned home and found a pigsty? The correct response is not anger, but disappointment. Under no circumstances should you try to clean everything up. Make a suggestion: something terrible must have prevented your household from putting things in order, but now they are, of course, ready to roll up their sleeves. Will they take your care for granted after that?
Don’t forget about rushes. Ask your family to unload you while you are busy with an important project. Stay busy while they bustle around the house. When it’s done, reward them with a compliment like “You’re a great team!” and make everyone coffee. Or order something delicious to take home to celebrate their work. Just don’t say thank you – otherwise it will seem like they did all this for you.