Has this ever happened to you? You got your coffee ready, and everything on your desk is set up for you to get started for the day, and all of a sudden, you hear a knock at the door. Even worse, you know who it is, you know they know you’re home, and you know how hard it is to get rid of them once they’re in the house. So what do you do? Just put your work on the back burner?
The Free In Freelance Worker Doesn’t Mean You’re Free From Working
This is a concept that family and friends don’t seem to understand. Just because you work from home does not mean you don’t have responsibilities, deadlines, online interviews and meetings, and other things to do to keep your business running.
I love the response I get when I tell someone I’m kind of busy right now—their reply goes something like this, “No worries, I’ll wait until you’re done doing what you’re doing. I’ll just stick around, and we can talk/hang out afterward—pretend like I’m not here.” Of course, those words usually come from the most unaware of themselves people on the planet.
So while the T.V. is blaring in the other room, your friend/members are raiding your refrigerator, their kids are destroying your house—you’re sitting in front of your computer accomplishing two things, rubbing your temples in frustration and wondering how you get people to understand this is job/career and not a hobby.
I wouldn’t go to somebody else’s place of employment just to chit-chat about the riff-raff while they’re trying to handle their job responsibilities. Their bosses probably wouldn’t like that too much. Most likely, your friend or family member would face some type of reprimand or at least some type of conversation with their boss about when you’re at work you work, you can bullshit around off the clock.
How This Annoyance Starts
First off, you have to start setting boundaries before people start feeling comfortable with no boundaries. It’s kind of like why you don’t feed the wild neighborhood cats or why you don’t give money to beggars. I’m not saying don’t help homeless people or the needy, I’m talking about those people who are always asking for 50 cents at work for the soda machine or coming by your workstation/desk to barrow your ear so they can tell you about their crazy wild weekend of partying with the coolest people in town (video games in their basement).
Once people have made that decision that either you don’t mind them being a nuisance to you or they don’t care because you’re just so easygoing, they will keep doing what they’re doing until you start setting boundaries.
So how do you get people, friends, and family to understand that when you’re working at home, it is just as important that you treat your work as if you get up every morning, put your big boy pants on, and go to a workplace that is not at home?
Set Boundaries And Stick To Them
For some people, being blunt comes easy to them, for other people, they can’t seem to spit it out, tell the truth, and let unwelcome guests know that “I love you,” “we’re still cool, but right now, I’m just too busy.” It can suck sometimes, but if you don’t let the intrusive guest know that this isn’t going to work, they won’t ever get it, and you’ll be stuck with them whenever they feel like showing up.
You have to remember, it’s your life, your time, your house, your rules. You should make it clear to everyone that they should make contact with you before they drop in. And if you don’t respond, that is not an invitation to drop in and check on you.
This in no way is being an asshole, this is you taking control of your life, your sanity, your job, and in some cases, a roof over your head. Nobody wants to be rude or mean to people they like. Just like, who wants to yell at their kids and punish them? But if you don’t punish them, they will assume they can get away with murder.
Set The Record Straight
If you want to succeed in your Remote career, make money, enjoy what you’re doing, and not be constantly aggravated, you have to start setting boundaries sooner than later.