Working from home. What I'm doing and why I can't always hang out.

What do you think of when you hear someone say they work from home? Do you see them in their PJ's lounging around all day? I think there is a big misconception about working from home and what it is people that work in their home actually do. I work at home, and I can tell you right now, yes, some days things get a little too relaxed and you don't end up getting much finished. However, more often then not I am hard at work. I think this applies to most people when working from home. Not only do I have my business responsibilities but I also have to worry about how the normal work at home like cleaning, yard work, fixing things that undoubtedly break. I am also currently getting ready to move, so getting things in order and ready to move is no easy task. Now this is just my summer routine, when summer comes to an end I will be going back to start my third semester of college as well as homeschooling my son. This kind of life makes it hard to get anything extra done. I think that people don't really understand how much time, hard work and effort it takes to start your own business, and I am currently working on two. Obviously I have Peace, Love, and Knotty Hemp which I sell macrame jewelry. This jewelry is all handmade by me with the exception of about 3% that has been made by a helper when they feel up to making something. I am also working more on my photography and have had shoots lined up, including a wedding that I recently shot in July.
I think that more often than not, people assume that I just sit around all day, occasionally make some jewelry and that's it. Just in my jewelry business alone, I spend 20+ hours a week promoting on Tumblr, Pinterest, Etsy, Instagram, Facebook, blogger and anywhere else I possibly can. Then most weeks I log at least 30+ hours just making jewelry. On top of that I also spend hours photographing the jewelry, editing the photos and listing the pieces on Etsy and Storenvy. That's at least 50+ hours I have to devote to jewelry. That's more than most people my age work in a week. Then to add schooling, mine and my sons that adds another 60 hours a week between the two of us. That's 110+ hours a week that is filled. When I get my free time, after the chores are all finished and I have finished with my photography I really don't want to do much of anything. People who are lucky enough to really have free time don't understand that not everyone is as lucky. I work really hard to be able to work from home. It isn't all lazy days with an empty schedule and I know this isn't just me. This is a lot of peoples lives. Please try to understand that when you ask me to hangout at the last minute and I say no, it's not because of you. It's because I have a busy life and any extra activities have to be scheduled ahead of time. There is a lot of things you don't see that I do every single day. I don't want to fill you in on all of it because, well, most likely you wouldn't have any interest in hearing about it unless you were looking to open a business yourself. Please, please don't say that I am boring, and no fun anymore, because while I know I may not be a whole lot of fun right now, I am not boring by any means. I have a lot going on I just don't feel like talking about it in the free time I do have. And I am sorry if you don't understand that when I do have free time I don't want to spend it driving places to hang out when my bed calls my name and so do my PJ's. I'm sorry if you feel neglected, or rejected but I am trying to make a life for myself, and my son. I'm not rejecting you, I promise! Working from home doesn't mean I can have visitors and hangout sessions whenever I want either, because when I'm working I need to be focused, or it will take twice as long to get my normal work load done. I'm sorry if I can't come party it up, because I usually drag myself to bed by 11PM...sometimes midnight. I'm sorry if I can't hang out whenever you want to, or go do things like I used to. I'm glad you have the time and can go out and enjoy yourself in the evenings! But most likely, I'm still working.


I know a lot of people who work from home have these issues, and I hope that this makes you feel like you aren't alone! Owning your own business and working from home is an awesome thing! There just needs to be some awareness for people who do not have their own business,or even work from home and those who don't see just how much effort and time is put into it. It's stressful and time consuming. It may not be for everyone, but I know that I have made the right choice by doing this and I hope everyone in my life understands that I'm not snubbing them, I'm just busy. So let's make plans to see each other and visit. Just don't get upset if you ask me to hangout out of the blue, and I can't. My schedule isn't super flexible, and I am sorry for that.