Working From Home

I have been contemplating working from home full-time due to illness issues. Obviously, one of those issues is IBS. I believe that it could relieve a lot of the stress that long commutes, meetings and different environments cause and that this may contribute in a positive way to my life and personal happiness.

Working from home will also help me to manage my illness more effectively and actively. While all of these things fall into the ‘PROS’ column of the proverbial pros and cons, the ‘CONS’ are scaring the bejesus out of me.

Weighing the pros and cons of working from home

ISOLATION…is what I fear. I have seen better people than me driven insane by the ‘work from home’ scenario. While some people absolutely love it, many just simply can’t do it. I am afraid that I may be one of the types that may struggle immensely, but I believe if a game plan is put in place, that it may work for me. If I can make it work, my ability to enjoy my life may benefit.

I have a really, really good role model for the ‘work from home’ experience. My brother. My brother is one of the most laid back, moderately tempered individuals that you may ever meet. Nothing seems to bother him. He doesn’t mind sitting with his laptop, writing, for hours on end and then moving on to something else. When I asked him about it, I was expecting him to say that it was great, or easy, but he didn’t.

Creating a routine for IBS and work

He explained the obvious benefits and the drawbacks that I had already considered but said that he didn’t think it would be possible for someone to do it healthfully without a relatively strict routine or regimen. Well, see, this is where he beats me by a mile. Everything is like clockwork with him, while I am more of a fly by the seat of my pants (with pants on fire) type. ;-) He said I should start with a daily schedule and go from there, making small adjustments to the routine when things started getting stale. He also mentioned the key was getting outside as often as possible, even if that was for a few minutes during breaks or lunch (depending on the job and the flexibility offered.)

The best suggestion was creating the home office space. He suggested making it look different from the rest of the house. Different paint, art, knickknacks, scents and the like. I hadn’t really thought of this. I just thought my workspace should be as close to the bathroom as possible. LOL! 

I have been told on more than one occasion that more structure should be incorporated into my life to help me manage my illnesses. I think that I am going to look at this as a positive challenge to actually stick to a routine for the sake of my wellness. I will report back and let you know how it goes and what other things might make the working from home experience easier.