A Home Based Entrepreneur's Look at the "3-Second Commute"

I know I'm fortunate to be able to work from home. One of the things my friends envy most is that my "commute" is often a short 3-second walk to my home office.

What they don't know, though, is that it's not always so easy to get to work. Yes, my home is my office and yes, it's convenient. However, the opposite also holds true: my office is my home, too, and that means on sometimes household tasks take priority. Take this recent example:

5:15am: The alarm clock buzzes and the soothing sounds of a jolly, bass voice singing happy folk tunes awakens me.

5:15:01am: I slam my fist down on the snooze button.

5:30am: I drag myself out of bed and get ready to go to the gym for my morning workout. It's the only time I can do it. If I leave it until 'after work', I find lots of creative excuses not to go... and I certainly can't do it during the workday, because, well, there are those people called 'customers' that I need to take care of.

6:00-7:30am: Exercise. In the change room, I try to block out the high-pitched giggling of the teenaged girls' swim team. I'm not a morning person! On the good side, I'm now fully awake.

7:45am: I'm home. I have 15 minutes to grab a quick bite before I have to walk the excited dogs.

7:46am: The cat decides it's time to throw up. She only likes to throw up when I'm there to see her; that way she can demonstrate her amazing ability to back up 10 feet while disgorging the contents of her stomach. My husband rushes off to the office. I spend the next 20 minutes cleaning the carpet.

8:05am: The dogs are are doing the dreaded 'stare'. I'm late for their walk. I hustle them out the door for their morning playtime. Breakfast will have to wait.

9:00am: We're home, and all of us are tired. The cat has thrown up repeatedly while we were gone. I spend the next half hour cleaning. The cat purrs and meows, obviously feeling much better now that she's thrown up whatever was bothering her.

9:32am: As I finish up and throw some tissue into the toilet and flush, it starts to overflow at the same moment the phone rings. I'm in agony: should I attempt to stop the flooding toilet or go answer the phone?

9:32:08am: I do both - I rip the lid off the toilet tank, grab the slimy pump to stop the gushing water, then wrap my dirty hand in toilet paper and lunge for the phone. I only fall once. I manage to sound friendly and helpful on the phone, even though I'm dishevelled, tired, cranky, and wearing a toilet paper 'glove' -- which, by the way, now forms a lovely trail from the bathroom to the phone. Both of my cats are lying on their backs, gleefully shredding the paper.

9:43am: I get off the phone, shoo the cats away, remove the toilet paper trail and mop up the bathroom floor.

9:57am: Start work. Finally. My "3-second commute" ended up taking a few hours, but I'm just happy to be in the office!

Would I ever give up the sometimes hectic day of a home business for the the quiet and order of the corporate office? No... although I have to admit: there are days I wouldn't mind coming home at the same time as my husband -- and arguing about whose turn it is to clean up the cat barf.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Angela operates the Home Based Work website, which offers practical tips and articles for people seeking a way to work from home. Visit www.homebasedwork.com for more information, opportunities, and useful resources.