I’ve got my hands into a whole new lifestyle and rhythm. A few months ago, I was offered a chance to do some work for a local educational company called Wiseman that creates material for a mainly Asian market. I work with 2 programs called English Builder and Fun n’ Friends developing lessons for children between the ages of 6 and 18.
I’ve worked in out so that I do absolutely no face time in their offices, which would be over an hour one-way commute. I simply sit on my couch sipping tea while working on the computer.
Friends have commented that my stress levels have dropped dramatically compared to when I was teaching in the kindergartens. I choose my hours and work load, and simply have to notify the company regarding how much work I’ll be doing each week. Also, the pay is better than teaching and the work keeps my intellect much more active compared to the clowning I did in the kindergartens.
But working from home had a lot of initial challenges. It’s easy to procrastinate at home. I would fiddle around during the week and then realize that I should have at least some lessons plans done before Monday morning, which consequently negated time with Maeli and Aaron on the weekends.
I’ve made weekly goals for myself, which have been very effective. And I reward myself at the end of the week when my weekly quota is full.
Maeli is also much happier with a happier mother. When Maeli comes home from school, I close the computer and focus on her. And then when she goes out in the afternoon to play with friends, I dive back into work. It is also my new policy to close the computer when Maeli comes home in the evening. Before I made these personal self government policies, I would constantly be on the computer, checking emails and writing at various points. Now I have successfully sectioned my days and allocated time so that I’m not focused on work when I’m engaged in another activity.
I don’t know if I’ll ever take a job away from home again. I’m finding life rather ideal at the moment.
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