The morning started like any other when working at home. Sophie, our new little puppy, cries from her crate. It’s time to get up. Making my way to the kitchen, Sophie is hot on my heels. She is anxious to get to the piddle pad, get a drink of water, and return to bed for another snooze. I, on the other hand, start the morning with coffee first. Next, I head to the office to turn on the computer and return to get dressed.
Nothing was odd about this morning at all. Actually, I was thankful for the early-morning wake-up call. I had a complete list of things to get done that day, working at home. There was no time to waste watching Perry Mason on TV. There were many training videos to watch that day.
I dove into my first project of the day, checking email, answering customer questions, and processing eBay sales. The auto transport business had been slow. Now, all of a sudden, business had picked up, making changes to the scheduled tasks necessary. The phone started ringing. Customers requesting help getting their vehicles moved across the country poured in.
It was time for a quick breakfast break, another cup of coffee, and Sophie’s morning romp in the yard. A few minutes later, she bounded into the office, full of vim and vigor as she does every morning. Wet little paws left prints on my newly washed jeans. You have to love the way she shows her love, right?
As I took the last sip of morning coffee, Sophie sat up, giving me that I’m sorry look. She was lying on the floor beside me, chewing on her bone. It had been a tranquil morning working at home with her by my side. Usually, she was intensely racing through the house (which, by the way, is hysterically funny to watch). Invited to come up onto my lap, Sophie just sat there, seeming to be unable to move. As I reached down to pet her, she licked my hand as she always does…but she didn’t budge an inch.
Then I saw what was wrong: her right hind leg had unusual bumps, and she was sitting in an odd position. Getting up to leave the room, Sophie tried unsuccessfully to follow me. She couldn’t put any weight on her leg. As I began to examine her, there was not one cry, whimper, or wince. There was no doubt that a trip to the vet was next on my to-do list.
That day, we spent all day at various vets and hospitals. My work-at-home schedule was put on hold as we shifted to the immediate needs of our puppy. That change in plans meant 9 hours out of the office, away from the tasks on my to-do list. The beauty of working from home is that you can be flexible when you need to be. Those change of plans means picking up where you left off once you take care of the family emergency.
The best part of not working an 8-5 job is that I’m in control of my time. Suppose I need to take care of a family business, I do it. There is no asking permission to leave, no being written up for keeping my priorities straight.
Wouldn’t you like to be more flexible, enjoy your morning coffee, and work at home, too? If you have been looking for a way to work from home but don’t know where to start, let’s talk. Leave a comment below or send me a message.