Wednesday, May 27, 2009

Work blurring with home

A short opinion piece in the paper struck a nerve today: (Jim Shea/Hartford Courant - "What a way to make a living") - with a description of something like "work-creep." He described that because technologically we can work at home, pretty soon there's an expectation that we are doing so pretty much all the time (checking e-mail, doing reports, doing work-related research . . . ). I had a list of work-related things I thought I would tackle over the long weekend, but didn't - instead, I experimented with my new camera, discovered and read new blogs, helped Peter get off to Philosophy Camp, then rushed my grown-up-kid Ben off to the urgent care after he got a deer-tick bite that was getting infected (bulls-eye rash, etc.). He should be fine, but I flipped instantly back into Full-Scale-Mom.

And this coming week, there won't be much unbroken project time at work, as we are doing three days of training. Also, I'm now working in a cubicle for the summer, with the buzz and rustle of others in motion around me (chatting, strolling past to visit the bathroom), which makes it hard to do concentrated work.

The columnist said we used to use the word "workaholic" - but now, he said, the behavior is admired. Is it? What changed? Why am I faintly guilty all of the time that I'm not doing "something productive" e.g. work-related?

In spite of the guilt, after doing the mom thing, I made it to my nearby public wild place, the Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden and Bird Sanctuary. New camera: not so good at scenery (I revisited the reviews and found this was clearly stated), but nice quick, close-up pics of flowers. Also very nice to have something in my pocket. (Click to enlarge - REALLY large - I'll size them down in the future.)

7 comments:

Minka said...

This work thing is true, I guess. Feeling guilty. And we, teachers, are even supposed to be worse in a way, since we have a long summer break.
How much do we work? Define work.

Don't size them down too much. This is just fine.

ellen abbott said...

Isn't that what we do? Before we had jobs outside the home we worked all the time every day. That's what you did to survive.

mel said...

I think its endemic in North American culture...this whole *work more* philosophy...I'm more inclined to strive to *work* less and see people who have mastered that delightful balance as those who have achieved great things rather than those who slog away at 80 hour weeks....

and yes, the pics are lovely just the way they are...

Minka said...

I think a 42 hour week should do to live a decent life. I'm afraid it doesn't work for everyone.

Mary Ellen said...

Well, I'm trying to do some mixing - some work at home, and some play at work! (Time to go home and feed the dog now. . . )

Anonymous said...

I found you through Ruth at Synchronizing, and have so enjoyed roaming your site. I'm just a year into blogging myself, and at 62, share some of your perspective on things.

I laughed and smiled my way through this post - for a glimpse into my work, you might enjoy my recent post entitled "Perspiration and Inspiration".

I'm really looking forward to more reading here - but first, I have some word to do!

Mary Ellen said...

Welcome, shoreacres! I've taken a peek at your blog - intriguing!