Do you bring work home with you?
When I was young, I remember asking my dad why he didn’t have a briefcase.
He replied, “Because it’s for bringing work home.” That was good enough for me, even though my idea of someone going to work still inluded a briefcase.
Several years later, I was working, and, found myself with a briefcase.
Before I had children, I would bring work home with me sometimes, in order to keep from having to stay late or go to work over the weekend. But, after I had kids, it was all I could do to actually go to work, much less bring it home with me.
Over the years, I have brought work home off and on, and, while I firmly believe I’m going to do it after the kids go to bed, the bag usually never makes it out of the car.
Even if I feel like doing it, I know that family time is more important. Besides, the odds of anyone actually letting me complete anything related to work (like this post), or, even complete a thought are not good at all.
Not good, not good a
Tags: bringing-work-home, Career and KidsRelated Stories
POSTED IN: Career and Kids, Managing Work
9 opinions for Do you bring work home with you?
linda
Feb 24, 2007 at 7:12 pm
I’ve brought work home twice since J.J. was born. I left my briefcase in the car, with the intention of going out to get it when things settled down. The briefcase never made it in the house.
Mike
Feb 24, 2007 at 8:18 pm
I never bring work home. Which is funny because I’m taking a break from working on an overtime project at home right now. I had another overtime project that I did in December and I can’t remember the time before that. Probably a couple years or so.
Hsien Lei
Feb 25, 2007 at 2:21 am
My husband hardly ever brings work home but he ends up staying at the office really late. :(
SciMom
Feb 25, 2007 at 6:40 am
I’m in academic research and I always bring work home. If I didn’t (papers to read, lab books to catch up in), I’d be at work all the time! I don’t take it out until long after the kids are in bed. However, since I have had the two toddlers, there are nights when I have just enough energy to get done what needs to be done for the next day, family-wise! Love this blog.
R*belle
Feb 25, 2007 at 8:14 am
I honestly get more done if I work late, but I don’t really like to do that. I can honestly say that I bring work home every night and it RARELY makes it out of the car. I will work after the kids go to bed if I have a deadline, but usually only a deadline will force me off the sofa to go get the bag.
I can honestly say that I check my work email every night and send out some emails for work that needs to be done the next morning before I come in.
Jill
Feb 25, 2007 at 8:41 am
I have two folders and a binder sitting on the passenger seat of my car. Instead, here I am reading blogs, playing play doh with my son and drinking coffee. Baahh to bringing work home!!!
Career and Kids » How Not to Take Work Home With You
Feb 26, 2007 at 3:18 pm
[…] In the spirit of our discussion of Do you take work home with you? ,and, Transitioning Between Work Time and Family Time, Jay, at Dumb Little Man offers tips for How to Leave Work at Work. […]
JayMonster
Feb 27, 2007 at 6:08 am
I am a consultant, and basically have no choice but to bring work home with me. Both my own bookkeeping and at times client work.
Typically though when I do bring client work home, it is so I can get out of the office earlier, spend time with my daughter, and then get some work done after she goes to sleep. Otherwise, I wind up working late, and then by the time I get home she is already in bed. My time is “free” but not as “family productive.”
Now the bright side of working in the computer field is that I can work from home as easily as I can work from the office. The downside is… well that I can work from home as easily as I work from the office, and there is no escaping it… sickness, snow, whatever, I still have the “ability” to work.
Nicole
Feb 27, 2007 at 7:02 am
Like you, before kids, I would bring work home from time to time to stay caught up. Now? Never. The rare exception is the unfortunate mass mailing, when all I have to do is fold, stuff and lick — and that’s only while I’m watching TV after my daughter’s in bed.
However, I do still occasionally lust over cute leather tote bags.
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