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
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.
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.
My husband hardly ever brings work home but he ends up staying at the office really late.
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.
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.
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!!!
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.
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.