The traditional "daily commute" of leaving home, travelling to a place of work and returning home in the evening is carried out by millions of us.This mixes with the life cycle of our families, spouse's job, children's school etc.
Should one cycle change, for instance as in some sales jobs, to a weekly cycle; out Monday, back Friday, this imposes changes to the spouse's life in having to assume more responsibility for every day decisions. With the advent of better telecommunications this is getting less problematical compared with 30 years ago!
With jobs such as on oil rigs or in export sales, the cycle becomes even more at odds with that of a family. The primary income earner may be away from the home for extended periods of weeks or even months. The prime example of this is the forces.These cases impose a much greater change of discipline on the family with the spouse and children forming a separate grouping into which the returning income earner (mother or father) has to adjust and fit. In a 6 week cycle such on oil rigs or on safety ships it can take 2 weeks to readjust, 2 weeks being part of the family group and then 2 weeks preparing to leave. Then the spouse and children return to deciding questions amongst themselves. This can lead to stress when the other spouse, on return, can be thought to be "muscling in". The advent of satellite comms. from even battlefronts has helped reduce this problem!
In the case of export sales trips, which can take a number of weeks, we have the case of the dreaded "neighbours' holiday films".You are advised not to take a camera as your trip is not a family holiday and he family is not really interested, having been living their own life cycles in your absence and then readjusting to your presence on your return.
The point of these observations is to show that any change of means of earning a living can mean a change of lifestyle, even when "working from home on the internet" .Effectively you have to live the job!
In support of working from home though I would say from personal experience with my grandchildren that being able to see the joy of children in the first 4 years of school in the morning is worth the effort; sadly something daily commuters miss!
In support of working from home though I would say from personal experience with my grandchildren that being able to see the joy of children in the first 4 years of school in the morning is worth the effort; sadly something daily commuters miss!
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