My Father-in-law called me the other day at 10:30 AM. He wanted me to tell him how much an antique salt shaker was selling for on eBay. He explained he would have called my husband but he was at work. Hello.
Training people to treat your work at home job like a job is a huge challenge. There is an assumption that working from home means you can drop everything to go to the movies or shop eBay at a moments notice. Sure I suppose not answering the phone would be a solution but there is always a chance the call is an emergency. I'm a worst-case scenario kind of girl.
I make a point of talking about my work day to family and friends. I talk about my routine and how I get dressed for work each day and how the dogs and I proceed to my office. The kitchen is off-limits during work hours and I also stay out of my bed room and living room.
Part of winning the 'yes, I'm really working" challenge is letting everyone know I treat my job as a job and not some sort of professional snow day.