I've been remote for 2 years now and honestly sometimes I feel guilty that I'm right there but still can't stop for an hour to hang out with my kids. My 6 year old doesn't understand why daddy's in the office with the door closed when he's literally 20 feet away. Anyone else deal with this? I try to take lunch with them but work always creeps back in. How do you guys set boundaries?
Man I feel this so hard. Being in the same house but mentally at work is its own kind of torture. The guilt is real even though you know logically you're providing for them. I've started being super intentional about closing the laptop at 5 and doing something with my kids for like 30 mins before dinner, helps me shake the work headspace.
I get what you're saying but try flipping the script - your kids benefit from seeing their dad work hard and care about his job. The guilt might actually mean you care enough to make the time outside work count. Quality over proximity.
This is something I struggled with too when I first went remote. The key is setting actual boundaries with your work hours and then being fully present when you're not working. Your kids will remember that you were there, even if you couldn't play 24/7.
The guilt is real but you gotta flip the script. You're HOME. That's the privilege. Yeah you have work stuff to do but you're not missing the everyday moments. I'd kill to be remote instead of commuting an hour each way. What specifically makes you feel guilty?
Two years remote here too and honestly the school run twice a day actually helps. Gets me OUT of the house and resets my brain. Maybe mixing in some out-of-house activities would help break that guilty feeling?
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Man, I feel this so hard. I'm remote too and my brain keeps telling me I should be doing more even though I'm literally available. Like I'll be in the kitchen making lunch and feel bad that I'm not actively playing with my son at that exact moment. It's weird being present but feeling absent somehow.