The Unstuck Woman

I remember a song from my youth called McArthur Park, something about leaving a cake out in the rain. I didn’t understand it then and I don’t understand it now. My point? That I wasn’t born yesterday, and yes, there are still things I don’t understand—perhaps never will.

One of those things is the expected time period for receiving and returning correspondence. In the days of my youth, before OS X, heck before computers even, I learned that the appropriate time period to return a letter (you remember something you mailed at the post office) was three to five days. Later, when I took a few business computer course early in my career, I learned if you responded to email and phone calls within 24 hours that was terrific. And if you couldn’t provide the information requested in that time period, a quick “Thanks for your email, I will get back to you on that” as an acknowledgement that you received the request and were working on an answer was a good idea.

But what about text messages and Instant Messages? Just the term “Instant Message” seems to imply you need to be instantaneous in your response. As I like to be thoughtful and accurate, instantaneous doesn’t always work and so I avoid the whole “IM” scene. That leaves text messages. I don’t often send text messages or reply to them because I don’t want people to think I “text” anymore then I “IM”. Why don’t I text? Because I can’t figure out the proper response time. Is it just a short email and the 24 hour rule applies? Is it more like an IM and thus an instantaneous reply is expected? Is it even appropriate to expect people you work with to use and reply to text messages?? So if someone sends me a text message to say they are going to be late for a conference call and I terminate the conference call after 10 minutes thinking they are a no show because I never saw the text message something like a tree falling in the woods with no one there to hear it?

What is the proper use of text messages in the work world? Is it an expectation for everyone?

What do you think??

A while ago, we worked on a project that required interviewing a variety of individuals that worked from home. Telecommuting is what some companies call it, although there really isn’t much commuting involved. Actually there is no commuting involved and that is one of the things people like about working from home, along with the flexibility, and fewer distractions. When asked what they found difficult about working from home the number one answer was the lack of adult interaction.

We too have found this to be a challenge. Even with the number of conference calls we participate in regularly, sometimes you just want a little face-to-face. I find myself running for the door when I hear the mail lady pull up with an absurd desire to find out how her day is going. I am now on a first name basis with the propane deliveryman, the UPS man, and the Fish and Game guy. In fact, thanks to him, I know more about salmon spawning then anyone really needs to know. It may come in handy though should I ever decide to go into wildlife management.

These little interludes break up my day and give me the occasional break. I also find myself calling friends and family for a little chat when I need a break and I am proud to say I haven’t missed an opportunity to personally wish each of them a happy birthday in the last year. In exchange, I don’t have anyone “just stopping by with a quick question about the ABC project” as I would in an office situation, nor do I get roped into yet another committee meeting on lunchroom policy. Yes I am occasionally desperate for a little conversation and have resorted to holding talking to the dogs- they are great with eye contact, but lacking on verbalization skills. The trade offs, making my own hours, taking projects that interest me, and yes, rolling out of bed five minutes before my first call, sometimes make me question whether I really want another “real job”.

So what do you do to appease the loneliness of working from home?

Tell us your story….