Halloween is a perfect example of when the ability to telecommute helps a parent maintain work/life balance.

I have 2 small children in daycare. Telecommuting today allowed me to stop working at 10:30, be at the daycare for the halloween costume parade at 10:45, and be back home again by about 11:15. Not much time away from work, but being there was important for my kids and I have some photos that I’ll cherish forever.

If I’d had to drive back and forth to work today, I’d have either had to miss a *lot* more work, or miss the parade itself.

I was talking to another dad at the parade who told me he was “working from home” today. He did the air-quotes with his fingers, implying he wasn’t really working at all. I don’t understand this. Why do people think that the occasional telecommuting is an excuse to not work? It gives telecommuting a bad name and makes people think in general that if you’re telecommuting you’re not getting work done.

I think this is, in part, a corporate culture thing. For instance, I have a number of co-workers at my company who worked from home today with the full intention of ducking out to be involved in their kids’ school activities… and to leave work a bit early to get started on trick-or-treating before dark. But these people did work the majority of the day. I’ve been on phone meetings with them, so I know. Perhaps it just depends which company you work for and what your peers do?

So don’t be a sheep! If you tell your boss you’re “working from home” today, please do get your work done. Otherwise if you ever want to start telecommuting more frequently you may be surprised when your boss says no!

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