I have an Etsy shop and work from home. Due to the size of my house, the sitting room is where I work. Husband also has his own business, and works from home part of most days. He uses the dining part of the kitchen/dining room. These two rooms are our only downstairs rooms, and it’s not that we don’t work tidily but both our jobs involve a lot of stuff. It’s fine, I manage, or I would but…
People just won’t leave me alone. Friends want to come round for coffee, or take me to fucking garden centres, or my mum wants to pop round’ although it will last three hours. It doesn’t matter if I say ‘not today, I’m really busy’, people just turn up, and if I ignore the front door, some just come round the back (where they can clearly see me). I can work while they’re there, although not brilliantly, because I’m really easily distracted, but some friends and my mum will start tidying me up, moving things from my desk etc, which means I’ll have to spend time finding things again. Another friend always wants to show me things on Tik tok or Instagram. Not just one video either. I really have tried explaining that I’m at work. I’ve lost my temper, I’ve cried, everyone seems to think I mean other people, not them. I lose so much time to this and no one takes any notice of me. Ive made mistakes because of distractions, and obviously they take time to rectify. I think it might be because they don’t take what I do seriously. I’ve worked really hard to get to this stage, but I’m only just getting close to the tax threshold.
Our children have just left home, but one is only working away, so needs to keep her room, and the others room was on the top floor, and I don’t really want to work up there. It’s hot and the light isn’t great. I don’t think I should have to move. The sitting room is light and airy, and suits me.
What can I do to make people respect my workspace and time? Preferably without upsetting anyone. If I worked in Sainsbury’s they wouldn’t fo it (I’ve tried explaining it like this).