“I work from home.”  Most people really like the sound of that, but after living the “dream” for over 10 years, I can tell you that there is definitely a dark side.  Most people probably picture me drinking wine, smoking dope and cheerfully splattering paint around my studio.  I might be listening to some classic rock while I work and taking frequent naps as desired.  They might assume I only work a few hours here and there and that I can go on vacation anytime I want to and just leave it all behind.  I am an artist, so people are always nice to me too.

The fantasy above could not be farther from the truth.  The fact is that this “working from home” career has been the absolute most challenging and stressful job I have ever had.  There are things about it that I absolutely love and wouldn’t trade…