Do you have a "Work You" vs. a "Home You"?

[SillyInScrubs]

Confession: At work, I sometimes spend a good portion of my shift making phone calls to doctors, respiratory therapists, pharmacists, lab technicians, patients' family members, etc. Occasionally, some of these people might yell at me or even hang up on me, causing me to have to call them back and fight with them for what my patients want/need. This doesn't really scare me anymore. But whenever I have to order takeout at home, I make someone else do it, because "I'm too shy".

At work, I scrub up every bodily fluid imaginable with a smile on my face, and then go to the break room and eat something that might even slightly resemble whatever was I was just cleaning, and I don't even give it a second thought. I go home and find some dog doo-doo on the floor, and suddenly I'm all, "Ew-ew-ew! I'm NOT touching that! I'll throw up!"

At work, I listen attentively and love hearing about my patients' stories and helping them sort through their feelings (I feel privileged to do so, even!). When I get home and log on Facebook and see a friend whining about something, or my roommate is in a bad mood (again...) I sometimes feel like I have no empathy for them. And I cross my fingers hoping they won't want to talk to me about it. (Burnout on my end, maybe? Or resentment towards them for being attention-seeking?)

I'm not looking for anyone to analyze my examples; I've done that already, but I think it would be fun to hear yours! Ready... GO!

[everthesame, LPN, LVN]

I work in corrections so yes my work self is different from my home self. Although sometimes my college age child would beg to differ, especially when I let her and her friends know they are being a little too rowdy.

I have to be very assertive at work. My home self is much more laid back.

[KneKno]

At work, I'm paid to be nice.

[That Guy, BSN, RN, EMT-B]

At work, I'm paid to be nice.

No freaking joke. At home I have no reservations about jumping down someones throat for wronging me. At work i just smile and let it go. Im not a confrontational person, I just like to be respected.

[MomRN0913]

At work, I had the patience of a saint. Which sometimes left me with none at home unfortunately.

I am very organized at work and anal. not at all at home. I am cluttered and more laid back.

[beckster_01, BSN, RN]

I wonder... if we got paid to be mean and messy at work, would we be nice and neat at home?

[virgo,student nurse, CNA]

Work: I' m on the phone all day, saying thank you,please call back,I appreciate it, okay feel better, no it's not a problem you called in. I get calls about all sorts of stupid issues I can't solve, then I have to to sit in class for 2 hrs,

Home: I don't want to hear the phone ring, I don't care what hurts make an appointment with the MD. If someone says something dumb, my mouth starts running about all the dumb stuff I had to listen to all day.I just want silence and a nice candle burning.

[Horseshoe, BSN, RN]

Of course everyone has their work persona and their personal persona. That would likely be the case regardless of whether one is a nurse or a banker or a teacher.

[MomRN0913]

i can stick people with needles all day long and draw their blood and start IV's.... When they drew blood on my then one year old in the lab I became extremely light-headed and though I was going to faint.

But that could just be a mom thing.