Professional vs Personal: A Tale of Dueling Personalities

It's as if I'm flipping a switch.

Once I walk into work I am no longer me. Instead I become a deadline driven, no nonsense working girl. I become this tense mess who worries whether or not items I asked for the previous day have been delivered or if I will need to harass someone until I get the said items.

But once I walk out those doors, turn on my car and begin driving home, I return to my easy going, laugh-it-off self.

Why is it, that I can be so assertive, driven and intrepid at work and yet avoid confrontation and slack off in my personal life?

Example: I recently got new neighbors (renters to be exact) who would let their dog poop all behind my fence and on the side of my home but never near theirs. This irritated and disgusted me so you know what I did? I wrote them a note. And one day, I made a special trip home at lunch so I could tape the note to their door. I couldn't do it in the morning or after work, they might catch me and I although I'm not afraid to let you know what I'm thinking, I would just sometimes, most times, rather not.

But at work, you ask me and I'll tell you exactly what I'm thinking and I don't think twice about it.

In my personal life if things happen, great! If not, no biggie. At work if things happen it's because they're supposed to and if they don't, there's hell to pay.

Maybe you need that balance. Maybe if you were a go-getter 24/7 you'd have a heart attack at a young age and be on blood pressure medicine by the age of 28. Or maybe some of us are just more confident in our professional lives than we are in our personal lives?