Work at Home Moms

Planning to work from Home

Everyone has to work but let’s face it, not everyone is suited to an eight-to-five office existence. In recent years, technologies such as computers, mobile phones, and the Internet have allowed more and more work to be done at home and practically anywhere. With the rise of the creative class, it’s easy to do knowledge work and data-intensive jobs such as marketing, customer relations, software development, design, writing, data processing, transcription, etc. at home.

A home-based career has become an attractive option for many, especially those with young children in need of full-time supervision. There are plenty of advantages, according to Homeworking.com. For one, you enjoy a flexible working schedule.

Not only do you get to pick when to begin and end your workday, you can even also choose how many hours to devote to your task each day. And it can leave you with more than enough time to devote to your family and loved ones. Working from home also cuts expenses down on such costs as transportation, lunch-outs, and office clothes.

Beyond time and cost savings, a home-based career offers freedom and independence. Many home-based jobs are on a per-project or consultancy basis. Others become self-run small- to medium-scale businesses. Because you are your own boss, you can manage your time to dive into a variety of work that interest you. In fact, you can potentially earn more as an independent contractor or self-employed business owner. For many, working from home improved their quality of life.

But before you trade in your daily commutes, Bundy clock-punching, and that little desk or cubicle in a crowded office for your own little executive nook at home, there are important things to consider:

Suitability of work. Some people jump into a home-based career without careful planning and end up realizing they miss working in a corporate setting or there are just not enough opportunities available. Assess the feasibility of a work-from-home setup for you. Take stock of your own work preferences and skills and the kind of opportunities available to freelancers or home-based entrepreneurs.

Home-based scams. Don’t be lured with promises of instant income just by stuffing envelopes or clicking online ads at home. Conduct a thorough background check of the individuals or firms you will be working with. Make sure they are reputable with a sound track record of paying compensation. Don’t fall victim to scam artists out to score some free labor.

Fixed, steady income. One of the greatest perils of a home-based career is the uncertainty of the next paycheck. Unlike full-time employees, the stream of outsourced tasks can sometimes be irregular and intermittent. This results in a seasonal flow of income that may find you in a bind against the regular string of bills and expenses. The best way to counter this is to find work that pays you a fixed monthly retainer that at least covers your overhead. And build long-term relationships with clients that can provide you with regular business.

Segregation of work and personal time. You may fall into one of two traps: working too much that your family time suffers (yes, it’s possible you’ll be working more, not less, at home) or your work suffers because your family demands more of your time. The antidote: set fixed hours for work and let everyone at home respect that, including you.

Procrastination. Without a rigid workday to adhere to, and in the absence of a superior to answer to, home-based jobs can fall victim to the habit of putting things off for tomorrow. With household distractions like chores, bills, child-rearing, and the like, your assignments could be shelved indefinitely until there is no more time to complete them, thereby letting slip the opportunity to earn. To avoid this, set up a system just like with any office-based worker: set deadlines, track your progress, and offer yourself a reward like an out-of-town trip (or impose a penalty, say, no TV for a week). Remember that with some basic research, honest soul-searching, common sense, proper planning, and time management, the choice to work from home can be a personally fulfilling and financially rewarding alternative.

source:www.moneysense.com.ph