Are You Ready to Work at Home?
Consider These Factors Before You Quit Your Day Job and Don Your PJs
Working at home is not always all it's cracked up to be. Anyone COULD do it, but how do you know if you CAN do it? Do your homework (pun intended) and be sure.
Working at home sounds like a dream to people who haven't done it.
They might imagine slow sips of coffee, staying in bed until noon and working until 2 p.m. They might imagine having a ton of time at their disposal and being able to get everything done that they want to accomplish, without interruptions.
The reality, however, can be different.
Say you've decided it's time to change the message on your voice mail so it sounds more professional. That will be the exact moment your baby decides to giggle in that special way that's peculiar to a 6-month old. It's cute, but when you listen to the message, it sounds unprofessional.
You decide to try again, except this time the baby giggles and your husband is loading the diswasher, so there are clanking dishes added to the mix. When you listen to the message, it's quite obvious you're working from your house. Maybe you don't want your listeners to know that.
On the 14th try, you finally get a good recording because you've gone into the bedroom and closed the door, waited patiently for the dog to finish his barking spree and the child who barged in to leave the room.
Reality check!
Here are some things you'll need to consider before deciding to plunge into the work-at-home world.
Do You Have a Skill?This is important, because it determines the quality of the work you'll be able to occupy yourself with. If you've got computer skills, you could probably keep a regular job and telecommute most of the time by dialing into the company's network. But if you're a receptionist, you might have to be in the company's building to field visitors. If what you do is something that can be done almost anywhere, you're a good candidate for home work.
Can You Tolerate Interruptions?
For most people, home time is home time. They may not understand or may refuse to acknowledge that you're working when you're at home. People who wouldn't have dreamed of calling you at work will call you while you're working at home just to chit-chat or ask you to do errands because they think you have nothing better to do. It's impossible to unplug the phone if your work-at-home job is to talk on the phone, but you can choose not to answer if the caller ID shows the name of someone chatty. Or you can put a sign on your front door that says you're working if the door is closed.
Are You Self Directed?
If you need to be prodded into doing the bare minimum to get by, then working at home is not for you. Working at home requires outstanding time-management skills. The goal is to have more time for yourself, right? There is no boss standing over your shoulder, so it's up to you to make sure the work gets done. This is liberating for some people, but terrifying for others. If you're not sure where you fall on this spectrum, take a look at your old job evaluations.
Can You Make Money?You might dream of being a writer, but can you really make a living from it? You might take a telemarketing job, but have you ever sold anything? How much money will you make if you do make a sale or that article gets accepted? Some people work for love, but the overwhelming majority of us need the money. Be clear on how much money you'll be making, and how the time will be measured if you're on an hourly salary.
Is Your Home Ready?
If you hate your desk, get another one. If you need a new printer, splurge on it before quitting your day job. Do you need an office, or will a corner of the living room do? The decisions in this area are based upon personal taste and functionality. You will want to have the most functional workspace possible, in order to minimize distractions. If you tend to daydream when you look out the window, face your desk away from the window. Little things mean a lot when it comes to creating your own work space.
