Should You Work from Home?

Are you currently employed outside of the home?  If you are, do you regularly find yourself frustrated with the daily commute to and from work?  Do you regularly find yourself fed up with workplace gossip or antics that may go on at your company workplace?  If you do, have you ever considered working from home?  If working from home is something that you have considered, you should know that you are not alone.  Wanting to work from home is a dream that many have, but is that dream one that could become a reality or should it become a reality for you?

When it comes to working from home, there are many individuals who have a misconception.  Yes, working from home can involve working from home in your “down,” clothes, but there is much more to working from home than comfort. Before you automatically decide to ask your current employer about working from home or quit your job so that you can work from home, you will want to continue reading on.

One of the hardest parts about working from home is finding a work-at-home job or a work-at-home opportunity. Unfortunately, this is where many individuals make costly mistakes.  Many mistakenly quit their jobs with the belief that it would be relatively easy for them to find a paid work-at-home job or a paid work-at-home opportunity. As previously stated, working from home is something that is rapidly increasing in popularity. What does this mean for you?  It means that it can be difficult for you to find a legitimate work-at-home job or work-at-home opportunity, as there is a lot of competition for doing so.

A limited number of jobs is why it is advised that you do not terminate your current position with your employer until you have a steady work-at-home job or work-at-home opportunity lined up. This will prevent you from suffering from financial difficulties, should you be unable to find a work-at-home job or work-at-home opportunity that pays.  The good news about this approach is that the internet enables you to research and apply for work-at-home jobs and work-at-home opportunities at just about any point in time, including in the evenings or on the weekends.  You may also want to consider asking your current employer if you are able to work from home.  This will all depend on the preference of your employer, as well as your work duties.

Although there are a number of different ways that you can go about finding work-at-home jobs or work-at-home opportunities, it is important to remember that working from home isn’t right for everyone.  One of the many factors that you will want to take into consideration is your ability to follow a schedule or have your project submitted by a deadline without constant monitoring from your supervisor.  Working from home is nice, but it essentially becomes your own responsibility to stay focused and stay on task. For that reason, if you regularly find yourself distracted at home, working from home may not be right for you.

Another one of the many factors that you will want to take into consideration, when looking to work from home is the startup costs. These startup costs will all depend on which work-at-home opportunity you decide to take. For instance, if you choose to start your own business, you will find that your startup costs will be higher than if you were a home based worker for another company.  Of course, it is important to make sure that you do have all needed equipment pieces.  These pieces may include a computer, internet access, a second dedicated phone line, a fax machine, or a copy machine.  The good news is that you may already have all or most of these items inside your home.

Additional factors that you will want to take into consideration include health insurance, as most home based workers are not covered with medical insurance, and childcare, if you are a parent.  A close examination should help you determine whether or not working from home is best for you.  
