People are generally tempted to start working from home by the lure of being their own boss. When they actually start the business, they get weighed down with daily activities and business responsibilities.
Initially, most small business owners feel that working from home is easy; it certainly can be, if managed well. However, mismanagement can cause unwanted stress and loss of focus, resulting in lost productivity.
To help you decide if working from home is right for you, I've compiled this hand-checklist for you to use.
- Guidance and camaraderie- Do you need constant guidance and regular feedback to work productively? Are you easily distracted and hate working alone? Do you love working in well-structured offices? If the answer to these questions is yes, then you may not be cut out for working from home.
Most social butterflies can't work alone because they need more structure and the presence of other people to boost their performance.
- Child matters- If you have a small child who needs constant attention, then working from home may sound right for you. For most working parents, eliminating child care expenses is motivation enough.However, you should keep in mind that it is not easy to juggle work and home in the same environment. You need a lot of patience and discipline to manage both well.
- What is the nature of your job? If you are a technician or cashier then working from home might be impossible; but if you are into public relations or sales then you can probably work at home without negatively impacting your career. An increasing number of companies offer the ‘work from home' facility to their employees.
- Are you disciplined and goal-oriented? If you can work without guidance, are self-motivated and can direct yourself, then you can probably work from home and complete your duties efficiently.Working from home isn't for everyone. Consider the above points to decide if it is right for you.
