Working From Home Successfully

Joe Weinlick
Posted by in Career Advice


People who work at home cite better hours, less time preparing for the job, more time to spend with family and autonomy as reasons for loving the concept of a home office. Although millions of American workers have embraced telecommuting, you still need a plan to make the situation successful.

Be prepared to buy your own equipment in the beginning. If you work at home, you get to choose your own computer, smartphone and mobile devices. Some companies may reimburse your expenses. Others may prefer you use these home office purchases as a tax write-off at the end of the year. Make sure the initial expense is worth it. Buy extra equipment as backups in case one fails. Get two computers, two tablets, two cellphones and have a backup Internet connection ready. When you have a home Internet connection, invest in a mobile hotspot that plugs into your computer should your home connection go out for whatever reason.

When you decide to spruce up your work space, do it the way you want it. Paint the room in your favorite color, hang photos of your family vacation on the wall, and keep your college diplomas as a backdrop for your computer's video camera. Get the computer desk and ergonomic chair you have always wanted. Upgrade your 3-year-old laptop to the newest version. Go all out when you work at home.

Dress the part, at least a little bit. You do not have to be business formal all of the time with a tie or pantsuit. However, you should probably dress a bit more formally than your pajamas when you show up for work at home. Shower, shave, put your makeup on and do all of the normal morning routine to get your mindset ready for the task at hand.

Do not spend all day chained to the desk. Having the freedom to walk around your neighborhood for 15 minutes at lunch is part of the reason why you decided to work at home in the first place. Exercise helps your brain and your body, so get out and enjoy your day as a reward for a hard morning on the job.

Between 20 to 30 million Americans worked from home at least one day per week in 2012, and at least 24 percent of workers did some of their jobs at home. As many as 52 million people had positions compatible with telecommuting thanks to connected devices and wireless technology. A study done in 2013 touts at least one in five Americans in the labor force do some work from inside their homes, and that number should increase to 63 percent by 2018.

People who work at home do so with the best intentions. Keep your office space enjoyable yet job-friendly to get the most out of the experience. The possibilities are endless if you love making money on your own terms in your own space.

 

Photo courtesy of patrisyu at FreeDigitalPhotos.net


 

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  • Nancy Anderson
    Nancy Anderson

    @Nancy you are right in that there are many scams out there. But there are tons of legitimate ones, too. I work from home and love it. You just have to make sure that you read the job posting all the way through. Look around on the Internet and see if others have tried working for the company and see what they think. Try different sites to find out if it's a scam. Never pay a company to get their packet of information or anything else. If you have to pay, then I would say RUN! But, on the other hand, read what @Ronald had to say. It is not for everyone. It is hard working in isolation and it is hard to limit your day to only 8 hours because it's sitting right there - you can see it! That is the hardest thing for me - to walk away from it knowing that I still have work but tomorrow is another day. So just keep looking - WFH jobs are out there - I promise. I am living proof.

  • Ronald D.
    Ronald D.

    I have worked for two companies from the friendly confines of my home and as Nancy stated, it is not for everybody. I had a pleasant experience and decided to leave it after my Mother fell ill and eventually passed away. You have to be prepared, always be available when you're called from the parent company, make sure your work is correct and you will have no problems. I found myself working more than an eight hour day. There is just something about seeing your equipment sitting there and you feel compelled to get on it. Close your office door after you sign off!

  • Nancy K.
    Nancy K.

    Have heard nothing but bad about work from home scams (most of them anyway). Only legit opportunities I've heard about are Amway, Avon. Received opportunities that are obvious scams if you think about it for a minute, i.e., taking things sent to your home, and shipping off to other addresses.

  • Nancy Anderson
    Nancy Anderson

    There are many sites out there that offer freelancing positions - including Beyond. Just remember, as you are looking, that working from home is not for everyone and, if you are a freelancer, more than likely you will receive straight pay which means that you are responsible for your own taxes. Just keep this in mind as you are looking. Thanks @S Hamilton for the websites.

  • Alain R.
    Alain R.

    Is it possible to work at home when you are connected even out side America?I would like if get a kind of job

  • S Hamilton
    S Hamilton

    Depending on your freelancing skills, try these: Thumbtack.com, fieldsolutions.com, fieldnation.com, workmarket.com, and guru.com.

  • Lisa schaufelberger
    Lisa schaufelberger

    Wheres legitimate ones

  • ashley a.
    ashley a.

    hello there, do you happen to know any freelancing websites?

  • Nancy Anderson
    Nancy Anderson

    @Tabatha you don't have to work for yourself when working from home. Check out some freelancing sites and see if you can get work that way. If you really want to start your own business, figure out what it is that you want to do and see if you can possibly get a small business loan to get started. Starting your own business is very risky though. You really have to do your due diligence. But working from home for someone else - that's the way to do it. All the best to you.

  • tabatha l.
    tabatha l.

    I'd love to work from home but don't have the money to start it up....how can I get started with no money

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