subject: Home office secrets revealed – 7 steps to success for home workers [print this page] Author: Duncan Rosslair Author: Duncan Rosslair
Leaving the rat race of the corporate commute sounds like a dream to many. Indeed, working from home offers many benefits in terms of freedom and lifestyle, but there are also many pitfalls to beware of. Getting it right to start with can save you a lot of headaches further down the line.
If you are considering working from home, there two basic questions you will need to ask youself. (1) How do I work from home, and (2) Who shall I work for (or, what work will I do?).
In this article I shall address both questions.
Firstly, letts look at the home office. Simple as it sounds, that is exactly what your workspace should be. Set aside a room and furnish it as you would an office in a corporate building.
Make sure your office does not "double up" as another room. A laptop in the corner of a bedroom wont work. You need to be disciplined and get into the mindset of working and you cannot do this efficiently with household clutter all around you.
Keep your office as free of distractions as possible. Make sure you have a PC, fax and telephone, neatly stacked office files and storage boxes. Executive toys and/or computer games are not required here!.
Get the fastest Internet connection you can afford. Since your work is likely to involve considerable time online, dont skimp on the technology you need. Would a hairdresser make do with a blunt pair of scissors?
Keep your home and work life separate. The use of a bespoke office room is perfect for this. Try to keep to regular hours to avoid burnout or demotivation.
Dont expect to make a fortune overnight. Early on your work may be patchy or irregular. It is important to keep focussed and to spend a part of the day looking for new work opportunities.
Take regular breaks. Take a lunch break and go for a walk. Exercise will clear you mind and refresh you for the next shift (even it is only involves looking for your next contract).
Make sure your household insurance covers all of the equipment necessary for your self-employment. Regarding tax, you may be able to claim for a portion of your utility bills, including gas, electric and telephone. In fact this is much easier to do if you have a bespoke office set up for work purposes.
Next, what type of work shall you do?
The list is almost limitless. All of the following work from home: copywriters, typists, authors, secretaries, programmers, web designers, database administrators, online marketers, and a thousand of other professionals.
When you are looking for work, be flexible. Dont fall into the trap of thinking along the lines of "all I can do is type". If you can type then you can probably collate reports and so on. Think creatively and dont box yourself in.
You might want to seek work from a blue-chip or Fortune 500 listed company. Its quite possible. Many large companies are happy to outsource work for economic reasons. Search websites and Internet forums, and dont forget freelance sites such as Elance. Make sure your resume is up to date and be prepared to show examples of your work. With a little luck and a lot of motivation you can earn a good living working from home.About the Author:
Duncan Rosslair writes about working from home for blue-chip and Fortune 500 companies www.mam-ltd.co.uk
