| p>The scene is all-too-familiar. Once again, you find | | | | home can benefit your company. Is office space |
| yourself rushing around the house, throwing lunches in | | | | cramped at work? Suggest that working at home |
| bags and ordering the kids to hurry up and get in the | | | | saves the company money. Is your workflow |
| car. You have to deliver them to school or daycare, | | | | constantly interrupted by coworkers? Suggest that |
| and then get yourself to work on time. You long for | | | | you'd be more productive if you worked outside the |
| flexible hours and time to spend with your family. You | | | | office. Write a proposal that states clearly how the |
| want discover what it's like to not be sleep-deprived. | | | | company can benefit by offering telecommuting |
| You dream of someday working from home, but you | | | | options. Then present your proposal to your boss. If |
| don't know how or when to begin. | | | | the concept is new to the company and/or your boss |
| Don't despair. There are many ways to transition from | | | | is reluctant to try something new, suggest a trial period. |
| working in someone else's office to working from | | | | I convinced my supervisor to let me work at home |
| home. It's even possible to begin working from home | | | | one day per week for a three-month trial. I told her |
| without quitting your current job. In this article I discuss | | | | that I would get more done if I could work |
| things to consider before you act and ways to | | | | uninterrupted by my coworkers. After the company |
| transform your dream into reality. | | | | saw results and knew they could trust me, I gradually |
| Four Things to Consider | | | | increased my time at home until I was only going into |
| 1. Do you like - or at least tolerate - your job? If your | | | | the office one day per week. And, two years later, |
| work is production-based (for example, you work on | | | | when I quit my job and started my own business, my |
| projects, data entry, or program development), you | | | | employer became my first client! |
| enjoy a minimum level of independence, and you aren't | | | | 2. Do you have an idea or passion for a home |
| often required to serve customers face-to-face, you | | | | business that is different from your current job? |
| may be able to perform at least some of your work | | | | Before you quit your job, negotiate to work part-time |
| by telecommuting - working from home for someone | | | | or job-share, and begin your business part-time from |
| else and communicating via Internet, fax, and/or | | | | home. It's smart to first make sure you can make ends |
| telephone. | | | | meet on a part-time salary while you're growing your |
| 2. Are you self-motivated, able to make a schedule | | | | business. |
| and stick to it? Do you have good time-management | | | | 3. Find a job with a company that offers |
| skills and enjoy working alone? Have you (or can you) | | | | telecommuting and online options. There are many |
| demonstrate these qualities to your boss? | | | | web sites that cater to those who have professional |
| Telecommuting requires that your employer trust you | | | | skills and who want to work from home. But be |
| to be honest, meet deadlines, and be productive. | | | | careful about work-at-home scams. It's best to find a |
| 3. Do you have space at home that you can dedicate | | | | company you'd like to work for and inquire about |
| to a home office? Depending on what you do, the | | | | telecommuting options. Performing a web search with |
| space itself doesn't need to be large - a corner of a | | | | the words "telecommute friendly companies" in the |
| room, a large closet, or room above the garage may | | | | search box will return the links to a number of |
| be sufficient. But you do need a place that is separate | | | | resources web sites. The list of such companies is |
| from the rest of family life. If you plan to telecommute, | | | | growing daily. With some persistence and patience you |
| your employer needs to trust that you will be able to | | | | can find what you want. |
| focus on your job. And if you plan to work for | | | | 4. Lastly, keep your full-time job and start a |
| yourself, it's even more important that you have a | | | | home-based business part-time during evenings or |
| place where you can concentrate. | | | | weekends. (This option requires a more energy, |
| 4. Do you have children? If so, it's important that you | | | | commitment, and family support. Make sure you have |
| have access to adequate childcare while you're | | | | the resources before you take this step.) Start small. |
| working, or are able to work around their sleep | | | | Decide ahead of time how much money you need to |
| schedules. A lot of parents think they'll be able to work | | | | make before cutting hours from your current job, or |
| while tending to a toddler. That illusion doesn't usually | | | | quitting altogether. |
| last for long. So plan ahead; make sure your children | | | | Next time you're feeling stressed about getting to |
| are taken care of so that you can work uninterrupted. | | | | work on time, remember that you have other options. |
| Four Plans of Action | | | | Think creatively and positively. And begin taking small |
| 1. Work part-time at home. Think about how working at | | | | steps towards your goal. |