| With many companies offering employees a work/life | | | | moms seek positions that offer job flexibility and a |
| balance, the number of work at home moms continues | | | | work/life balance. When planning to be a home-based |
| to be on the rise. From flexible scheduling to part-time | | | | mom, find employers that allow flexible schedules and |
| employment, home-based moms have more choices | | | | sick/personal days. The optimal solution to this problem |
| to help contribute income to their families and maintain | | | | is to operate a home-based business or become a |
| professional skills. Proper planning, participation from all | | | | sole proprietor, however for some home-based moms; |
| family members and determination to be successful | | | | this is not always a viable option. |
| can help home-based moms maintain a productive, | | | | Between trying to balance a career and care for a |
| telecommuting work environment. | | | | family, home-based moms need to plan ahead and |
| Childcare is one of the biggest obstacles home-based | | | | apply for positions only suited to their needs. One of |
| moms face. Many positions, especially those requiring | | | | the best determining factors to see if a work at home |
| live voice contacts with customers or clients, require a | | | | job is possible requires totaling the current amount of |
| silent work environment. Childcare needs to be | | | | hours each week spent doing household tasks |
| arranged before the start of any telecommuting job. | | | | (cleaning, cooking, child-related activities). When finished, |
| Home-based moms can use resources like spouses, | | | | calculate how many additional hours can realistically be |
| parents and neighbors to help provide childcare. Seek | | | | devoted to working an at home job. This will give |
| neighbors with alternate schedules and offer to trade | | | | prospective work at home moms an idea of a realistic |
| childcare. This will help eliminate the cost of daycare | | | | schedule while helping them apply to positions with |
| and allow home-based moms to still be relatively close | | | | reasonable hours. Last, be sure to plan for |
| to their children. | | | | emergencies. Always allow at least five hours each |
| Job flexibility is often another concern with | | | | week to allow for unscheduled appointments, parent |
| home-based moms. From needing to tend to a sick | | | | conferences or other family-related issues. |
| child to planning for appointments, telecommuting | | | | |