It is not unusual to find those who are discontented with their full time day job to think that a work from home business would be the answer to their prayers. It is often the first sign of “the grass is always greener” syndrome and often those who have this dream have no idea what it entails to take on a work from home business.From my own experience there are many things we take for granted when we “go to work” each day to a job outside the home.
Routine is very important to most people. We work more efficiently when we have a routine or a time table to work to. Often this imposed on us by those in management positions and all we have to do is get on with the job in hand. If you have a work from home businessit will be up to you to either set that routine/timetable or be incredibly self motivated to get the work completed. Distractions in the home arena can make this very difficult, especially for those of us who are prone to being easily distracted.
Salaried jobs may have many negative aspects for most of us, but the security of a set amount of money going into your bank account at the end of each month is very appealing. With your work from home business, certainly in the early days, you have to be prepared to either make very little money for all your efforts or be prepared to reinvest what money you do make back into your business.
Community is a much underrated aspect of the “day job”. Even though there may be people in your place of work that you don’t get on too well with, the group of people you work with on a daily basis do become your community. They are the ones who you talk to everyday and discuss things with over a cup of coffee. When you have a work from home business the chances are you will initially be working alone and that community is no longer there for you. It can be a very lonely and the days will seem long, so you need to be prepared for that.
So what are the advantages of a work from home business??
Although routine may be an important aspect of your daily work, if you are serious about a work from home business then you will find a way to make it work. It may be that you like to work flexible hours instead of the 9 - 5 variety. Some people work from 7 am to 12 noon then have the afternoon off to be with the family or meet friends and then maybe work for another 2 to 3 hours in the evening when the children are in bed. Many people find this flexibility alone is enough of a perk to make having a work from home business a worthwhile lifestyle choice.
Because most of us are cautious and like to feel financially secure, the salaried job has its appeal. However the problem with a salaried job is that no matter how hard you work you won’t earn any more money. You may not even get that promotion you were working so hard to achieve. When you have a work from home business you have more control over the amount of money you earn. You are the boss and you can decide how many hours you put in and how much you want to reinvest to grow your business. Once your business is well established the time you devote to it will be well rewarded
As I said earlier community is a much underrated aspect of the work environment. However what most people don’t realize is that in the majority of work from home businessesa community is built in a completely different way. Your community will be the business contacts you make and most importantly your customers. You will also find that you make connections with like minded people who are doing similar work to you and support groups are set up by doing just that. Not only that but you will be in a position to build community outside of the work from home business. In your afternoons off, or in fact anytime of the day you choose, you can join clubs and get involved in other activities that will in turn create a community of friends who share your interests
So on balance, although initially it may appear that the work from home business opportunity may have its negative aspects, every single one can be turned into positive that will enhance your life in more ways than you can could imagine, and maybe on this occasion you will discover that grass actually is a greener on the other side of the fence.
Janet Matthews
