Work-At-Home Tips From A Work-At-Home-Aholic
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I feel more motivated and enriched working from home and as a freelance worker than I ever did working for any company. But being a “work-at-home-aholic” is not always easy. Many people will say working from home is not like a career (read: working for a big company, paycheck every 2 weeks, dental plan and all). Well, nope, it isn’t like working for a big company, but it sure requires as much involvement and efforts, and it is a career. And sometimes I work for longer periods of time than I used to when I was at my 9-5 job (and it’s fine with me, love it).
How is it like to be a work-at-home-aholic?
Well, of course it’s fun, but how is it really like? First, to make sure there is no ambiguity here, to me, working from home means, working for yourself, and not for a company! A lot of people do work from home, but still for a company, which is way cool (hey you’re at your place, in the comfort of your home!) But to me working from home means working on my own projects, starting a new business, and working “on” my business as opposed to working “in” the business.
So how is it like? Here’s a quick list of the things I do in a day (no specific order, and I don’t do all this everyday, hey summer is here ya know):
Ok, so that’s about it, of course there’s a lot more stuff I could’ve put on that list, but you get the idea. This is how it’s like to be a “work-at-home-aholic”
Now, the tips and advices (and the warnings)
Many people working from home think it’s easy (It’s not! It’s fun, but definitely not “easy”!), but if you sit on your ass (sorry ’bout that!) and don’t get anything done, nothing is going to happen, except you’ll probably get a call from your bank and the lady will probably say something like “Hello mister, I’m calling you because it seems your last car payment…” you get the idea! You don’t want that! :)
Well the first and most important thing is to actually decide you wanna work from home, and know exactly what you’re getting into! This is the first step! Do not quit your day job and start working from home, or start your own business if you have no business plan, or if you don’t have anyone, any friend to help you out and support you.
Here are my advices. Some won’t agree, some will, some will share their own tips and advices (and I encourage you all to participate by adding your 2 cents! or more if you feel like it!)
Your Turn To Talk! ;)
What else should I add to this list? I’m really looking forward to hear (read) what you guyz and galz have to say, share your own tips and tricks, and advices. How was it like when you started working from home? What was the most difficult part? The easiest? Obstacles?
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28 Responses to “Work-At-Home Tips From A Work-At-Home-Aholic”
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You’re not really financially free until you can say you work from the comfort of your home and call your own shots.
Paul, your comment got caught by my spam filter, sorry ’bout that. But anyway, welcome to SWR! ;)
Totally agree with you, just have to keep in mind that you actually have to make money working from home hehe
One of the most important parts of my day is looking for like-minded people. Everywhere I go I try to meet the people that surround me. Building a network of contacts is important for any entrepreneur. You never know when you’ll meet your next business partner.
Andrew. I think you’re right on the money, networking is really important, never know, you might end up teaming up with someone and it could be the start of something big ;)
Jon… I actually find that getting out of the house and working in a cafe is helpful in eliminating distractions. No dishes, cleaning, fix-up jobs etc. Just my latte and me!
Dave, I totally agree with you, that is one of the reasons I’m often working late, so that I don’t get distracted, a café is fine too! :)
Caramel Macchiato for me please!
You made all good points mate, but the number one d0esnt agree wit me. I just cant work from home. I need to be in a work surrounding, working attire and listening to loud music in my Jeep Wrangler on way to office, having breakfast in office, these kind of things make me feel its a working day…lol.
I have the option to work from home, I tried and failed miserably. Even if I am in no mood to work, once in office, I will end up doing something, I do some of my blogging also from office.
The only stuff I can efficiently do from home is sleeping, eating, tv, crosswords and maybe even dream of replacing Google….lol. Amongst the top 100 sites, 18 belong to google, so I will end up dreaming of replacing one of those 18 he he.
Good post as usual.
Take care and cheers.
Hey buddy!
hehe, yeah I remember you told me that before, that you like to work at the office, and I can completely understand that, you bring good points to the table.
On my end, I just can’t stand having someone on my back, I’m so much more productive working from home, even if i get distracted, I get more done, than when I used to work for some company.
Well, in fact I do work for a company, I work for you guyz who comment, I work for my 250 rss subscribers, I work for google adsense too, and for my advertisers. ;)
I never cared for a business plan because I tend to micro-manage and get into the paralysis of analysis. that’s a pit fall of loving the process of starting your own gig.
I learned what worked for me was a good marketing plan and then a team of competent people that would help me. I would even take semi competent people if they were willing to learn. LOL.
Then I’m like you Jonathan, I would make my list of “must do’s” for every day, week and month. And put that plan into play.
Your advice to take a break from time to time is dead on the money! And if I were to add anything to this..I would advise folks to remove any “guilt” for taking that time for recharging.
It’s a must do! And as important as working your business!
Don
Hi Don, welcome to SWR, make yourself at home!
“marketing plan and then a team of competent people” - right on the money Don!
It’s true that a lot of work-at-home (aholics) feel that guilt when taking some time off, but you have to, there is a life outside that business, and for my part, I couldn’t write anything if i was doing “only” that.
“work-at-home-aholic”
I love this and plan on making it part of my daily vocabulary.
hehe, that will be $1 every time ;) (kidding)
Jonathan,
I like to live but the “working the business around my life” philosophy.
Of course we must have some structure to make it all work or else we need to go back to the corporate world.
But it’s cool to live your life on your own terms. I couldn’t have it any other way.
You’re absolutely right! We indeed need a structure, the reason the “corporate world” works is because it has that structure in place. You, your employer, the other employees, the cleaning guyz, the ccomputer repair dude, everybody knows exactly what to expect.
When you work from home, you’re all those people at the same time, hehe
At the moment I work from everywhere! I still have a full time job which like Robin I enjoy the social aspects and routines of. But I do want to work from home and through building this into a reality I seem to work pretty much everywhere, home, work, train. The thing is when you know what you’re aiming for and you’re passionate about acheiving your dreams, work is enjoyable. Well… kinda :-)
Daniel, I can totally relate to what you say - “you’re passionate about acheiving your dreams, work is enjoyable” , i really enjoy working, in fact I don’t mind working 16 hours a day, even 20 hours a day (on different things though) gotta love what you do ;)
I know what you mean. I work from home too. Sometimes it can be stressful and because you don’t have any social interation you can sometimes overwork yourself, i know it happens to me. I think the main thing is to enjoy what you do like you said and only then will you enjoy work from home
Hi Mike!
Exactly, if you don’t enjoy what you do there is no point in doing it, unless you’re stuck and “have” to do it, I don’t really need motivation or anything, I enjoy it, and that’s enough, that’s what I need, if I enjoy “it” that’S what motivates me, the rest is easy (sorta).
I am not a freelancer, but I do work at home. I manage a very busy online retail business/art community/magazine publisher. I manage people and projects and do all the things a typical general manager does.
I find the most challenging thing has been to get friends and family to respect the words “I’m working.” When I worked in actual offices, I never got calls at work. Now people call and expect me to talk, or they drop by to ask me to go places.
I have no hope of it changing. I’ve done this for 4 years and they just don’t get it.
But, the benefits largely outweigh this challenge. I adore working when I want and wearing, or not wearing, what I want.
Hi Zura, welcome to SWR, please make yourself at home!
I totally agree with you on the “I’m working” part. Some time ago I kinda realized that not answering the phone, and answering business e-mails first was the way to get more stuff done. In a way… if I had wasn’t working from home, I wouldn’t be able to answer the phone and reply to personal e-mails.
there’s definitely more pros than cons (to me) ;)
Goal, goals, and more goals. Where do you want to be, go and end up. My goal chart keeps me in check every moment of the day. TV is evil.
TV is definitely evil! lol
Except for Top Chef, love that show!!!
Never heard of that show, I don’t really watch TV ;)
Although it happens I will watch C.S.I., but it must have been almost 6-8 months I haven’t
Neat site. Sounds like a mirror of my life. I’m also a freelance writer, internet entrepreneur, and a musician.
Hi Jason, thanx a lot, hope you’ll find useful infos on here, I’m off to check out your blog.
The only way to really get ahead, in my opinion, is having your own business.
Typically, one would open a business, buy product, hire staff, and wait for customers to flock to his/her store.
How awesome is it that we can now ‘open a store’ in our own home, have no overhead, no inventory, no boss, no time constraints, no meetings, no reports, no employees, etc.?
Yes, you have to be disciplined, energetic, passionate about what you’re doing, and truly be of value/interest/helpful to your readers.
If you have the mind set wherein you think of your ‘customers’ first and yourself second, then you’re on your way to the big time. Ciao.
Query - Isn’t Wealthy Rich redundant?
Hi Morgan, welcome to SWR, make yourself at home.
I totally agree with you, no boss no time constraints, but you have to be disciplined and have a good business plan, or else it probably won’t work. What’s cool is you can team up and work with people you wanna work with, as opposed to working for a company where you kinda have to go by their rules.
regarding the wealthy and rich: wealth doesn’t necessarly mean money, it can be a lot of things, a wealth of information, of knowledge. wealthy people aren’t all rich, wealthy can also mean “comfortable living” and being able to afford things you want, not necessarly be rich.
;)