I have been blessed since having kids to be able to do minimal office time and do the majority of my work from home. I often get questions like “How did you get started working from home?” and “How do you manage work and kids?” and “Wow, that must be nice” (with an expectation that working from home is easier). I thought I would tackle some of these questions in a post for any others out there that are at all interested. I would also love to hear any other input from other work at home people out there.

My Story…

How did I get started working from home? I worked for a law firm where I started out part time and worked my way through about every job except attorney. I was willing to say yes to what needed to be done and try anything even if I had no idea how to do it. I always felt like I was somehow tricking everyone because I didn’t know nearly as much as I was getting credit for. However, I was willing to ask all the “stupid” questions in an effort to learn and this impressed the right people I guess. When I got pregnant I decided I was going to quit. I did and began to wait tables which was not near the money I was making, but gave me more time with Kaitlyn.

Then September 11th happened. The dining industry really went down the tubes for a little while and with that so did my income. I called the firm back nervously asking for my job back, but I only wanted to work part time and would like for part of that to be at home. This was a little bit gutsy seeing that I had quit, but I had built a good reputation with the firm and they were willing to have me back. Soon after I started, Ben lost his job and I asked if I could begin working full time there to supplement income while he looked for a job and stayed home with the baby. They agreed and I was able to prove myself to the new people that had started during a partnership transition. When Ben finally found work, I told them that I needed to be allowed to work from home or I would have to quit. Amazingly, they allowed me to cut my hours down to three days a week and some at home as well as keep a full time salary.

I followed this schedule for a while until I had my second baby. When I did, I asked them to let me go to work in the office just one day a week, work from home and keep a full time salary for 30 hours a week. Again to my amazement, they said yes. When we decided to make the move to Kernersville, I turned in my notice but a partner that was starting her own firm asked if I would work for her and could do whatever I needed to from home! I’m working for her now.

Then my dad (who just bought a marketing company in the mountains) asked for some help with his books and invoicing (what I do for the law firm) and I am able to help him as well. So, that is how I got here. I would say for anyone looking to get into this, to do a good job where you are and see if there is opportunity to suggest such a transition. More employers are willing to do this now with the rising gas prices, etc. If you are not in a position that would allow this but are still interested, then I would say to think of everyone you know that either owns a business or has influence in a company and think of a service to offer them that you could do well, even something that they may not already have (or know they need). Of course, this doesn’t work for everyone but I believe that this is a lot more effective than doing web searches where you have to wade through all the terrible home jobs and pyramid schemes.

How I Make it Work…

The answer to the “How do you work from home and have kids?” and the statement of “Isn’t that nice” kind of go hand in hand. Plain and simple…working from home isn’t easy. It definitely has its perks, but there are definite challenges in working from home. The biggest is finding the balance in work and home life. The challenge of working from home is that there’s no escape from any of your jobs.

When I was working part time at the office, I was able to get an escape of sorts from my home work and concentrate on my professional work. However, when it is all in the same place competing for your attention you have to be careful to set clear boundaries about when you work and when you play. It took me a long time to be able to get the balance worked out. At the beginning, I felt like I was always failing at work, home and kids and that was an awful feeling. I felt like I couldn’t do anything well because I didn’t have clear boundaries to tell me when to work and when not to. My personality is such that if I have a goal and a project to do, I become almost obsessed until it gets done.

It was when I realized that my babies and home were suffering that I had to take a step back and really consider the need for boundaries. I also found that instead of working 30 hours a week like I was supposed to I was working closer to 50 because it was always there to do. I could do it at all hours of the night, etc. and without boundaries I had nothing to reign me in.

The boundaries that I set are that either one full day or two half days a week, Ben stays with the kids and I work. Other than that, I work while they are sleeping. If the kids are awake, I don’t work except an occasional phone call or if there is a really big project. If that is the case I work to get them on projects and playing and then get more things done on the computer as needed. I work at night and during nap times. My job allows for that, so that is nice. If Ben didn’t have the flexibility, I would either get my jobs to pay for child care or to pay me enough that it would cover that expense without taking all of my pay (I’ve negotiated this in the past). If they want you badly enough they will work with you.

I would love to hear from those of you who have done it differently and what it is that you do along with any suggestions you have for us.

Technorati Tags: work from home, home business, tips, advice, working mom