Choosing the Right Idea for You
Today, there are many work-from-home options available. In order to stay motivated and succeed, you will want to choose something you are good at and enjoy.
Of course, there are scams out there that promise you thousands of dollars for doing nothing but what you want all day, and this simply isn’t realistic. Working from home is still work! But it will be made much easier if you choose something that interests you and that you enjoy doing. Here are some options and how you can determine what works for you.
1. Time
Be honest about how much time you have. If you have young children, you’ll need to arrange for childcare or work around their school schedule. If you only have ten hours a week to put toward a work-at-home (WAH) job, then it’s better to go ahead and admit that now rather than bite off more than you can chew.
2. List your skills
Making lists is not always our first instinct, but it’s a good exercise for looking truthfully at your abilities, hopes, dreams, and so forth. Begin by making a list of your practical skills – these can run the gamut from meal planning to typing to teaching.
Then, make a list of your income needs. How much money do you need to quit your day job, or to pay the mortgage? List all expenses from groceries to car payments.
Finally, make a list of your goals and dreams for your business. Where do you envision your business going? Are you content working for others or do you want to go into business for yourself? How big is too big, and how small is too small? Include in this list your financial goals – maybe you’d like to afford a vacation, a new car, or just the electric bill.
Having these lists will help you determine if a WAH opportunity is a fit for you. If it doesn’t help you meet your goals, it probably isn’t right for you.
3. Practical steps
If you’re working from home, you have a computer and an internet connection, right? So get online and research. If you are going to do work at home for a company, research that company thoroughly – check into references, reviews, and the reputation of that company. In this day and age of WAH scams, it’s just as important for you to interview the company as it is for them to interview you!
Join message boards and online communities that offer reputable information about WAH jobs. Here you can ask questions and build relationships for support. Another online option is to join a WAH community where jobs are posted regularly.
4. How much money do you have to invest?
Some legitimate WAH opportunities do require some cash outlay. If you are going into business for yourself, you will need to consider the cost of a website, possibly hiring a site designer, marketing, and advertising. Working for others usually requires little or no cash outlay beyond something like paid membership to a reputable site through which you can make connections.