Telecommuting - Can you handle it?

How to determine if you are suited to working from home
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A lot has been said recently about work-from-home and telecommuting programs available by employers, especially since Yahoo recently announced it is cancelling its telecommuting program. However, more and more people are seeking out opportunities and employers who offer programs to increase the amount of time you can work from home. Before seeking out a work from home opportunity here are some questions to ask yourself:


  1. Dedicated workspace and technology

    If you are going to work from home you will need to ensure you have the space to do so. In most cases this will be a room or area away from other distractions in your home. If you have a spouse or children who will be home while you are working, do you have a space where you will not be bothered and can work during your scheduled work times. Do you have access to any and all tools you will need to complete your job effectively? A late model computer, fast internet connection and phone lines will be required for most positions that work from home.

  2. Knowledge base

    Do you possess the knowledge and resources to attend to most day-to-day issues that may arise? This includes knowledge related to solving problems directly related to your work duties as well as the technology you will be using. Can you effectively and without assistance use and troubleshoot your computer and issues that may arise with it? Can you solve issues without escalating the issue or asking assistance from coworkers. If you routinely rely on the people in close proximity to you when in the office you may have a difficult time not having those people around you when an issue arises.

  3. Social Interaction

    When working from home your only connection to other people during the workday will likely be through the phone, email or video. Do you have an active social life to compensate for the lack of social interaction you will now have by not working in an office? Sometimes the biggest shock when working from home is the realization that you can exist for days without leaving the confines of your home. It can become stifling for some people and they can become unmotivated to do anything that requires them to leave the home.

  4. Motivation, focus and scheduling

    Are you motivated enough to get yourself up each day and get to work? Can you stay focused on the task? Some people are not motivated enough to push themselves each day to wake up early and stay focused on the task they need to be focusing on. The most common distractions are family, housework, errands and television. Are you likely to sleep in? Will you be distracted to watch television, pick the kids up from school or stop working midday if your family is home? Will you want to get your groceries done or other errands? Going to be throwing in loads of laundry? You need to evaluate yourself and your ability to motivate yourself to ensure you can get the job done and done effectively. Can you schedule your life and compartmentalize your work time and home time so that they are separate entities while existing in the same space?

  5. Stress Relief

    Although most people believe that not commuting to work or dealing face-to-face with coworkers and bosses each day will be a large stress relief you have to think about how you will handle stress when you are home on your own and there is no commute home in which to de-stress. You may be eliminating some of the stresses that working in an office posses but you will finding new ones that working from home causes. You will need to find a way to de-stress and calm down, rather than taking that stress out on your family. When your home is your workplace there is no escape from work stress and sometimes that in itself can be a point of contention.

There are many benefits of working from home but many people fail to recognize the struggles that it also poses, so before making a decision be sure to think about yourself, and your work habits to determine if it is a good choice for you.

 

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