How to Work From Home Successfully
The lure of freedom is extremely compelling, and it is easy to think that working from home is the perfect solution or even worse that it is a get rich quick formula, neither of which are true. If you are considering working from home or just want to be successful at it, these are some key tips that will help you out.
Dispel the Myth
I always address this first and foremost because really it will make or break you. You need to realize that anything you do that has the potential to replace an income will take work. Yes, you can do lots of surveys and use ebates, but those will not replace an income. A job that makes anywhere from R 0- R10 00.00 is called a side hustle, not an online business. Side hustles are awesome and even necessary, but today we are going to focus on actual internet jobs that will completely replace an income.
Absolutely nothing that you do online that is legitimate will make you rich without work. There are a ton of rich internet marketers, but they will tell you, that it took a lot of hard work to get there. Please remember this especially when looking for the perfect online job, there are a lot of frauds online that promise the world, but deliver nothing in return.
Are you ready to work from home?
The second thing that is important to keep in mind is preparation. Preparation is another key to working from home success. In order to work from home, you need to have somewhat of a schedule. What hours can you carve out of your day to work? This is super important to note because it gives you keen insight into the type of business you will need to have.
Kids at home Do you have little ones at home? If so, you may need to focus on some obedience training with them before you are ready to start working from home. I promise this will simplify your life a ton! There will be times when you may have to work among them, and if you have never trained them to obey or play in a designated area, it will be much more frustrating and taxing. If you have no clue how to do this, I recommend reading, Childwise. It is my go to book for anything parenting related, and their methods work incredibly well.
Housework unfortunately working from home does not eliminate housework, laundry, or cooking, so this must be taken into consideration as well when figuring out how much time you actually have to work. Having a home notebook and a cleaning system really helps me be able to get everything done in a timely manner. So you may want to spend some time organizing your life and schedule before you take on the extra task of working from home.
What Job or Business Should I Choose?
Desired Income There are tons of options online that are viable and lucrative, but not every type of job will be good for you. For example, now that you know how many hours in a day you have, we need to figure out how much you need to make a month.
For example because I am a mompreneur and my family comes before work, I have a maximum of three hours a day to work. If I got an online job that payed R100/hour, I would make R1800.00 a week and about R7200.00 a month before taxes. Because I am looking to replace an income, this is not a good option for me.
Likes and Dislikes When deciding what type of job, don’t forget to take into consideration your likes and dislikes. For example, talking on the phone is something I hate, so I will not choose any jobs with this type of qualification. What are some things that you absolutely love and are passionate about? What is something you can’t stand to do?
Type of Lifestyle This is a big one for me. I want to choose a job that has the potential to make six figures a year; this qualification eliminates many jobs from the start. I am working to a life of freedom. Why do you want to work from home? What is your end goal?
Do the Research
So now, you have probably figured out what type of job you would like. It is time to research the company or business you want to start. Please keep in mind if you are planning on starting an online business like the following:
• Blogging
• Freelance Writing
• Contract labor ( eg. Cleaning houses, pet sitting, nanny, landscape)
• Selling crafts
• Graphic Design
• Drop Shipping
• Internet marketing
Remember that you are starting a business. This is not a job, where you put hours in and get money back. Having an online business has the potential to make you so much more than a regular job, but there are key differences.
• It will take hours of time before you see any income
• It will take up front investment in your company, whether that be supplies or just classes to educate yourself.
• You are responsible to file taxes and keep a good bookkeeping record
I know for many this is the part they struggle with. They see the end potential of having an online company but they don’t have the money to make it happen. I completely get that because I was there once too. This is where the side hustles that we talked about earlier come into play. You can find a side hustle that works for you to help you save money to start a business, or you can do a side hustle while you get your business off the ground
Here are some websites that have awesome side hustle options:
• The Penny Hoarder
• Real Ways to Earn
• How to Live in the US
Make a Plan
The next thing you will want to do is make a business plan. I know it may seem very redundant, but I promise that all this planning will make a difference. A business plan will give you clear focus and direction. I refer to my business plan almost weekly to make sure that I am track and that my content is not all over the place.
When I first started blogging, I did not do this and in turn made no money. Whenever I decided to sit down, write a business plan, and get focused, I experienced tons of growth. My blog traffic has doubled every month since then as well as my social media platforms. It does make a difference! If you need help with creating a business plan, I wrote this article to help you. There is a free printable as well for you to fill out.
Get Social
This is definitely an area I neglected for some time, but it is super important and will fast track your business growth! Some options for getting social are as follows:
• Facebook groups
• Twitter Chats
• Google Hangouts
• Pinterest Group Boards
This type of socializing is also called active marketing or actively meeting people and getting your brand/business out there. Equally important is having a passive social media strategy. A passive strategy would include posting consistently to your social media accounts as well as finding people in your niche to follow and friend. You can then like, comment, and pin their content as well. I talk about this more in depth in this article.
Working from home is an amazing option we have, and it can be incredibly lucrative giving you the freedom you so crave! I have confidence that these tips will help you in your work from home journey, and I hope to see you with a successful, thriving business and loving life at the same time!
I am a passionate mommypreneur. I am dedicated to helping mommies reproduce their income while at home, fully present in their children’s lives.