Home-based Careers: The Pros And Cons

When you are slaving away in your dimly lit cubicle listening to the sounds of your office mate chew the latest vending machine addition, working from home seems like a dream career. You imagine yourself with a smart and organized office that is peaceful or energetic depending your mood. You imagine yourself working in your pyjamas or eating ice cream on the job. You may even imagine daytime television in the background. You probably imagine a bit of financial hardship at the outset, but it is quickly followed by great success, more money, and fewer hours. Well, think again.

There are some great advantages to working from home, but there are also some drawbacks:

• You are the motivator. When you work in an office setting, you are accountable to your supervisor, and their supervisor, and even to your co-workers. But when you work at home, you are the only one who can motivate you to get the job done well.
• You are the accountant. Owning your own home-based business means being responsible for your taxes, including self- employment tax, employee taxes, plus your standard yearly income tax.
• You are without benefits. Working solo means that you give up the health benefits and flex spending accounts we are all so accustomed to. You must negotiate these benefits on your own, paying higher premiums and deductibles.
• You are the boss. This means that when your children or your husband want to talk to you in the middle of the workday, you have to lay down the ground rules to be sure you meet your deadlines and your financial goals. This kind of confrontation can be very difficult on relationships.

But if you read all of this and still want to go forward with your home-based career, here are some of the perks you will get along the way:

• Independence. Going it alone gives you a sense of freedom and independence that you can't get as an employee. You also learn to be responsible to yourself and your dreams, reaping the rewards of hard work in both financial and emotional returns.
• Prestige. Believe it or not, when most people hear that you work from home, you will get instant prestige. It's an enviable position and it immediately says to someone that you have the self-discipline and know-how to succeed in a tough career.
• Money. Your income ceiling is dead as soon as you separate yourself from a corporate environment. You are no longer at the mercy of someone else's budget. You decide how much you make by how much work you put into your business.
• Flexibility. For many people, this is the best perk. You decide when you work and for how long. You can work Wednesday through Sunday if you want. You can work nights and mornings or afternoons and evenings. You are only limited by your clients' hours and your family's schedule.

If you want to launch a home-based career, do your research, be prepared for some hard work, and believe in yourself. You can succeed.

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