Who Works from Home? Smart People, That's Who.

Who works from home? Is it just stay-at-home moms, people with authority problems or social phobias… or that fat guy that just doesn't like to leave his mother's basement? 

Nope.

A survey of 20,000 companies by FlexJobs, a business that provides legitimate telecommuting jobs to qualified applicants, has shown that this notion is rather inaccurate. 

According to the results, a large majority of work from home employees are well-seasoned professionals who have reached a point where their main goal is to attain full creativity and control in their careers while keeping the other aspects of their life in balance. In other words, smart people who have figured out killing themselves with an "all or nothing" attitude just doesn't pay off. 

The average work from home employee is actually 30-60 years of age and is extremely well-educated in his or her field. While the vast majority has at least a college degree (80%), a small percentage even has graduate degrees (35%). In addition, many work from home while working other jobs. Talk about work ethic!

 And while working from home is a good way to keep commuting and daycare costs low, most choose to work from home because there is less stress which keeps them healthier and happier in the long run. A good practice that keeps life from being a hassled and harried race that makes one day to the next indistinguishable.  

Also according to the survey, work from home employees are the type who prefer to keep busy, not less. Most noted that they found workplace interaction to be distracting and often disliked the way it often interrupted the opportunity to be productive. They are often more interested in the sense of satisfaction that not only comes with getting to use their skills and completing a job or task thoroughly but creating quality work. 

While working from home is not a good fit for everyone, 87% reported that they favor working from home fulltime and would be disappointed if, for some reason, they had to go back to working at an onsite location.

It has been said that there is a profound satisfaction in independence. Seems that working from home is one place where that saying applies rather aptly.

What that Guy Who Works from Home is Really Doing

So that weird guy across the street who says he works from home... what's he really doing during the day? Is he really... working?

According to a Fort Lauderdale, Florida company called Citrix that designs technology for employees to work remotely, the answer is yes. And no. A survey conducted in June by Wakefield Research of just over 1000 home-based American office employees showed the percentages  of non-work related activities workers take part in during the average workweek:

·         20% play video games

·         43% watch TV or a movie

·         26% take naps

·         28% cook dinner

·         35% do household chores

·         24% have had a drink

Home-based workers with children are more likely to turn on the TV. Another commonality of home-based workers was slipping out to exercise or get their hair done.

All this may have some wondering if working from home is the reliable option for companies and workers it's touted to be. Yet, study after study like this one show that telecommuters are still more productive than onsite office workers. 

So if you get a home-based job, does that mean you'll get to work in your pajamas while keeping up with last night's DVR'd episodes of "Breaking Bad"? 

Well, that will all depend on the arrangement with your employer. Some companies offer complete autonomy to home-based employees to get their work done. In other words, as long as your work is completed, of quality and in on time, you can work from the toilet for all they care. Other employers are not so flexible. Many times, it simply depends on what kind of home-based employment it is. Call center jobs, for instance, require their home-based employees to have a quiet space in which to work in as distracting background noises such as children, TV, etc. can lead to being dismissed.

The important thing for home-based employees is to know how to balance and manage home and work without either getting in the way. However, from the looks of things, there are many home-based employees who do seem to be managing quite well.

From the Inside Out: The Inner Secrets of the Work from Home World

It's dated from last year but this is a fun, informative article about working from home! (...that hits a little close to home.)

Working from home is not always about walking around in your skivvies when talking to a client on the phone but there are moments....

Study Shows UK Work from Home Employees Are More Productive!

What happens when a UK company decides to examine the benefits of working from home?

READ IT HERE!!!

The UK is making a lot of headway when it comes to telecommuting and because of this will likely be better at making work from home jobs more mainstream in the future. While the benefits of letting employees work from home continues to show multiple benefits, the U.S. seems to be dragging its feet when it comes to the issue of telecommuting. But look at it this way: the brave lead that the UK is taking is one that will allow for much learning for all.

The Three Little Things That Make a Work from Home Business Last Longer

If you're going to be self-employed and work from home, you're going to have to be the type that deals with stress rather well. Not like this morning, when I was ten minutes away from launching a client's blog and my internet went down. Poof. Gone. Vanished. I was not the bastion of serenity I should have been.  Far from it. 

Whatever they say about losing your cool and how it affects your physical and mental well-being for the worse, every once in a while you're bound to blow your top. As far as I see it, life is balance and never is just as bad as always. Or maybe ''everything in moderation'' is a better way to put things.

But if you're going to work from home, you're likely going to have that added pressure every once in a while because everything is riding on your shoulders. Your best bet is to be in the practice of dissolving stress on a regular basis. You'll not only improve your health, your work from home venture is more likely to last longer.

Tips for making your business last longer:

Have an exercise routine. Every day, thirty minutes at least. More is better. You'll say you don't have time and there may be days when you don't. The rest of the time, make time. And I don't mean thirty minutes of strolling down to the end of the block. Get on the exercise bike and break a sweat. You need to be huffing and puffing. 

Take breaks in the right place. It's easy to push yourself to the limit when you work from home. The general advice is to take ten to fifteen minute breaks but don't do it at the desk where you work. Step outside for few moments. Walk down to the end of your drive and check the mail. When it's time to eat, don't eat at your desk, either. Keep your work area for work and only work.

Laugh. A lot. Laughter truly is the best medicine. I highly recommend renting stupid, silly movies that crack you up (or at least leave you light-hearted), watching comedy routines or a box set of your favorite comedy show. Sit down and really watch them. Do nothing else. 

Most tips for making your small business last longer have to do with cash flow and taking advantage of tax write-offs-- and those are good tips. But if you're health isn't where it should be, those types of things just aren't going to matter all that much, now are they?

Still Think Working from Home is Just a Fad?

Still think that working from home is just some unrealistic pipe dream or fad? Well, take a look at this website that custom builds Ebiz homes.

According to the website:

eHOME™ is a brand signifying homes that have been designed and built for a residence and separate independent, free-lance type business that experiences virtually no foot traffic, such as a writer or day-trader, and which can easily regenerate to a different dual purpose when the original purpose has run its course, such as a separate guest residence, or merged back into the residence as bonus rooms or extra bedrooms.

Gee, sure looks like that working from home "fad" is way more than just some stuffing envelopes scheme for stay-at-home moms. Working from home is shaping the way we live. 

Check it out! Way to go Fusion Homes!

http://www.myfusionhome.com/

Keeping Up on the Work from Home Employment Track

Looking for information on the work from home employment track? Read up, get wise.

Approaching Legitimate Work From Home Jobs Properly

You Want to Work From Home? Seriously?

The Part Time Work From Home Solution

Work From Home Jobs Get a Closer Look

The 5 Reasons You Can't Work from Home

Article first published as The 5 Reasons You Can't Work from Home on Technorati.


These days, plenty of people either hate their job or don't have one at all which creates a steady interest in the idea of working from home. These are usually the folks that search the internet with a discerning eye, wary of scams and feeling unsure if working from home could be their own reality.

Though the number is only somewhere around 3 million according to the latest data, it shows there is a segment out there working from home and making the bills each month. However, working from home definitely has its realities-- and even with a can-do attitude, working from home isn't always for everybody.
These are 5 reasons you should consider passing up working from home.

#1-You're a waitress. Unfortunately, there are some vocations you just can't do from home. Though the amount varies, work from home jobs (or, telecommuting jobs) have the element of the internet connected to them. Common work from home jobs include freelance writing/editing, data entry, medical or legal transcription, virtual interpreter/translator, customer service representative, virtual/administrative assistant, consulting, online tutoring, accounting/bookkeeping, online marketing and e-commerce.

#2-You don't have the discipline. If you're easily distracted, are prone to procrastination, aren't very good at meeting goals or any combination thereof, your work from home endeavors will likely go down in flames. Many people like the idea of not having a boss breathe down their neck until there's no boss to breathe down their neck.

#3-You flip out at the smallest setback. When you work from home, it is up to you to be on the ball and deal with problems as they arise. Don't forget- when you work at home, you are not only your own boss; you're also your own tech support, bookkeeper, legal department and human resources manager.

#4- You don't know when to quit. One of the benefits of working from home is the chance to have flexible hours and an easier time balancing your work life with your home life. It can be quite easy to end up working more hours if you can't set boundaries and stick to them.

#5- You're not good at planning ahead financially. Obviously, getting paid is the reason we all work; but having the ability to cover expenses in case a client skips out on you or you don't get paid on time is paramount. If you're in the habit of living paycheck to paycheck and aren't very good at planning ahead financially, you could land yourself in serious trouble.

If you are still not discouraged by the end of this list, then you may just have what it takes to launch your own successful work from home career.

Will Work from Home Employment End Up Saving the U.S. Economy?

Used to be that people scoffed at the idea of work from home employment. After all, most attach the idea of working from home as that stuffing envelopes thing that stay at home moms do, right? Yet, there is a quiet revolution taking stage as the average American grows tired. Tired of dead end work situations, tired of desperately waiting around for that one phone call as unemployment benefits begin to run out. And we're all tired of waiting for those pie-in-the-sky predictions of (so-called) economic experts to come true.

People from all walks of life take an interest in work from home employment for a number of reasons. One big reason for the growing interest is that even those lucky enough to be employed are tired of working more and more hours for less- all while watching their family, their marriages and even their health slip through their fingers. The consensus has become the same: at what price? At what price is your family, your health, your financial well-being all worth the sacrifice you're making to be part of the 'American Dream'? For many, it is simply becoming too much.

Conventional wisdom tells us that when times get tough, you cut back on the little things you may not need until it all gets better. However, many find themselves cutting back to the point of excruciation- and it's still not enough. Luckily, if there is one thing left the USA has under her belt, it's good ol' American ingenuity. Just as it has in the past, necessity is giving way to innovation and many Americans are now creating their own work from home employment opportunities.

What does working from home offer? The opportunity to work from home can mean the reduction or elimination of childcare costs and expensive commutes. It can also mean the end of the little things that eat a paycheck such as daily lunches, maintaining a work wardrobe and even dry-cleaning costs. In our modern age, the vast majority of individuals know how to turn on the computer and use the internet and, in combination with their own experience and skills, are finding some very fascinating ways to turn themselves into entrepreneurial dynamos. 

While a work from home employment opportunity can take some time to build, it is also a tried and true way to restore one's sense of self-worth. And if there is one thing that is sorely needed to turn the economy around, it's not just the flow of money. It's confidence.

Why Internet Job Opportunities Will Prevail

Nothing is as cheap as it used to be and that is why more and more people are looking to internet job opportunities to earn more money. Expenses are way up but very few out there are seeing their pay is move up with it. And even for those who are scraping by, it's a matter of one small emergency that could upset the whole apple cart. There's no doubt having a little extra in the bank can be the one thing to help ease nervous fears. But who has the time and energy to go out, find an extra job and then burn up the rest of the hours in their day working it? 

In all reality, there are many people nowadays that work extra jobs, extra hours and extra overtime just to make ends meet. The most important thing about internet job opportunities is they allow you to work smarter- not harder. Working from the comfort of home means no dashing around from one job and trying to make sure you get to another somewhere on the other side of town on time. This, in effect, saves on gas. And to think: is an extra part time job really worth it if the entire check ends up going in your gas tank? Once again, this is where internet job opportunities become a more practical part time job option.

What other reasons do internet job opportunities prevail these days? Because just about everyone, from the average Joe to large corporations, uses the internet. There is a dependence on this utility like no other. Without it, many of the world's functions could not take place. People are always looking for information, ordering things from the internet, watching videos and much, much more. Just these few things offer a plethora of ways to make money online- either by devoting oneself part time or creating a whole full time career. One merely need but look online to see the rainbow of internet job opportunities that abound. 

Because many companies are feeling the pinch as well, it is now common for businesses to turn onsite positions such as clerical or administrative jobs into telecommuting positions. This not only creates more internet job opportunities, it means a company can save money and stay in business. This also solves problems for those who find themselves without a job and for whom there are no job opportunities to be had in their immediate area. Working from home online has allowed many to land a job regardless of the fact they are not even close to the same state as the company who has hired them. This means having an income without the expense of moving and finding a place to stay.

There are many who scoff and laugh at the idea of working from home but the reality is the internet is reshaping the employment sector. There will be many changes to come as technology evolves. That is why it would be quite favorable to stand back and give internet job opportunities their proper due.

Why Some People Make Money Working from Home and You Don't

Why is it so hard to believe anyone could make money working from home? First and foremost, it has to do with conditioning. A job to most people is something you get up early in the morning for in order to get dressed up in office appropriate attire so you can then commute back and forth each and every day. Even for those who don't work in an office, the routine is fairly the same. And yet, there are those that not only make money working from home, they are successfully supporting themselves and making ends meet at the end of each month. The added plus? They tend to have a much more positive outlook on their careers. 

Whether one chooses to make money working from home as a customer service rep or as a freelance writer, the point of the matter is the money is being made. For some, it's enough to make sure there's some extra cushion in the bank each week. For others, it's much, much more. While the percentage of those working from home and pulling in six figures isn't exactly huge, it is definitely a number that is getting bigger as more and more people brave the waters. From the many examples of success on the internet, what starts off as a small endeavor to make money working from home can sometimes have a way of taking on a life of its own.

No doubt, there are those that are completely skeptical of the idea of working from home; especially with all the rampant work from home scams that float around the internet. Nonetheless, people are doing it. People make money working from home -- successfully. And it deserves a little serious attention. There have been several things that have moved the workforce into the home-based arena. Most noticeably, the dip in the economy and rampant layoffs. Just because one no longer has an income doesn't mean the bills stop rolling in. Necessity is the mother of invention and that is where many who make money working from home originally find their 'inspiration'. 

There is also the dependence on the internet that helps even the most average individual make money working from home. Those who take on the internet and brave the ups and downs of getting started often find it all eventually comes down to finding one's niche. Once this is done, the idea to make money working from home ceases to be foreign and becomes as much a norm as getting up and going to a place of work every day. When a work from home opportunity blooms into something even bigger, that's when it becomes even sweeter and one actually gets to finally know what it is to enjoy getting up for work every day. 

While it is good to be wary of any work from home opportunity, it is not a good idea to ignore the concept of working from home altogether. Everything has an evolution and that includes the job market and the opportunity to legitimately make money working from home.

So You Think You Want to Learn to Make Money from Home

The idea of learning how to make money from home sounded outright ludicrous at first. But now that employment opportunities are slipping away with nothing promising on the horizon, you’ve begun to give it a second look. Just out of curiosity. After all, it can’t hurt just to think about how to make money from home and what that might entail if you were to do something like that. In all reality, it sounds rather intriguing to work from home. To have a career that you don’t have to leave the house for, is of your own creation and that you are the very boss of. Yeah, a work from home job sounds doable. Go ahead and admit it- you’re totally intrigued now, aren’t you?

If you’ve never looked into how to make money from home, what you’ll find is that there are such a large number of options, it may seem overwhelming at first. Not to worry- because all you have to do is map out what it is you really want to get out of having your own career working from home. Are you looking to help people, provide a special and unique service or finally utilize an underused skill you know you have that you’re sure people will pay well for? Income, hours and other related issues will come into play as well as you figure out how to make money from home; as will start up costs and other measures it will take to get your work from home business rolling.

Other things to consider as you begin to learn how to make money from home will be whether you plan to wholly rely on the internet- or telecommute- or whether your work from home business will focus more on dealing with people one on one. Do you want to completely start from scratch and build your home based business from the ground up; or would you feel better investing in a small work from home franchise opportunity? That way, you will have all the hard work pretty much done for you and you won’t have to worry about being the primary decision maker in all aspects of the business.

These are all things that have to be considered when looking to start a work from home opportunity. There are those who, when it comes to learning how to make money from home, have no problem with jumping in and learning as they go. There have also been those who were too eager to have their own work from home business and jumped in only to find the water too deep for them to swim. If you are going to learn how to make money from home, it will be in your best interest to know what your expectations and goals are before taking the dive.

However, if you’ve read all this and feel more intrigued than scared by the idea of learning how to make money from home, than you probably have what it takes to not only create a work from home business but make it a true success.