Working From Home Is NOT Easy, But This May Help
In September of 2009, I wrote a post that you wouldn’t think to find here on the blog, entitled The Top 5 Reasons NOT to Quit Your Job and Work From Home.
I wrote it because:
- I always tell all sides of the story – no fluff or hype here; and
- Working from home is difficult and not for everyone.
With almost two years of working for myself under my belt, I’ve done a lot to adjust to the work-at-home lifestyle. However, there are still a few things that are much more convenient for a person when working for “the man”.
In this post, I’d like to recap those concerns and give you some advice as to what you can do from home to assist with those concerns.
YOU Make All the Decisions
Summary: Becoming your own boss is awesome. You don’t have to answer to anyone and you have the ability to take your business exactly where you want to take it.
The problem with this is that all decisions about all aspects of your business are up to you. As a result, the decision making process is more stressful and a lot more research needs to be done in order to know you’re making the right decisions, especially with things you’re unfamiliar with.
When you work for “the man”, there are decisions being made for the business every day that you don’t ever need to worry about, and there are systems of checks and balances behind each and every one of them.
Advice: The solution is simple. Get in contact with people who know more than you.
Even though you may work from home by yourself, you can find a team of people to become your system of checks and balances.
Here is my “team” and what they’re useful for:
- My CPA, who helps me with tax-time decisions and investments. If I have a question about money and how it should be recorded and properly managed, my CPA is my go to guy. I trust him enough to make a lot of the decisions for me, which takes a huge load off of my back.
- My Mastermind Groups, who help and guide me with whatever internet-related business decisions I have to make.
- A Business Coach / Mentor, who also helps and guides me, but in a more personal way with longer goals in mind.
- You, my followers and readers, who provide me with opinions and comments that often help me figure out what to do next.
Even though I’m on my own, it’s nice to know that really, I’m not.
Your Schedule Isn’t Set In Stone
Summary: Part of breaking away from the 9 to 5 is breaking away from that routine: wake up, go to work, come home. Rinse and repeat. It’s nice to be able to work when you want to, and it’s especially nice to take a day off here and there.
However, without that routine in place, it’s tough to stay disciplined enough to work or not work, when you should be doing the other. Personally, I found myself always thinking about my business and even doing work in the wee hours of the night, just because I could.
With a family, especially now with a child too, this isn’t the healthiest of lifestyles. Anyone who works from home should strive to stay disciplined enough to give themselves some time away from work to do anything else and enjoy life.
Advice: In a recent blog post on SPI, which was actually featured on lifehacker.com, I talk about my exact stragety for tackling this problem, which involves:
- Creating a Schedule: Yes, even though we all want to break away from that routine, we still need some kind of schedule. Without it, our lives will be unpredictable and unstable. With a schedule in place, my mind knows when to stop thinking about my business and my family knows exactly when it’s “daddy time”.
- A Separate Workspace: A physically separate workspace will do a couple of things. One, it will help you focus even more when you are working; and secondly, it will help stop you from being tempted to keep working when you shouldn’t. If there’s an office and it has a door – shut it.
- A Separate Computer: Along the same lines as a separate workspace, a separate computer that is for only for personal use will further delineate the line between working and not working.
Since implementing these strategies, I’ve been able to get so much more done, and spend more time with my family.
It’s Harder to Get Into Work Mode
Summary: When working from home, it’s tough to get into “work-mode” because, well – you’re at home! It’s really easy to hit that snooze button and stay in bed just a little bit longer, and the television is always playing some interesting game show (or Soap, if you’re into that) during the day.
Advice: Beyond a creating a schedule and having your own separate workspace, here are a few hacks I’ve learned that will help you get into work-mode even more:
- Get Dressed For Work at Home: You don’t need to put on business attire, but if you change out of your PJs and into something for the day, your mind will be ready to do stuff and get things accomplished. Trust me, I’ve worked in my pajamas many times and it’s really easy to just crawl right back into bed and go to sleep.
- Schedule Important Meetings or Interviews Early: If you know there’s something you must do, you’re more than likely going to make sure to get up in time and be ready for it. This is why I always try to schedule any interviews or meetings early in the morning.
- Exercise: I don’t know the science behind it, but after you exercise you often feel like you have more energy to do things. Of course, you have to make sure you’re drinking lots of fluids and eating right, or else you’re just going to feel tired instead.
Do you have any hacks you’d like to share for getting and staying in “work-mode” at home (or even at your 9 to 5)? Please share!
No Fellow Employees
Summary: Part of what I loved about my 9 to 5 job was the people who I was working with. A lot of them became good friends and we often took breaks during the day to chat about whatever. Now that I work from home there is none of that. No one to talk sports with, no one to talk smack about our boss with, and no one to have lunch with. It can be a lonely world working from home.
Advice: In today’s world, fortunately, there are many ways to stay connected with people even while working from home. Namely – social media and online chat.
I use Facebook and Twitter during my breaks to chat with people and just feel like I have someone to talk to. For lunches, I usually have them with my family at home, but I often schedule lunches with my friends who work 9 to 5 jobs nearby too.
A lot of people who I met through my blog, Facebook and Twitter have actually become dear friends of mine, which definitely makes me feel like I’m not alone anymore. Even just reading and responding to comments made here on the blog helps too. So to all of you – thanks!
The Benefits
Summary: This is probably the biggest issue for many people who work for themselves, and the reasons should be obvious. Health insurance is expensive, and dental care and vision are not cheap either. No more 401k (with matching), and no more vacation hours or sick leave.
The true meaning of employee benefits are not fully understood until you’re working for yourself.
Advice: I’ll write a more detailed post about benefits for the self-employed later, but what it really comes down to is research.
For health insurance, there are a lot of “scams” and things out there that say they are indeed a form of health insurance, but they are not – so you have to be really careful. Another piece of advice is to call your state’s department of health care services, because you may be able to qualify for certain grants. Even if you don’t, they will be happy to help you out and offer some advice.
For retirement savings, it’s not too difficult to start an IRA, which will definitely help you save money during tax time too. Again, if you have a CPA working with you, I recommend contacting them if you’re interested in investing. The sooner, the better.
And as far as sick hours and vacation time, you’ll have to just remember that because you work from home, you do have a little more flexibility with your schedule so you can take those days off, or even go on “mini-retirements” if you are able to. You’re your own boss, so there’s no need to sign a “request for days off”.
If any of you have anything you’d like to add as far as helping people who work from home, please contribute by commenting below. Thanks, and I wish you nothing less than success. Cheers!
Posted on : April 26th, 2010
Related posts:
- How to Earn More Money Working 9 to 5 Versus Working For Yourself Online
- The Top 5 Reasons NOT to Quit Your Job and Work from Home
- So What Projects Are You Working On?
- Creating Passive Income is like Working Out
- 10 Not-So-Commonly Discussed Things to Help You Work From Home
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83 Comments (Click Here to Leave a Comment Below)
Hi,
Thanks for your elaborated information over work at home. Nothing can be done untill start to do.
True, but it’s always good to know these kinds of things beforehand, and to serve as inspiration to get to that point. Thanks Abhishek!
I retired from the Post Office and now I work at home. This was a most helpful article. Except for the sick days stuff. I called in sick, but the boss caught me.
By “the boss caught me”, do you mean yourself? It’s hard to stay away from work even when we know we shouldn’t be, like when when we should be recovering from an illness!
Cheers Ray!
I still don’t create a schedule (after over 2yrs of being self employed) I write when I feel creative, I develop when I have ideas, and I handle customers as they call…. that’ smy schedule.
Having said that, I too have a family (wife and 2 kids) so I am trying to get better at not working certain hours, but I still have a long way to go. By nature, I am a workaholic.
Keith, good point. It’s hard to create a schedule for things that involve creativity because we never know when our creative juices will be flowing. I try though, because it helps me decipher when it’s time for work and time for family. Good luck!
Inspiring and insightful post as usual Pat!
Working early has always been the biggest help to me – not too early of course, but sitting down to work with a cup of tea at around 8am always seems to be my most efficient period. I’d rather work an extra 2 hours earlier in the day, than 1 hour after 6pm!
Also, finance is best left to the professionals! I learned the hard way through two businesses that receipts, invoices, tax-returns, and all those little numbers can suck the life out of you. It would have been far less painful and draining if I’d just sent my receipts to an accountant every month.
“Do you have any hacks you’d like to share for getting and staying in work-mode?”
Hope you don’t mind me dropping a link to a recent relevant post on this subject to answer this… http://www.burndowneasy.com/reclaim-your-focus-work-less-achieve-more/
I’d love to hear you write more about how you managed to work at home with a new baby, and what you learned as a result.
I definitely don’t mind the link, I think it’s very helpful. I hope everyone here gets a chance to read it.
I’ll definitely be writing a more detailed post about the adjustments I’ve made to my work schedule and how I manage to get stuff done now with a baby in the house. Good suggestion!
Thanks again!
One thing that’s made a big difference for me in my work-at-home productivity is setting boundaries. Friends, family, neighbors, etc., tended to think that just because I was home I was available. People who would never have thought of barging into my work space when I worked in a traditional environment suddenly thought nothing of walking into my home office and plopping down for a chat. I’ve gotten a lot better at communicating that work is still work no matter where it is done.
Excellent, excellent points Jean. I’ve noticed the same thing, where family and friends think that because I work from home I’m always free, but in my opinion it makes it harder, because you never want to say no or make others feel bad. That’s why, like you said, it’s important to setup those boundaries right from the get-go.
Thanks Jean!
I know when I work, I am often interrupted by all sorts of things, and it KILLS my productivity. I’m trying to get better at communicating when I’m working, and the importance of uninterrupted work time.
There are always things that require my attention regardless of whether I’m working or not, but now, more than ever, I’m seeing the value of that work time.
Thanks for sharing Jean.
I couldn’t agree more Jean, great point.
I try to close my office door (i.e. our spare bedroom), but Pat’s office seems to be in a corner of his living room which must be doubly hard to set boundaries!
Pat.. great tips on working from home.
People always tell me I’m lucky to work at home, they think it’s all easy. When I tell them working at home there is always work to do. A 9-5 ends at 5.. my day doesn’t really run on a schedule..Yet.
My biggest issue was getting up early..lol When I had a job I jumped up at 4:30am now it is work to get uat 6:30.
Harder to get up when you don’t have anyone to answer to,, like a job and boss.
Yep – I definitely agree John. It’s a lot tougher to get up earlier, because there is no boss, but you have to sort of be your own boss and really try to make it seem like you HAVE to get up, which is what I do unless I plan to sleep in the night before.
Like I said in the post, it helps to schedule things early so I’m forced to get up. Sometimes, it’s not just meetings or interviews, but it’s some work that I put into a calendar.
Separating workspace…that for me would greatly help from my wife and son coming around for my attention when I’m right deep in work and needing no interference.
Indeed Muzi, I think that would help a lot. It will be interesting to see what happens when my boy finally starts to talk and walk. Maybe it won’t matter that there’s a door there, and he’ll just come barging through, lol. We’ll see I guess! Good luck!
Pat, Great advice as always. I’m going on two years of trying to figure out the working from home thing and it’s definitely not easy.
It kind of reminds me of when I went from being a renter to a home owner. There’s that same feeling of, “uh oh, what have I done?? I guess I’m the one to fix the toilet now!”
Lots of exciting challenges with learning as I go. I wouldn’t change a thing!
Great analogy, Janet – I think that’s perfect. I haven’t had the pleasure of outright owning my own home yet, but I think I know exactly what you mean.
Even though it’s tough, like you, I wouldn’t change a thing either. Every day is a learning experience. Cheers Janet!
Working from home, running your own business, becoming financially independent all sound great. Who wouldn’t want this?
In the E-Myth, Michael Gerber explained why so many businesses (eg. Stay at home workers) fail. Basically he talks about how “technicians” who are great workers in their respective careers, make the faulty assumption that they will also be an expert running that sort of business.
As business owners (working at home) we all have to realize, as the E-Myth points out, that we have to develop business growth and management skills. To’ E-Myth your business’ build internal systems and processes (similar to a franchise) so your results are predictable. Then and only then, can you get the lifestyle.
Understanding this caused me to pause and be more realistic about my goals. Not slow down but actually push harder and to focus on the correct things.
All the SEO techniques and the like are all helpful. Yet, until we create a system that includes processes and procedures (things we do consistently) for our businesses, we are likely to run in circles and potentially miss our objectives.
Very well thought out comment, Mike. I like the “technician” analogy, because I know a lot of people, specifically people in the architecture industry, who would love to start their own businesses and talk about it all of the time, however I can’t imagine them at this point having their own thing because I know they lack some of the business growth and management skills required for that, based on how I’ve seen them work in the office.
And yes, your final point about consistency is huge. HUGE!
Thanks Mike!
Systems and processes is something to consider posting on. The question has to be asked: Are we spending our time most effectively to attain our objective? Which for most is financial independence.
I heard Mark Joyner talk about the importance of moving in the “straightest” line from A to B. A is where you are (current) B is ideal. (see the first paragraph of your About Me Page) that’s what most people want )”to feel like the luckiest (fill in the blank) that’s freedom! Hope that made sense! LOL
Pat, entertaining read. Last week I wrote about why you shouldn’t follow your schedule and it was aimed at people.. following a schedule (due to their full-time jobs).
I have a road trip planned and am sorting out SD move details. It’ll be hard to work through those but I fully intend to. I can see why you’re saying it’s hard to get into work mode. I’m limp and relaxed as a noodle!
Wow, it must be getting close to that time to move! How’s it all working out for you so far?
Signing the lease, got approved for an apartment in SD. Have to plan out the move (hire moving company, etc). I also am taking a road trip to FL for a week to visit the ‘rents.
Meanwhile, I have to continue experimenting online and actually treating it more like a business. Thanks for asking!
Pat, thanks for the insightful read. You have some good points.
Never thought about getting a second computer for just personal use. That would be good to help you separate business and having fun chatting with friends on social networking sites.
Yep – that’s exactly why I got the second computer. It’s really done wonders for myself and for my family. It’s a bit of an investment, especially if you go with something expensive like a MAC, but in the end it’s all worth it in my opinion.
I work at home and at a job, so that’s forced me to really prioritize what I want to accomplish. My tip is to be sure that you have a target, and are taking steps toward that target each day instead of getting caught up in little things that aren’t so important.
Great tip Jackie, thanks so much! It’s really easy to get caught up in the little things. It’s the BOLD ACTIONS that really take up places!
I try to get dressed everyday in the event I need to run an errand for my concierge business, I have a uniform in fact of chinos and a polo that I keep close at hand. Toss of the sweats and jump in the car.
As far as the blogging business it did take me some getting used to dedicated full-time hours to it, it was a real struggle but over the course of the last few months I have gotten into a good routine.
Health Insurance is a big item on my plate that I have yet to deal with. I have founds some good plans with BCBS, but they are so pricey. I just need to pick one and commit.
Yeah, the health insurance dilemma for work-at-home folk is tough, and it will be interesting to see how the health reform bill that just got passed will effect us all. Once I find out more, I’ll definitely keep you all posted. Right now, I just have private insurance with Blue Anthem, which isn’t the cheapest, but it definitely will help in case anything big happens, which is the main reason to get insurance.
As a parent you definitely need to have and keep your insurance on force. P.S. loves the pink slippers!!!! LOL
Working from home is great if you actually work. On the rare days I work from home, I keep the same hours and routines. It’s absolutely vital for productivity. Sitting around in your pyjamas watching youtube vids just because you’re in the luxury of your own home just doesn’t cut it.
I absolutely agree! It’s tough though, because one youtube video can lead to 100 more…self-discipline is a must.
Pat, great and timely post. I just switched to working from home about 50% of the time now.
I agree that scheduling this early is the best way increase productivity.
Congrats RJ, that’s great news, and I hope these articles help. Cheers!
Great post! I rarely create schedules for myself, and I think having a schedule helps you do things a lot more easier. Another great lesson I learned is the importance of contacting those who have been there before i.e. who have experience in what I want to do.
Great post as always
Thanks a lot,
Onibalusi
Hi Onibalusi, great advice about contracting out work to those who have more experience, for things that you may not want to do on your own. Can you give us examples of the kinds of things you contract out?
Hi Pat,
Being a 16 year old entrepreneur, I presently can’t afford more than my hosting fees so I have to spend 10′s of hours on my computer everyday doing it all myself.
But I know if I had money I will outsource almost every other aspects and just work on producing quality content for my blog.
I will outsource my guest posting, search engine optimization e.t.c.
I will be able to do that very soon once I start making money online.
Thanks a lot,
Onibalusi
Great post, Pat! Your site has been a big help!
NP V Man! Thanks!
Pat, I’m amazed at how well you’ve done with this blog. I’ve been following you for about a year now and just noticed your pushing 6K subscribers. Sheesh.
Anyway, these are all good points about working from home. This is something I am gearing up for. The goal is in 24 months to be self-sufficient and working from home. Someone’s gotta stay home and take care of the kid after all.
I’ll be looking forward to your post on benefits because that is a major one in my opinion. Probably more so than figuring out when to get out of the PJs and who to have lunch with. Tax planning, setting up a solo-401k, and enrolling in a family health plan seem like the tough items to me.
Have you been privvy to Jonathan’s My Money Blog? He delves in and out of the financial aspect of working from home quite a bit. It may be good food for thought; check his archives.
Thanks for the congratulatory remarks. I hit 6k a few days ago, but it seems to bounce around quite a bit. I’m hoping I can make it to 10k by the end of the year, but I guess we’ll see what happens! Thanks for your support.
I think it’s great that you’re giving yourself a timeframe to being self-sufficient. I think that’s really important, and will help you get into gear and be more efficient with whatever you do.
Actually, I’ve been a long time subscriber of My Money Blog, for about 3 years now, and I’m always interested in what Jonathan has to say. In fact, I think I made his blogroll, which is awesome, hehe.
Thanks Brian, and all the best to you!
You picked a winner to follow with Jonathan. I think I started reading his blog back in 2006. I’d like to think my readership is responsible for the success of the authors I follow.
I was one of the few that took him up on his offer for pfblogs way back in the day… I just wish I had stuck with it instead of waiting another 2-3 years before committing to running a successful blog.
Regarding time frames; I think they’re an absolute must for goal setting. I read somewhere that people overestimate what they can do in a day or month but underestimate what they can do in years. If you set a reasonable goal a few years out and then break it down into monthly increments and achievements which you can control, and assuming you make constant progress toward achieving those goals, then eventually achieving them will happen.
Good luck to you in the future!
Pat,
Great post. I just left the corporate world to start my own business, so your post was right on target. In just a couple of weeks, I’ve realized how important it is to separate your space. Working at the dining room table is just not cutting it!!!
One of the biggest things that has helped me is to go outside – even if it is for a 15 minute walk, getting fresh air and some sunshine always reenergizes me.
Thanks!
Elizabeth, I used to work in a little niche in the kitchen, so I know exactly what you mean!
I think taking breaks is a fantastic idea that I definitely have to do more often. I think it will help me be more productive and put me in a better mood too.
Cheers!
As a CPA I loved the part about having a team in place to help you out. Especially, it is important to have relationships with these professionals so that you can go to them when needed; instead of having them clean up the mess when is wasn’t done right.
I couldn’t have said it better myself, Tyler. Thanks!
I have been doing a lot more meeting up with local entrepreneurs which has been a lot of fun. I live in Seattle, so last week I met up with Neil Patel from QuickSprout.com and a few of my other Elite retreat alumni for a breakfeast.
Tonight I’m going to a Twiistup event on raising capital for startups to meet up with some of the local Seattle angel investors. Then later this week I’m going to meet up with Matthew Inman from TheOatmeal.com (the massively popular web comic)
If you’re a solo entrepreneur it’s vital to get out and meet up with others
Awesome Chris. That’s cool that you met up with Neil, he’s definitely a guy you want to know. Like you said, if you’re going solo, you HAVE to go out there and meet and greet. You never know who may be able to help you out, or even change your life.
Cheers Chris! Thanks!
Pat, one of the things I enjoy most about working from home is that I don’t HAVE to work from home. On some days, I will go to Starbucks where there’s no internet access (because I refuse to pay) so I can avoid the online distractions. Other times, I will go to the book store. It is amazing what the change of scenery will do for my creativity, especially when I’m brainstorming ideas for new projects.
This is great advice, Stacey. A change of scenery always works for me too, especially when it comes to things like writing blog posts or creative things, like you said. I can’t drink Coffee and be creative though, I’m in too much of a caffeine high to think creatively sometimes. LOL.
You had covered this topic well. Working from home isn’t really easy and the most difficult issue for me is to get myself into work mode. As you had mentioned, hitting the snooze button always seems like an attractive option for me.
Cheers,
Vincent
DId you know there’s an alarm clock that rolls off the table when it goes off, so you HAVE to get up and chance it in order to turn it off? I think that’s pretty awesome, and you may want to research that if you’re really concerned. Hehe!
No schedule. I’m always working on something. Either writing, reading, editing, or changing something on the site. I like to stay productive and get a lot of things accomplished. But, then again, I don’t have kids. That’s half the battle!
Kids will definitely change how you work, trust me. But, I think my son has helped me realize what’s important in life, and how to be more efficient when I do work. I wouldn’t trade being a dad for anything.
It’s pretty hard for me to set a schedule when I have two little ones running around all day long. For right now my work revolves around my kid’s sleeping times. I would love to be able to work more but the whole reason I work from home is to be home with my kids.
I do love being able to work from home and being able to be with my kids but my biggest negativity about working from home is that your work is always there. When you have a 9-5 you can leave work and come home and not be constantly reminded about what you have to do and what you should be doing. I don’t think a lot of people realize this when they start working from home. It’s hard to shut your work off when it’s staring you right in the face.
Yes, I think we have the same problem, Tiffany. “The Work is Always There”, indeed – and it’s never finished. Kind of like a painting, there’s almost more that can be done to improve it, and how do you know when it’s done?
Having the separate workspace has helped tremendously though, and a separate computer as well.
Thanks for sharing, Tiffany!
This is something I have been thinking about for the last months as well. Working from home might seem like a great option when you’re in your 9to5 job but when I think about not having any colleagues to chat with, no predefined schedule, no fixed lunch-breaks and so … it kind of makes me think whether this would be the right thing for me.
Even though I mentioned these few drawbacks, I still would never trade in what I do now to go back to a 9 to 5 job. The freedoms with time and finance are things that I could never even close to achieve while working my 9 to 5. It does take a certain type of person to be successful from home, and I’m doing my best to be that kind of person.
Well some of us are not there yet. (Able to quit and work from home). but it’s good to know the pitfalls and that there are resources like this to help when the time comes…
Yep, and hopefully the time comes for all who want that time to come =) That’s why I’m here. Cheers James!
I was just reading last night in the “4 Hour Work Week” about not having friends to hang out with at the water cooler. This is one of my biggest problems working at home. Sure I have some online friends, but it isn’t quite the same for me. I need to get out of the house. If I don’t, it starts to become a prison!
Yeah, it’s important to get out. That’s why I still have lunch with friends and stuff as much as possible, and go out with the fam a couple times during the week, to places like the Zoo, or a park or something. Good luck!
i think its even more important to discipline yourself if you are your own boss, because there is no one around to guide you when youre doing something wrong. discipline and staying motivated are two important factors. (oh, and btw, a white board helps! my whiteboard is an extension of my mind and tells me exactly what i need to be doing – because i wrote it!)
Yeah, writing things on my whiteboards has helped with discipline and motivation too! Definitely!
I definitely agree on creating your own schedule. It may not be set in stone but we do need a schedule to get the most out of our days.
Exactly Tony, it doesn’t have to be set in stone, but just used as a guideline for when things should get done. Flexibility of a schedule is one of the really nice things about working from home.
Great post. I have a couple of questions:
1) What kind of people are in your mastermind group and how did you form the group?
2) This didn’t get mentioned in your post, but how do you handle health insurance? Do you purchase your own insurance? I think this is something a lot of work-from-home folks need to figure out, especially if they need to have their whole family covered.
Thanks Bill!
1) There are people from a number of different backgrounds in my mastermind groups. All are working online, but some are doing info-products, some doing physical products, some doing speaker conferences and those types of things, all in a wide range of subjects and niches. I think the more you hang out with other people in other industries, the more you will learn from each other.
2) I plan to talk about this in the near future, but basically I have a private plan with Blue Anthem. it doesn’t do much as far as helping out for the regular doctor visits, but it has a yearly max which is vital in case anything really bad were to happen to any of my family. Catastrophic insurance, which is what best fits my family and I at our fairly young age.
I tell my family that I won’t be taking any calls from our homephone unless it’s really important. Sometimes friends can call you anytime since they know you’re working at home. Accepting calls only during hours after work helps me avoid spending too much time talking to people.
Good advice Julius! Thanks!
If your CPA doesn’t focus on financial planning (as well as taxes), I’d highly recommend a financial adviser. The out-of-pocket is not more than doing things on your own, as they get referral fees from the different products you use. So find someone you trust, and let them help you build a retirement plan.
My adviser looks at my income, expenses and asks about my financial goals, and we’re investing in products we believe and best fit our situation. Without our adviser, I’d be ignorantly investing things I don’t understand, but he helps me to understand where my money’s going.
Ask friends if they know someone and look for someone who’s been doing it for a while. A lot of people get in and out of the profession, so you’ll want someone with a track record. (I know a good one in Seattle, but nowhere else. Sorry!)
Great Post Pat and I can relate on all points.
The one thing I find very hampering is ensuring I take breaks from time to time. Getting focused in my day isn’t the issue it’s taking time to smell the roses that I have an issue with. I’ve started a routine that after my quick lunch break at home, I usually take 10 -20 minutes to walk or jog to get some fresh air and just turn work off. It’s amazing how refreshed I am when I get back.
One thing I have found to put me in the right frame of mind for working at home is to get dressed for work. This means wearing regular clothes (it’s always casual Friday here at my office), and even shoes.
I do agree with what most everyone is saying about working from home: it can be a pain at times. But the positives definitely outweigh the negatives!
Great post, Pat. Cheers!
Wesley Craig Green
Great Post Pat, I find that just because I work from home, doesn’t mean I always have to “work from home”. I enjoy the hustle and bustle of the coffee shops, bookstores and libraries (something inspiring about being around all those literary greats!). Often, I’ll take my show on the road, and knock out my work stuff over a cup of african sunrise herbal tea (this is what I imagine heaven smells like) at the coffee bean here in So Cal.
Exercise is critical to the work-at-home entrepreneur. It stimulates your mind for amny hours after you did the strenuous activity. Plus, we spend waaaay too many hours in front of the monitor and that time needs to be balanced with exercise so you don’t get a serious case of office-ass.
-Joshua Black
The Underdog Millionaire
Good Point Joshua,
One of the things I have been doing lately is exercising in the middle of the day (Versus only before or after work) It clears my mind and for that 45-60 minutes I am out there exercising I am able to evaluate my day and prioritize the second half.
Office Ass…LOL
This could really help. Thanks for sharing it PAT.
[...] Working From Home Is NOT Easy, But This May Help by Pat Flynn [...]
Totally agree with you here Pat. I own and manage a currency trading business and have been a 4 man shop, but all my employees and business partner are in other states. I totally suffer from having no physical contact through the day, but that got me motivated to volunteer some of my time and started mentoring to teens a year ago.
It’s VERY important to have a schedule and not attempt to work 24-7. life balance is HUGE… no matter what happens or is needed, I stop when my wife walks in the house from work each day and if it’s something urgent, then I’ll swing back in after a couple hours of family time.
Thanks for your post here.
I love your site, there’s so much I can relate to. Specifically this post. In 14 days, it’ll be one year of WFH for me. And I’m still adjusting. Never thought it would be such a challenge.
I’m going to get surfacy here for a moment. I find if I wear a necklace, some funky accessory, and favorite clothes, I feel so much better. For women and men, I think it’s important to feel good, esp on the days when there’s absoltely no time for breaks or excercise in our schedule. So, I treated myself to good quality stuff (which is weird, b/c I never did before). This also extends to my desktop. I also invested in a “HappyLite” for the winter (that’s the real product name!) to lift my energy too.
This is a great blog.
I’ve recently started a website where I use a dropshipper. So far this is the closest I’ve come to making passive income. It’s really quite good. Eg. I just made an $800.00 sale last week and made $250.00 profit. I didn’t have to make any product, and did about 15 minutes of work. I’m still trying other ventures, but this seems to be working the best.
I got the inspiration for this from a blog I read http://www.passionatepassiveincome.blogspot.com/ I find it really quite a good read like this blog.
Thanks for the article. I hope you will publish more articles similar that i can learn more how to work from home.