Working From Home: Taking the First Step

Last Updated on September 4, 2018

It was my first day working from home. And I was terrified.

I couldn’t stop the doubts from swirling through my mind.

Had I made the wrong choice? Could I really make this work?  Or were we going to be eating canned soup for the rest of our years?

In my mind’s eye I can still easily picture what I must have looked like as I sat in front of the computer staring at a blank screen and hoping desperately beyond hope that this would work.

Here I am, 12 years later, sitting in my pajamas with a cup of hot cocoa and praising God that He really can make a way where there is no way.

Maybe you’re where I was. Wishing you could be at home full-time. Filled with the desire to begin a business or find an employer that will allow you to work from home. Can it really happen? And if so … how?

Convince your boss

As the cost of doing business continues to grow, more and more companies are getting on board the telecommuting bandwagon. Even the federal government is seeing the benefits of work-at-home employees. In fact, in December 2010, President Obama signed into law the Telework Enhancement Act of 2010 which mandates each executive agency to promote telecommuting among eligible employees (source).

How does this help you? Well, take the time to do some research on how you can save your company money by working from home. Put together a proposal that you can present to your boss and then set up a time to meet and discuss the possibility.

Get a new job

Thinking it’s time to make a clean break from your current place of employment? There are many telecommuting opportunities available today. One of the main sources of at-home employment is customer service companies. In today’s workplace, many companies hire telecommuters to work from home answering calls and emails for the reputable brands that they represent.

The key to landing one of these highly sought-after positions is to make sure that you keep things professional. Many people make the mistake of believing that because they will be working from home, the work atmosphere will be very casual, so they submit sub-par resumes and don’t take the interviews seriously enough. Reputable companies that I’ve talked with say that they receive over two hundred job applications every single day. Yours will need to be stellar and well put together to stand out from the crowd.

Be your own boss

Another option to help you make the transition home is starting your own business. In today’s world this can look many different ways. There are hundreds of direct sales available that have done the groundwork for you – most even provide training and support.

Or, there is the option to offer your own unique product or service. One quickly growing trend in the work-at-home world is the VA – virtual assistant. Many VA’s specialize in one or two areas, such as marketing or website management, and work with multiple clients. This allows them to set their own schedule and accept as many or as few clients as they are able to accommodate.

Go part-time

When I first started entertaining the idea of working from home, I didn’t just up and quit my job. For nearly a year I spent my days working my corporate job and my evenings working a job from home. If you’re nervous about the transition, it may be in your best interest to being small. Find a part-time opportunity that your family schedule can work around and test the waters. Or choose a direct sales business and see how much you’re able to accomplish part-time before making the leap to quitting your day job.

The one thing I regret about my transition home was not starting sooner. Because I was afraid, I put it off day after day. If I could go back and tell my younger self anything, it would be “start now.” There’s no time like the present to start putting together a proposal to show your boss or applying for that first at-home position.

{Editor’s Note: Jill Hart is the Founder/Director of Christian Work At Home Ministries, you may want to check out her weekly devotions!}