Small Business Information Center. Com

Working at Home: The Benefits 

Working at home: Is it a good idea? 

Depending upon why you're interested in working at home, you will almost surely find the benefits immediately.  Some people find that working at home is an excellent solution to paying for childcare.  Others find that their children are unhappy at the babysitters all day.  Some have found working at home to be a viable solution because they are unhappy at work and want to lessen their stress load, which will help them to be a better parent. An excellent book on the subject, Home But Not Alone by Katherine Murray makes the following suggestions: 

• Working at home gives you flexibility-something you need plenty of if you're raising kids.  (No doubt you've already noticed that!)
• Working at home gives you freedom.  You can set your own priorities for yourself and your family and stick to them.
• Working at home gives you accessibility.  Now your kids can get to you whenever they need you.  In emergencies, in thunderstorms, when flu strikes-Mom or Dad is right there.

 It is obvious that working at home provides special benefits for parents.  You can arrange your schedule in a way that suits you rather than your employer.  You don't have to rely upon others for full-time childcare.  You can be with your children when they need you which is a very comforting thing to them even if they do not need you at the present time. 

Personal Benefits of working at home: 

There are also personal benefits for your working at home.  It forces you to learn to be organized and take risks.  You learn to work harder and smarter.  This may help you to get better at making your own decisions.  If you're working at home for your employer, this may also help you to become a better communicator with others.  If you work for yourself, you may learn to weather life's storms much better.  Working at home may teach you that you have many good traits that will help you to be successful in life, and those are some really great benefits you may never learn in working in a more traditional environment. 

Another nice aspect of working at home is that the benefits also come back to your children. They see you working hard and being there for them.  They see your discipline in not being distracted and maintaining your focus.  As your business begins to grow, they see the benefits of your labor.  They see you persevere in the face of adversity. Working at home provides many real-life experiences to your children, and will teach them many of life's greatest lessons. 

Working at home is not for everyone.  But, as you can see, it may potentially provide the opportunity that you have always wanted to be there with your children as they grow, to see their first steps and all of the little landmark developmental processes that every parent wants to see.  Also, working at home will provide them the opportunity to experience your perseverance as well as the fruits of your labors. 

Some information from Home But Not Alone by Katherine Murray

Web page and additional information by Paul Susic M.A. Licensed Psychologist Ph.D. Candidate CEO/President Susic Psychological Consulting P.C.

.

Recommended Reading from Amazon.com