As mentioned in an earlier article, not everyone can work at home successfully.

  • Not because they don’t have the skills.
  • Not because they don’t have the contacts.
  • Not because they don’t know enough about home business.

None of those reasons actually.

The reasons most often cited by people who simply can’t work at home are highly personal issues. Here are a few I’m used to hearing from friends who say they’d love to work at home, except for…

  • the seclusion
  • the distractions
  • their lack of motivation
  • and, for work at home women, the ‘classification’ of being thought of as a ‘housewife’

It’s my opinion that if you want something bad enough, any of these excuses can be challenged and overcome.

Apparently they are being overcome by thousands of women every year! Running a home based business is now one of the fastest growing employment trends in the US and Canada. People just like you and I start out by freelancing and over time turn those freelance assignments into a home-based business with all the benefits (tax deductions, freedom to work from anywhere in the world, etc.)

The biggest obstacle for most to overcome is deciding what field to freelance in. Not all existing careers can be re-purposed into freelance assignments, but most can. Of course you may feel burnt out from your existing career, so this might not even be a consideration…

Any sales positions, administrative positions, or consulting careers all transfer to the freelance field easily. Careers with a leg in creativity also far well (think interior design, graphic design and writing).

Work at Home Moms and Money

Although most of us consider the money we’ll make (and save) by freelancing, there are added costs to working from home that aren’t always factored in from the start.

New mothers often get caught here. They start a home based business to save on childcare, but find that they still need to hire babysitters to perform some of their business activities anyway. Health insurance (for those living in the US) is another major consideration. Where once this was covered or partially covered by an employer, it now has to come out of your pocket and factored in as a necessary expense.

Working at home with children is not always as easy as it seems and it doesn’t matter if you have one child or more, although it does help if your children get along well or if one is older and responsible enough to understand and help look after their younger siblings.

If you do have a young child that isn’t in school yet, it may be difficult to work when they are awake. This can mean lots of busy naptimes and late nights to get your projects done when they are sleeping. This was my personal experience anyway. As a single mom of a bright and energetic baby I had to stay up and work nights to keep the money coming in. In the first five years of her life I think I shaved 10 off my own - but it was what I had to do and the benefits today speak for themselves.

If you have a supportive family (I didn’t) they might be willing to help out from time to time by day trips, sleepovers, or by simply running your errands for you. As your child grows and learns to amuse themselves for longer periods of time the trouble of time diminishes - just be sure to never prop them up in front of the television all day or you’ll end up feeling guilty and a child who can’t ever amuse themselves without outside stimulus.

Conclusion of Home Based Business for Women

Is a home based business (beginning with freelance assignments) right for you? I can’t say and perhaps neither can you until you try it. It was hard, and exhausting, and there were days when I thought I couldn’t go on one more day this way - but in the end it was all worth it, every single aspect.