When I worked for the man full time, I would often day dream about what it would be like to work at home full time. I imagined waking up in the morning walking around my complex listening to the birds sing, heading to the gym, then having lunch at my local park. Then I would come home and get a bit of work done. Finally I would cap the night by playing with my daughter and later snuggling with my wife watching TV.
It's been 3 years later and apparently my present reality and past day dreams aren't seeing eye to eye. To my shock I've discovered that working at home isn't neccessarily all that it's cracked up to be and I've listed the top 5 reasons why below.
1. Assumptions.
I hate that people think I don't work hard because I'm doing it in my boxers. Yes I don't have to deal with manual labor, commuting or office politics. But the fact of the matter is I actually work more hours now than I did working for the man offline. My wife can attest this. Apparently this problem isn't unique to me. There are actual studies that show people that work at home are far more productive than offline workers. Why? Well because most of the time we fail to adhere to the defined work day offline workers have.
For instance, I literally squeeze in work any chance I get. I'll work during commercials, bathroom breaks, eating, down time, etc. Whereas most people clock out at 5pm, I'm still on my grind until I hit that pillow. In fact it's 1:05 am and I'm writing this post. Keep in mind amidst all this, I have to work in time with my ladies (wife and princess). So contrary to popular belief you may actually work more from home than you did offline. I know on the surface it sounds like you're just kicking back but in my experience my hours are way longer than most of the people I know.
2. Loneliness.
I don't mean to get all sensitive on you, but one of the things that I actually miss about working offline is the everyday interaction with my co-workers, "sight seeing" in the park with my boys, after work drinks, etc. I feel like I took a lot of that stuff for granted while being there. The truth is working at home full time makes you feel isolated and you become a hermit. Now for my personality this isn't such a bad thing. But even so, I do miss that human interaction. I've had to resort to Facebook and sites like Mylot to alleviate some of that loneliness. I also visit my ex co-workers from time to time. With that all said, would I trade being at home full time to be back to the rate race? Hell to the nah! I'm not that lonely and why I have a dog! But seriously I do occasionally miss that social interaction.
3. Taxes
Let me explain before you jump to conclusions. I have no problems paying my taxes especially when I see them going to work in my community. I live in the suburbs so it's the first time in my life I've actually seen my taxes really be put to good use. My streets are clean, the school systems are decent, the crime is low, we have nice parks, etc, etc. So I'm not opposed to taxes. I just hate the fact that I have to personally managed them. When I worked for the man, HR handled deducting taxes from my check. Yes it always hurt to see FICA take nearly half my check away. But eventually you just got accustomed to the process. Then at the end of the year you would get some of that money back.
But when you work at home, it's a whole other ball game. Most people that work at home aren't employees. You're considered an independent contractor (IC). Basically that's a fancy term for you're on your own. (You can read about how taxes are handled for most people that work at home by clicking here.) Being an IC means I'm responsible for reporting my income to the Feds and paying them their money. This requires putting aside funds for Uncle Sam that I would usually be utilizing for cool things like gadgets or trips to exotic places. Although I do good enough as an affiliate marketer that I still get to enjoy those pleasures but I digress. Working at home also means keeping good records of my expenses, getting incorporated and having a CPA that really understands business taxes. Trust me when I say it's so worth getting incorporated and getting the proper tax advice from experts when you're working at home especially when you're making decent money. I failed to understand this concept initially and ended up owing more taxes than necessary because of it. Now that I have the proper business entity set up and a great CPA I'm accustomed to this process and can pay my taxes with no issues. But boy do I do miss the days of not having to even worry about it. It was just a matter of cashing my checks and living my life. Now it's about making sure all my business expenses are on my AMEX so I have a record of it and to get my points in the process. You know I feel about leverage. lol
4. Juggling.
When I sought out the goal of working at home full time, it wasn't to become a clown. What I mean is that I didn't know that juggling various aspects of my life was a requirement to work from home. As I said earlier I work more hours now than I ever did working for the man. For me it doesn't feel like work because I'm doing what I love. I'm in control of my destiny and life now. My life is no longer controlled by some snot nosed manager that feels they're better than me because they have a title or went to a fancy IV league school. (No disrespect intended to those folks. lol) However because I really love what I do, I probably put in too many hours than I should. I always feel that I need to respond to an email or comment quickly. But I'm starting to realize the cost of this work ethic. Often times I'm spending time with my daughter or wife and I have the overwhelming feeling to look at my iphone, laptop or ipad to check my emails, comments or stats. That's not normal. But it is when you work at home. Those boundaries of time are sort of lost. I hate that I'm like this now. Ironically because I am this way, I can be at home with my family now. But I know it's not the quality time it should be. So it's something I struggle with and working hard to improve.
5. Whispers.
Finally I hate that my neighbors, acquaintances and even some friends might think I may be a drug dealer or involved in some illicit activities. I never expected that being at home full time would have people wondering about my character. But apparently if you & your wife drive nice cars and aren't seen in the morning rushing off to work or coming home in the evening, people start wondering what the hell do you do for a living. lol Honestly I can't really blame folks. I would look at my neighbors cock eyed too if I noticed that both adults are home all day but seem to be doing very well. In the natural, the math doesn't add up. But instead of whispering about it, I wish folks would just have the balls to ask what I do. But alas considering I get to be home all day with my family, it's a minor inconvenience I can learn to deal with it. However it's annoying nonetheless.
So there you have it folks, the top 5 reasons I hate working at home. Ultimately none of this stuff outweighs the freedom of being self employed and spending time with your family (even if it's not exactly the quality time you want it to be). I know that I'm very blessed to be in this position. It's a wonderful feeling. I guess it's also the reason why I'm so passionate about helping you all help yourselves to achieve the same bliss. Trust me working at home isn't as glamarous as it may appear to be. I guarantee you'll discover things you don't like about it. But I'm confident you'll have far more reasons to love it than to hate it.
Hey if you work at home full time or part time, let me know what are some of the things you hate about it. Or if you don't work at home full time yet, do you think there will be anything you'll actually hate about working at home? Let me know your thoughts below if you have any.
P.S. If you're looking for work at home jobs, click here. I already know there is going to be a comment regarding this so let's get it out of the way now. lol
Hi Eddy
I do want to join your work at home program. I do have a full time job. I have epilepsy and as I get older this would be good for me. I know it will take time. I had already joined Rodan and Fields and worked for 2 yrs making around $100.00 per month. Not worth it. I wish I would have found your article 2 yrs ago. Thanks for all the information you have had some really great reviews.
You’re very welcome Denise. I hope you’ll enjoy the other options I’ve covered.
Hi Eddy, first! “Thank
you very much” Working from home is the best thing for me. Sometimes it’s all pros. No time to be bored.
I drop my son off to school in the
mornings and come back home to “work” I can set the time I start. After picking him up in the afternoon it is snack
or (lunch) as he calls it, home-work which sometimes includes research. I check his work for what I call silly
mistakes (mind you) my son is on the “High Honor Roll” Then we have dance two days a week (Hip-Hop
& Tap) and the seasonal baseball.
Not to mention, we live up-state. As a single mother, in the winter when it
snows there are 2hr. delays and snow-days. If I work outside the home what will I do? I have
no one to watch him in those situations and the bosses expect you to be on
time. We food shop and sometimes make pickled
vegetables, cake or cookies together. I
don’t have time to be bored or lonely.
Yeah I hear ya. But again working at home isn’t all sweet. There are definitely negatives about it. But the pros definitely out weigh most of the bad. It all depends on your situation and where you are in life.
Wow, you really care what other people think of you?
Who gives a damn what “people” think about what you do.
Uh, everyone cares a little about what people think of them. It’s human nature. That being said, I don’t care that much where I’ve stopped doing what I’m doing. It’s just one of the annoying things that comes a long with this industry that I was pointing out.
@Patrice:
lol…sorry for the typos
I love love love your website. I am 21 and have worked with just about every company you have listed on your site. Working from home definitely has it’s UGH moments, but sucks even worse when you are as young as I am. When I am working from home, I have my entire house on a schedule. Tv’s have to be lowered by a certain time, everyone needs to be bathed, dogs need to be walked and House ringers need to be silent. In the beginning, I found myself on working from 8am to 12 am, with 1 or 2 breaks here and there. My Social life suffered and I became such a shut in; which, is ok if you are married with children and have a life that is more structured. But when you are in your 20’s with your whole life ahead of you, in college and needing a social life, it can be a BIG THING. I’m happy I have more of a handle on what hours I will work and which I will not do. Just as a few writers said above, I make sure to squeeze in College classes, art classes, volunteering and a part time job to keep my heart pumping :-). It has it perks because the money can be great and it is you are increasing your Executive skills and not having to worry about shoveling your car out of snow has its perks.
I would love to work from home. What I’d really like to know is, is there a COMPLETELY FREE company to work for at home making good money that takes the taxes out so that it wouldn’t be a worry or does this only exist in a perfect world? LOL Just curious.
Jenny,
There are tons of free work at home jobs. We list them every day here:
http://www.workathomenoscams.com/jobs However it’s rare to find the ones that handles taxes. The reasons most employers like the work at home set up is it’s usually cheaper for them. It’s cheaper because they don’t need to have a dedicated resource to handling benefits like takes, health care, etc. Most work at home situations are handled the way I described above and in the following article:
https://www.workathomenoscams.com/2010/04/15/weekly-work-at-home-recap-04-16-2010/
My suggestion is to visit our jobs page listed above and pursue the jobs there and see if you can find one that handles taxes for you. But it’s not something that is very common in my experience. Good luck.
Great article. I work from home full time now (your blog gave me that final boost to join Wealthy Affiliate) and I know the feeling. I can imagine people wondering what the heck you do all day because I used to wonder the same thing about people before I started working from home. For instance, when I used to work a 9-5 I’d have to rush out of the office to grab lunch and would see people on their afternoon job or walking their dogs. I didn’t think they sold drugs (that’s funny though) but I always wondered if they worked from home or if they worked at all. And if they were working from home, I wanted to know their secret so I could do it too.
I know my fiance wonders what the hell I’m doing all day typing on the computer in my sweatpants. He probably doesn’t think I’m really working at all, but the bills are getting paid so I’m obviously doing something, right? People are very skeptical about this business so when he or anyone else asks about my day I often just change the subject. Gotta keep the negativity away. 🙂
I agree with you that once you start working from home full time you end up working more hours than when you worked a 9-5. I somehow caught a cold a few days ago but I still wanted to work. Yesterday I worked from 8 am until about 10:30 pm (with a few short food and restroom breaks in between) even though I had a stuffy head, a killer headache and a runny nose. In my previous job (which I hated by the way) I probably would have taken that opportunity to use a sick day. And even after I turned my laptop off and got in the bed, I still ended up grabbing my iPod to check emails and add on to my Squidoo lens. THEN, after I finally fell asleep around 1 am, I dreamed all night long about the articles I planned to write the following day. It was a rough night! But I got up this morning and got to work because I love what I do.
It definitely is important to balance work and family time. It’s hard for me to put my work aside if I’m really into what I’m doing, which is all the time. But even if I have to put it down, it’s awesome knowing that no one is going to harass me about making sure I don’t go over my 15 minute break. I can do whatever the heck I want, and there is nothing like having that kind of freedom!
Deanna,
Thanks. Reading your comment was like looking in the mirror. LOL
It was nice to hear from someone else that loses sleep over article ideas. You explain that someone outside the industry and they look at you like you’re crazy. lol
So I totally feel you. You should sit your fiance down one day so he can see what you do and explain it to him. My wife now knows my industry very well because I actively pulled her into it so she could understand why I was always on the computer. I think when they understand what you do they have a better appreciation for it. Although my wife always appreciated it regardless because the bills were getting paid and the vacations we would take. lol
In any event, thanks for chiming in. I appreciate hearing from another person that lives a parallel life.
Really good article
Interesting info about the taxes. My wife and I do our own currently and it works out fine. (Neither of us works from home.) Good to know that would likely need to change if one or both of us went the solo route.
Kinya,
Thanks for the kind words. Obviously you know very well the downsides of working at home but like me see there is far more value in the pros. I just think it’s important for folks to have realistic expectations because you go in to the industry better prepared. So hopefully this article and your upcoming book enlightens more people.
Mad,
Reading your comment is almost like looking into my own life regarding your hours and the passion you have for you work. Thanks for chiming in. Thank goodness for our dogs huh? lol
Jim,
I’m sorry to hear about the end of your corporate career and the bumpy road you’re currently on regarding work at home. I think the one important lesson you’ve learned from your experiences in this industry thus far is the importance of research and healthy dose of skepticism. Both are great characteristics to have as long it doesn’t make you so jaded that it leads to in action or the lack of an open mind. So just be mindful of that as you continue to go through this journey. I agree there are a lot of training programs out there that merely tease you and fail to provide the additional information needed upfront to know what you’re really going to need to invest to succeed. But I find the easy way to get around such lack of omissions is research. So as long as you continue to do that, you’re fine. In any event, I hope there is a day you’ve become successful working at home you’ll be back here whining about working at home as I’m doing. lol If you continue to do your research and read blogs like this, I believe you will be there soon enough.
Gary,
Taxes are definitely much easier when none of this work at home stuff is involved so I definitely suggest getting a professional when you’re successfully working at home and making some decent money. Trust me when I say it’s worth every dime to have a pro at this to help you with your taxes. I initially didn’t see the value and was trying to be cheap. But it ended up costing me more money in the long run. Once I found the right people, it was easy sailing because they knew everything I didn’t nor wanted to learn. So I look forward to the day when you and your wife are in that position where you need to consider these type of tax considerations. =)
Really enjoyed reading your article! My corporate career came to an end almost a year ago after I ran into some health difficulties that required some extended time away from work. Since then, I’ve tried (unsuccessfully) to re-enter the work force but was either over-qualified or the position offered offered a salary that was significantly lower than my unemployment earnings.
Because of these reasons, I decided to look into the possibility of working from home at the start of the new year. The simplest thing I can say is “HOLY COW!” There’s a never-ending amount of information on the ‘net revolvong around this simple concept. Like many others choosing this career path, I quickly discovered that working from home means WORK, and if you’re not willing to put time in, the reward will indeed be small.
I also discovered that there are several different ways to make money, and that there are infinitely more scams out there than real opportunities. After losing several thousand dollars in my first foray into the home based business world, I am now very wary about “paying to work.” This has made me research all opportunities in detail, and kept my hand very close to my pocket book. I have a very difficult time with the concept of giving someone else my (almost non-existent)money so that I can make money. I’ve subscribed to a couple of work-from-home sites that advertise no-fee employment, but once again, careful research has revealed that true “large” money-making opportunities are slim, although affiliate marketing appears to be popular at the moment. Once again though, most marketers charge some sort of “fee” to utilize their services and neglect to mention that there are more hidden fees involved in order to see any monetary return at all, and any actual profit is negligible.
OK, now I’m ranting. Bottom line, I’m working from home, but not very successfully (yet). Also, I intend to stick with this pursuit of working from home and am very determined to be succesful at it. However, since I’ve been unemployed for so long, my ‘fall back’ finances are in dire straits, which (naturally) call for exra caution in my research
Eddy,
I know exactly what you mean when you say you work longer hours then working for the man. I was working as a full time web designer for a company until recently when economics finally caught up to them and let go of contractors. I would do most of the administrative work during the day, like contact the client to get information on how they would like their website set up then do the design work at night. Of course I would make time during the evening to spend with my family and exercise but the night would be mine. I would start from maybe midnight to 3-4-5 even 6 in the morning to get these websites done. I loved what I did and the creative freedom and freedom from the corporate environment for sure. At times I would be lonely and usually chatted with other lonely designers through gtalk and facebook. Also from not being from the town where I found the online opportunity I didn’t know anyone but I did at least find a couple friends at the gym. But you know what… I wouldn’t trade working from home making good money for a corporate job! Love the freedom and I have 2 dogs and they like me to walk them and play ball too. LOL
I’m actually writing an e-book similar to this subject where I outline the reality of working at home. People think it’s a picnic/walk in the part. It’s not. It’s actually pretty hard to do, especially if you have no idea what you’re getting into beforehand. But like you, even with all the downsides, I still wouldn’t trade it for the world.
Thanks for this post. It lets people know that working at home isn’t the happy-go-lucky illusion the internet makes it out to be.
Did you break into my life to write this post?
Lmao Steve,
I guess we must be twins. Lol I see this really hit home for you. Thanks for
the shout out on your blog. Hopefully some of your loyal followers will have a better appreciation of our lives and some of the cons of this lifestyle. That being said, we can both agree that’s it’s totally worth it. Thanks for chiming in! It’s always good to hear from you.
These are definitely very true and I’m sure people probably made those assumptions before they started working at home and everyone that doesn’t work at home is jealous and still makes those assumptions. It’s still gotta be awesome to work from home and I wish I could!
Lol Eddy,you always make me laugh…Just don’t forget to keep your humor up in whatever you give us ;D…That’s one of the reasons I enjoy your blog over others..You’re down to earth,you make spelling and grammatical errors just like most of us,and you can make us laugh lol…Don’t change or I’ll have to hate you forever lol.
Dustin,
Don’t worry. All that stuff you enjoy about me and the blog is all natural. So I can’t help but be me in anything I will deliver to you. I read enough stuff out there to know my only real selling point compared to everyone else is that I am just me and folks like you seem to enjoy that with the flaws and all. So thanks for the vote of confidence. I appreciate it.
Alexander,
I obviously agree. But ultimately you’re right. Working at home is a great pleasure that I hope to help everyone experience. I think the world would be a happier place if folks could be at home with their families while being able to support them.
:O No one would want to read a book you wrote? Eddy,I’ve been waiting for you to publish something of your own (ebook,membership site,anything) since I first found this site forever ago. I think a lot of people would love what you create. Anyway,awesome article as always. Thanks Eddy 😀
Eddy,
Where have you been these last 15 years of my life? I have been throught so many scams in that time it’s just pitiful. But in my heart of hearts I’ve always known I want to work for myself. I appreciate the realness you bring to everything you do. There are no false hopes given, just the facts and good sound advice about the “work at home” business. You are a true blessing to those of us who have had the fortune of finding your site. Stay cool, and I also look forward to the book, lol.
I agree with Wendy, there’s a book somewhere in there lol
I think for me the hardest thing is deciding where to focus..!! I have so many ideas & projects I want to do it get super overwhelming.. Right now I still work full-time (although 2 of those days they let me work from home wahoo!) but I am constantly thinking up projects and things I want to try.. I just wish I had the time to truly dedicate to them..!
Good article. Very personalized. I hear ya on the assumptions part. People love making assumptions if you work at home or not. LOL…
Letitia,
Thanks. I guess it’s just human nature for folks to do it.
Brittany,
You too? lol I wouldn’t even know what to write about. I am working on something behind the scenes, maybe that will appease some of you that want a book from me. lol In any event, I hear you about the focus issue. I thought it would be easier once I fired my job and worked for myself full time. But to my surprise that didn’t happen as I planned either. I got even more ideas to test. I still do. What I do is write them down and have even moved to mind maps/flow charts which has helped me organize my ideas even better now. Now I have them listed in my ipad and I can get to them as I complete one project. Whereas before they were all scattered in my head. So i think organizing your ideas by writing them down and then prioritizing which ones you want to try out first will help a lot. I know it’s helped me in the last few weeks. But it’s great that you have so many ideas. As long as you take action on them, then you’ll eventually have success. Just don’t spend all your time thinking because without actions they are just mere day dreams.
Celicia,
Girl don’t get me all teary eyed up in here. I have a manly reputation to uphold. lol I really appreciate your kind words. It obviously feels wonderful to have such a positive impact on people’s lives. There isn’t enough hope and real talk in the world today. So I’m just happy to be able to do the little that I do. I know it’s not much but it’s better than nothing at all. So thank you for giving me a little pat on the back. It never gets tired and I’ll continue to do my best to help folks like yourself. I’m sorry it took 15 years for us to meet. But you know how the saying goes, better late than never. Now we can make up for lost time. So enjoy. And you too, stop it with the book. lol
Dustin,
You’re far too kind. I hear what you’re saying. I would be lying if i said others haven’t told me the same thing for many years. It was like I was telling Jeff earlier today, I have a big fear of disappointing people. On my blog it’s easier for me to give out free information because at the end of the day if you decide I suck, it costs you nothing. Then you just get the hell on and I carry about my business. But when you create a product if someone feels that way it can lead to a whole hurt of problems. But I think I’ve finally convinced myself that it’s just worth the risk. The math makes me feel more confident to take the risk because ultimately most of the people that visit this site who have actually taken action end up making money or avoiding scams. I have a solid record of delivering good information that helps people. So attaching a price to it shouldn’t make any difference on my end in terms of what I can deliver. So don’t worry I have something coming. Don’t ask me when. lol Honestly I thought would have put something out about a year ago. But my original idea just seemed to much to chew for me and it would have been for most newbies. But now I think I finally have something that stays true to what I’ve always done here which is keep it simple, effective and more importantly can be started right away. I’m hoping by starting off with something small it will build up my confidence. This is assuming ya’ll react to it positively. lol. But whatever it is I do produce, I promise it will be informative and useful like much of the content I’ve delivered here over the last few years. See as successful as I have been, I still have a lot of insecurities that I have to work with. But like I always tell you good folks, I fight through it and force myself to take action. Because ultimately that’s the only way to succeed. In any event thanks for the kind words Dustin. At least I know I’ll have one guaranteed sale when I do come out with something. lol
Eddy,
A very good post. I haven’t earned enough yet to worry about the tax aspect of working at home, but I really appreciate the warning. I keep good records and now I’ll be looking for a CPA that knows this kind of tax problem.
I am old, so no one worries about my being at home all day. My main problem is getting too involved in my own thinking process. This can make problems appear where none exist. This is commonly called overthinking, and it is a real hazard. Music helps, and I keep it on all day.
Again, thanks for spelling out the bad things that can happen when you work at home.
Eddy,
I know somewhere down the road there is a book that’s waiting for you to write it.
You keep it real and you keep it honest. That’s why you have the following you do. We come to see what you have to say, so your word carries real weight. Thank you for being honest and for keeping it real.
I work at home full time. I hate that I have to put half of each check away so that I make sure there is enough to cover my taxes. It’s hard pretending that money doesn’t exist. But that’s the only way to make sure there is enough when it comes time to pay my taxes.
I hate that I can’t clone me so that all the other stuff that needs to get done and the stuff I really want to do would get done. It would be nice to actually have a day once in a while where there wasn’t something I had to do.
Working at home doesn’t stop the full time job I already have. When I had to go somewhere to work there was a defined line between what I did at home, my other job that never stops. Now it’s just one steady flow of work in one place. If I could clone me I would. That would make my world run smoother in so many ways. I could do some of the things I really love doing but have a hard time finding time for anymore.
What I like about working at home is that I dont’ have to buy fancy clothes. I don’t have to communte. I don’t have to pack a lunch.
And if I want to I can dye my hair any color I want. And I don’t have to jump through hoops or babysit some co worker who really doesn’t want to be there.
I don’t have to worry about getting called in on my day off. I don’t have to worry about a boss or manager who is on the war path because something in their personal life is out of wack and they bring it to work and bark at everyone all day long. I don’t miss the gossip or the back biting or the pecking order. I don’t miss feeling out of place.
I don’t miss people not showing up for their shift, or walking into a kitchen that looks like a bomb went off and having to clean it up because the people on the last shift were too lazy to do their job.
I don’t miss corprate visits and all the fussing over trying to impress the big bosses.
I don’t miss long lines of impatient people who are never happy. I don’t miss having to go out there when it’s freezing and below zero to get to a job.
What I miss about it are the people who were regulars at the different jobs. They were like seeing old friends who came to hang out with us on a regular basis. I miss the good managers, and the co workers that took pride in their work.
I miss seeing what other people were wearing for halloween.
I miss helping decorate for the different holidays. I miss that feeling of locking the door at night and being able to come home. Working at home gives me things that no other job I’ve ever had has given me.
I get to see more blue sky than in any other job I’ve ever had. I can multi task the way that works best for me.
The perks for working out home definately outweigh working for someone else.
It all goes back there are trade offs in everything and nothing is perfect. I’m a living testament to Eddy never wanting to take time off because he has never failed to respond to me in a kind and thoughtful way. Some “internet gurus” say they care and say they want to help people but that is nothing but a marketing ploy. If you are new to this blog, believe me when I say that Eddy is the REAL DEAL and has made a positive difference in many lives, including mine. Now put down that laptop Eddy and relax. LOL.
Teresa,
Thank you regarding taxes. Those areas stump me. Tax, LLC’s etc. etc. But, I just know I have to put more time into it because it does intimidate me at first glance.
Eddy,
Spending time on the internet can appear as “play” to many. You are looking for a good deal on a mouse or headset or phone. It’s looks like shopping because it is. Difference is that you need these items for your work. Facebook, Twitter, You Tube, etc are all things others look at for leisure. You may be putting your own material up or you may be reviewing or learning from someone else’s. This also looks like “play” to many. Watching videos. You’re not watching the funny animal ones unless it has something to do with your work. But, it looks just like “play.” And when you sit there laughing at the computer, no one will take you seriously. But, the truth is that some of these internet marketers are really funny.
Blogging. Blogging for work looks just like blogging for play. But, it is so much more different to blog a meaty entry just like the one you created today than ramble on about your vacation or thoughts about your pink dress. Now, again if you are blogging about fashion, that may be work.
The thing is, at least to me, that it can feel like play because it does not feel as stressful as work once did.
Internet marketers do not help matters either as many like to promise they work no more than 2 hours a day and spend the rest of the time on the beach with beautiful bikini clad ladies. I think people go into business for themselves because they are self-motivated and driven. People like that do not like to loaf despite the pictures they put on their sites. I firmly believe they are constantly working and striving and creating, whether they are on a beach or a yacht or some villa around the world. I don’t think people switch to working at home to be lazy. Sometimes, it is out of necessity as with moms. Or, being laid off. But, I think they possess strong internal motivation to do so and to succeed for themselves.
Yasmeen,
I hear your points and agree with them. That being said, I still think the perception of what we do is misguided and hurts the telecommuting movement in this country. I just hope in time that work at home is perceived for what it really is which is work and not play. What’s ironic about this is back in the days when people had craftsman skills such as carpentry, blacksmithing, etc., many of them worked in their home work shops. There wasn’t a perception of folks playing at home then. But obviously things have changed greatly since then. Either way thanks for chiming in with such insightful feedback.
Jeff,
I totally agree with you buddy. We’re all trading things to achieve our goals. Perfection is a myth when it comes to working at home or anything for that matter. So I totally hear you. In any event as usual you’re far too kind. I answer your emails because I know you actually take action on my suggestions and you don’t look for me to do the work for you. I can’t help but enjoy interaction with people like you because you get what I’m trying to instill on this blog which is folks to be responsible for their own actions and not to depend on others. So the praise really goes to you and your work ethic. But I appreciate the kind words nonetheless. Don’t worry after I respond to the rest of these comments I’ll walk away from the computer. You should be proud I actually went outside with my family for an hour two. So I’m getting better. lol
Wendy,
I don’t know if anyone would really want to read a book that I write. You guys are biased because you know me. lol
In any event, I totally agree with all the things you don’t miss about working offline. Don’t worry that article is coming soon. But you’ve basically covered many of them! As always you leave comments that gets us all thinking. So thank you!
Eunice,
Thanks for the kind words. I’m glad you appreciate the tax advice. Trust me it’s golden when you do get to that point.
I understand the dilemma you’re going through that leads to inaction. What you’re experiencing is called over-analysis paralysis. A lot of newbies in this field and internet marketing go through it. Even me as a seasoned professional still go through it. What I try to do is focus on the fact that if I don’t I’ll never really know the outcome. I also remind myself of the successes I’ve had for acting and the pains I’ve felt for not doing so. Usually that gets me to “jump in the pool”. But what you’re experiencing we all go through. It’s just a matter of shaking it off like a bad habit because it is one.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
First, let me start off by saying how much I enjoy your website!! I’ve beed self employed for about 30 years, working mostly from home during that time. My current situation has me working for home 95% of the time. In order to overcome the tax jitters that most encounter when starting a work at home business–I decided to educate myself on tax matters and become “income tax ctfd”. When you understand the process it isn’t as daunting.
In reference to your whispers–I have a very funny story. As you well know, you can become very reclusive and focused when working from home. This left me very little to no time to speak to neighbors, etc. At one point I was doing “at home parties” (similiar to Mary Kay) for the jewelry industry. All my neighbors saw was me in the house all day, then in the evening I would leave all dressed up to the hilt (had an image to portray when selling jewelry). I would be sporting the jewelry I had won for my sales efforts and at the time (it used to be politically ok) wore the fur coats I had won, as well. Then I would return late at night after my parties were over, carrying my briefcase.. It makes me laugh just thinking about it. Well, i was much younger then and very naive–one night as I was leaving my home to go to sell, a neighbor lady approached me and said she loved my breifcase and wanted to buy one for her son-in-law just like it. She asked if I would mind showing her the inside–not even thinking about her evil intentions (lol) I opened it immediately. To her dismay–all she saw was my paperwork, forms, pens, caculator (lol). When I think about it now–i just laugh to myself–i’m sure she expected lingerie to pop out when I opened it. That is my “whispers’ story!!
Teresa!
You know my pain so well! I’m dying over here in laughter. Your story really hits home. I can’t believe how sneaky your neighbor was trying to be. That’s hilarious!
But again we definitely have to understand how it looks to people from the outside. It would have been nice if your neighbor would have said something to the effect of:
“Hey I don’t mean to pry and excuse me if you think I am. But you seem to be doing well for yourself and I know you’re home most of the time. I’m just curious what you do
for a living?”. I think folks like us that are working at home legally would have no problem with such a question. But the funny looks and the passive aggressive tactics are too funny.
Thanks for the laugh!! P.S. I agree with you regarding the taxes. They become much easier to deal with if you’re educated on them or have someone that is.
@Larry! You are too funny! And Eddy, they are haters, these people who think you’re carrying on some kind of illegal activities. You are (as you well know) very blessed to have found your niche and are working it! Not only are you working it, you’re successful. And the icing on the cake is that you’re not selfish. You have been a blessing to MANY. You are doing all you can to reach back in your efforts to bring others along with you, doing all you can to pave the way, make the paths straight, and move as many obstacles out of the way as you possibly can so that others can get to where you are without having to re-invent the wheel or get scammed as little as possible during their journey to success. To God be the Glory!
Big Sis,
Thanks for the kind words! You always make me feel good about the work I do here! I’m sure some of it is hate on certain people’s part. It’s just hard for me to grasp the logic. If I see someone else doing well, I congratulate and want to emulate, not hate. But I guess people are different. That’s why some will succeed and others will get more of what they’ve always gotten out of life for better or worst.
LOL! Excellent article, especially #5. If you can be seen with your child more, make them think you are a stay at home dad. I had this conversation with someone before about how others think you play on the internet all day. Which, in reality, is what you do.
I also don’t think it is as frustrating as working for “the man”, in a job, in a cube, in an office, in a building, that it takes a while to commute to. And if there no “man” to report to, you can only yell at yourself. And, why would you do that? As a result, I think you end up with less to complain about with others and I have noticed that most people like to complain about work. And even if they don’t complain about it, they like to talk about it, a lot. They understand the structure of complaining about bosses and co-workers. If you do not have those, there is less to complain about. But, if you do something good or the results are good, you pat yourself on the back. If it is the opposite, you get on your case. No drama. Nothing to report.
I think the hardest thing is to transition from a Worker Bee to a Worker for Me and personally, that is what I am working on. It is just so much different. Different structure. Different mindset. Different expectations. Different role. The only thing that is similar is staring at a computer.
Soft clothes. Yes, much time spent in soft or very, very, very casual clothes. I find it important to connect with others who work from home or others who are at home or others with odd work schedules.
Thanks Yasmeen!
It’s funny you say that because I do make it a point to be outside more with my wife and child. It does seem to have soften some folks presumptions.
I don’t really view me being online all day as playing. Is it fun what I do? Yes. But playing to me is literally playing my PS3, Surfing youtube, etc. Most of my day is spent here answering or deleting comments. I also spend a great deal of time responding to emails and my fanpage comments, doing research, checking my stats, studying new things about affiliate marketing, etc. There isn’t a lot of playing going on for me. Although when my wife sees me on facebook she jokes that I am. lol
I think because a lot of people use the internet to play they assume that folks who do work at home are also playing all day which is not neccessarily the case. At the end of the day we all shoot the breeze. We’re not robots. But I definitely take issue with the perception that all we do is mess around because we do work at home. I think this perception is also the reason why certain company’s and departments are against allowing telecommuting at the work place. I know in my former department the older generation viewed telecommuting as a joke and frowned upon it. But what they failed to realize is the few times I was allowed to telecommute, I actually got more work done because I wasn’t socializing as much with my co-workers who to your point did spend a lot of time complaining about work. I just think the perception of work at home is totally off base and isn’t grounded in a lot real facts. People are just doing a lot of assuming.
In any event, I hear what you’re saying about the transition period. It definitely takes some adjustment. I know this sounds crazy to a lot of people. But there is definitely an adjustment that you don’t account for when you dreamt about working at home. I agree about connecting with others that work at home who understand your lifestyle. I have few buddies like my business partner, big Phil, Callie, Kelly, my little sis Dee and some other folks I can vent to about working at home. It definitely helps alleviate some of the stress associated with it. But I’ll say it again, I’ll take this type of life over my former any day. I don’t want anyone to think I’m complaining. I’m just sharing which is different. lol
Thanks for chiming in Yasmeen.
I’m not working full time at home, but several years ago I was trying to find a job and was treating my job hunt as my “at-home job”. For me the major problem was self discipline. I always had all sorts of distractions that I could have been doing instead of focusing on what I needed to do. I would think that with a family, the distractions would be an even greater temptation. But it sounds like you enjoy what you’re doing so you don’t need the self-discipline as much as you need your “juggling” skills.
Oh, and you comments about the whispers had me busting a gut! Yeah, I could easily see how that could happen… Sounds like a premise for some comedy movie, “The Dealer”…. Filmed from the point of view of some nosy neighbors that tries to be amateur detectives to catch the “Dealer”. It finally ends in a SWAT team raid of the poor guy’s house only to find him typing some blog in nothing but his boxers. Haha!
Well, howdy doody to you! The only downside I saw in your five reasons was the “tax issue.” But that’s like death, usually unavoidable.
Hi there, Lil Bro. I’m telling you, I retired a little over a year ago and being retired, for me, is just like being self-employed. And I don’t miss ANYTHING AT ALL as far as the work place environment. As a matter of fact (straight from the heart), that’s the part of being retired that I’m most thankful and grateful to God for.
***Whispering*** You’re not the only one who doesn’t “get up and dress up.”
I’ve discovered a whole new fashion line in my sleepwear attire, and/or in whatever I pull off the hangers in my closet, including mis-matched tops with my pants or skirts, caftans, leggings, or whatever I decide to lounge around in, and it’s much better than the so-called “casual day” ‘acceptable’ attire while I was employed. It just doesn’t get any better than this; and since I’ve been at home full time since my retirement, I’ve gotten most of my sanity back! LOL! Glory to God! To God be the glory! Amen!
Have a blessed day y’all!
LMAO Big Sis (Ms. Edrena!)
I gather you don’t feel my “pain”. lol No But I hear what you’re saying. Being retired is definitely very similar.
Although I don’t think you get the same looks I do being home all the time. People can tell if you’re retired by your age. But that may not be the case for you because “black don’t crack”. lol However folks clearly know I’m in my mid 30s so they definitely don’t think he’s retired. They tend to assume the worst. Sigh..
I totally feel you about the at home dress code. Mine tends to be a pair of basketball shorts, slippers and a tank top. But when I miss wearing my suits I may dress up my at home attire with a vee-neck collared shirt and some flip flops. I like to flip it up on the neighbors. lol Ultimately I agree with you about the sanity. I learned some great things in corporate america that help me with my business but I know I was also slowly losing myself in that maxtrix of a world. It only became evident I was when I left and I talk to my ex-coworkers. So you’re right about getting your sanity and sense of self back. I guess I’ll have to follow up this article with the top 5 reasons I love working at home.
Larry,
I think you’re on the same page as my other little sis Denise. Self discipline is definitely a challenge and it is for me as well even despite the fact I work crazy hours. A lot of times there are things that are higher priority I don’t do because of feeling lazy or uninspired. Distractions are definitely all about in the form of TV, Facebook, etc. So I’m totally there with you.
I love your idea of a sitcom. I think it would be hilarious. lmao!
I’ll gladly give that all up. LOL
Only the tax thing sounds scary. I’m at a loss for that stuff, but then just about no one understands the stupid tax code in this country.
I hear ya Renee! lol
The tax stuff isn’t that scary when you have the right CPA. I know when I first got into this industry it really turned me off that I had to manage my own taxes. But it was one of those things where you were forced into the pool because 99.9% of work at home related offers work this way. So it”s either you learn to deal with it or don’t work at home. Obviously the latter wasn’t much of an option for me. So eventually I got a good CPA that helped me maneuver throw these complicated tax laws and she continues to do so. This way I could focus on my actual business and not trying to interpret the tax code which is like trying to understand Egyptian hieroglyphics. lol
Great article and so true! I can’t say that I’ve experienced all 5 because I’m not on that level just yet. I definitely get the assumptions where people don’t think I’m actually working and they think I can hang out or be on the phone all day. That is so annoying. I don’t get the respect I should. I can also relate to the loneliness. Not having any co-workers around to chit chat with or seeing any eye candy is definitely missed! Lol. You do become a hermit. But like you, I feel it’s not the worse thing but I definitely have my days that I do feel it. One of my down falls with working at home that’s not listed here and is probably why I am not on the level that I thought I would be on by now is that it is so easy to not do anything! If your working for some one, you know you have responsibilities that need to get done and so you do it. But having your own business you have to push yourself a little harder than the average person to stay motivated and not slack off. It’s so easy to slack off when your home and say “oh I’ll get on that article tomorrow”. It’s bad because you know that the business your in is very rewarding but it takes time, dedication and hard work and you would think knowing this should be enough for you to crack the whip on yourself and get it done. But the reality of it is sometimes it’s just not that easy. I am guilty of having that struggle. I see the bigger picture especially when I look at you and your accomplishments, so I know this is a dream that can become my reality but on the flip side it takes more discipline than most people think. Anyhow I definitely feel your article and am working on my own work at home struggles and I will get through these struggles because like you said “Ultimately none of this stuff outweighs the freedom of being self employed and spending time with your family (even if it’s not exactly the quality time you want it to be).” Thanks for another great one!
Dee,
You’ve made some great points about being a home based business owner. I struggle with the same things. For instance I haven’t felt inspired to write a decent article in the last couple of weeks. When you have a job you’re forced to work whether you feel inspired or not. So I totally feel what you’re saying. There are definitely some aspects that we deal with working at home that was present offline. But ultimately even with these complaints, you’re right I can totally deal with them. lol
Great article bro!!! Very personal and insitghtful!! Just goes to show everything in life isn’t always a bed of roses! There are always sacrficies to be made when working towards your dream…..I will still trade places with you though…Soon..lol
Thanks Sis!
I hear ya! lol