Home Office - Is It For You?

One of the most obvious perks of being a freelance writer is working for yourself. Being your own boss means making your own hours and having the freedom to work right out of your home. Eliminating a long commute to the office is nice but is it realistic for you to run your writing business out of a home office? Not everyone can do it.

First of all, do you already have a home office set up or will you need to acquire one? Most of us have what we already need to get started. Internet connection, phone line and a reliable computer is about it. Some people may find that they need a printer and fax machine regularly as well. A nice thing about home offices is that it allows you to write off a percent of power, internet and other stationary expenses.

Distraction is the main thing that hinders most work at home writers. If young children are home or you have animals, it can get annoying and difficult to work. Trust me on the animal thing. When you have cats knocking things down, climbing curtains and doing all of the fun things they do when you're out during the day, chasing after them involves getting up from the computer. Do this enough times and you may just pack up your laptop and head to a coffee shop instead. Try creating an office space in your home that is off limits to all but yourself.

If you have the financial ability to do so, you may wish to consider renting an office outside the home. By having a place to be at everyday, it alleviates the temptation to lay around in your PJs all day. As glorious as that sounds, it puts a real cramp in your productivity. Even if you don't have a separate office, avoid the pajama thing. If you feel like a professional writer, you work like one. Pajamas don't do much to endorse that feeling.

Create a schedule for your home office time much like you would any other work day. By staying too flexible you risk only sitting down to write when you feel like it. And as much as we all love our freelance writing career choice, like any job there are "I don't wanna" days. Keeping a firm schedule makes productivity a priority.

Keep your office space free of anything that isn't work related. Eliminating the distraction level is essential.



~Trina M. Lee
www.tmlwritingservices.info

Virtual Assistants

Many people would like to work from home if they had the opportunity but seem to feel that they are limited in what they could be doing. There seems to be a mistaken assumption that only writers work at home. But that really isn't the case at all. Another great and fulfilling at home career is that of a virtual assistant.

All you need is a home office and the willingness to work. Employers all over the world are outsourcing administrative and clerical duties to employees stationed at home. By being an independent virtual assistant you will be responsible for many tasks including handling customer service phone calls and data entry. The beauty of a VA job is being your own boss and setting your own rates and hours.

There are many sites devoted to working as a VA from home. Check out places like:
www.virtualassistantjobs.com
www.mommysplace.net
www.2minutecommute.com

These links are a great place to get started and will link you through to more job postings and information. But remember, always stay on scam alert. Search for terms relevant to what you're seeking and try to stay away from keywords associated with work at home scams. And good luck!

Home Office Tips

Working from home can be a very rewarding and self satisfying career. Plenty of people dream of being their own boss and you can too, but there are some important things you need to get started.

A home office can be as simple as a desk and a computer or it can be a much more elaborate set up. To have a fully functional home office you need a good internet connection as well as phone and fax capabilities. Just this much equipment enables you to work as a virtual office assistant from the comfort of your own home. Even if that isn't the job for you, there are many others to choose from once you're set up.

Time is of the essence. Make sure you have a fair amount of time to devote to getting your home business off the ground. It will take plenty of dedication and hard work so make sure you're committed to your cause. And no matter what, don't let rejection get you down. If you're a writer or artist then you will have many experiences with rejection. However, that doesn't mean your no good, it means you keep at it until you connect with the right clientele. They're out there.

Scour job boards online and market yourself through your website and blog. Perseverance pays off so make it work for you.