We’re running security measures on the back end of the server and on this Word Press blog. So things will look odd for a while. A new design is being created. Hopefully things will be sorted out soon.

I intend to try to keep the blog online as long as possible even if I have to use one of these very plain WordPress designs. Forgive the lack of color.

Also, some images failed to be imported. I won’t be able to get to those for a while. Sorry!

How to Work From Home from dooce on Vimeo.

There’s some things in life people think they want to do.

Working from home may or may not be one of them. Here’s a list of reasons why you shouldn’t work from home for folks who never really wanted to in the first place.

For starters, there’s the office hours. You can end up in the office at all hours of the day. Blog idea at 12 AM? You better get your butt to the computer or at least write it down.

Then there’s the group of people in your life that will a) not believe you when you tell them you work from home, b) drop off kids at your house because you’re just playing on the computer, or c) ask you how they, too, can work from home, but never do anything about it. That’s the 99% of the people you talk to. The last 1% might be your husband (if he’s smart), and the secret group of elite folks who also work from home, but you only every converse with them via the Great Internet Water Cooler.

Then there’s all the people who are Work At Home Gurus and try to sell you tips on how to work at home, how to do it more effectively and the secrets to getting lots of readers/clients/elephants to subscribe to your Twitter Like page. Half of them will be tempting, half of those you may actually purchase, and the only line that is ever actually true out of all of the hullabaloo is: Your mileage may vary.

You’re never taken seriously when you talk to people within a company that doesn’t also have people who work from home. Some companies are super awesome about this, because they have some sort of work at home culture throughout. Others (old fogies companies, we’ll dub them) do not. These old fogies companies, when they catch wind of your home-ness, will consider you about on par with their mailroom clerks and will pay you as such, despite your degree, your years of service, and despite you catching the CEO on Facebook talking to mistresses overseas while you were updating the company page.

There really isn’t that much interesting on day time television any more.

If you have kids, they will think of the cleverest ways to interrupt your work, including, “I really need to check with my guild for an auction that ended an hour ago that I promised to give them the money for.” and “I promise I didn’t mean to turn on the hose and flood the backyard for two hours.”

There’s also the cut out colored pages of Dora the Explorer left on your keyboard.

And the stickers on your desk.

And on the wall.

And on the floor.

The land lord will love finding these when we move out.

I can live on what I earn working part time.

I control my schedule.

I have more stabability by having more than one client, rather than one employer.

I connect with so many people, sometimes HP computer techs, sometimes Joss Whedon, sometimes Felicia Day… anyone I want. I can interview people for magazines of my choosing.

Not to mention free time to spend with the Cajun and his family. (His mom is wonderful! So happy to know her!)

I sometimes want to encourage the Cajun to work from home, but he feels he needs the structure of an office. I can’t blame him. It’s a real transition.

I nag at my sisters, who kind of bum off people they know, and try to manipulate people around them to be able to live. Living off of someone else is so droll. How lazy! Even if you are in school, there’s no excuse not to get a job to support yourself! I do it. I know at least 20 people that do, and I don’t mean the McD’s. I mean real jobs. Real work. Writing work. Transcription. Accounting.

And talk about income! $30 an hour at times! More! $1000 in a weekend.

Which means I get to spend a lot of money on the Cajun and spoil my family rotten, those who I care about. I love being able to take care of my family.

You can’t replace that with schemes and trying to wedge money out of other people, like other people I know.

It’s so much easier to just work for the money you need, than trying to manipulate it from someone else.

Which is why I love my work.

Just sayin’.

Back before the Industrial Revolution, most people worked from their own homes, building things individually, running a shop and living above the shop. When big industry required many workers and a steady paycheck, people went to work in a centralized location. It became the place where as long as a person did well, the employers kept you at the job until it became time to retire. It meant security.

However, more people are now realizing how working full time, plus over time, in order to make ends meet can lead to more stress, and an unhappy life. Often we can work less simply by working at home. The option to work from a home office is now easier to accomplish, thanks to high speed internet and new technologies. Not everyone can work from home, but for those who want to, may be able to.

Misconceptions about the Work at Home Life

There are many misconceptions about the work at home life. First, many believe that employees or self employed people who work at home earn less than someone who works in an office. In many cases, this isn’t true. Often pay rates are the same, or on rare occasions a dollar or two shorter than the brick and mortar paycheck. There are significant saving benefits as well, such as gas, day care, clothes, eating out, etc.

Types of Work at Home Jobs

Self-employed entrepreneurs are often thought of when considering working from home. However, customer service reps, writers, transcriptionists, accountants, consultants and many other types of employees are working from home, and more are finding ways to follow suit. If you work mostly within the confines of an office environment, especially from a computer, there’s more of a chance that the job could be done from home.

Getting From the Office to the Home Office

The transition is usually overwhelming at first, as people aren’t used to having a boss behind them to tell them exactly what to do. This is where research comes in handy, from setting up a home office in your own private work space at home to setting office hours to applying for work-at-home positions. Most work-at-home jobs require that you use your own computer equipment, and your job may require an additional phone line.

Studies show that productivity increases from 20 to 40 percent when people work at home because employees based out of the house work at their peak times with fewer interruptions and distractions, have more freedom from peer pressures and productivity norms, spend less time and energy dealing with the commuting.
— SOURCE Adecco Staffing US

Family Support or Family Misconceptions

Often enough, an issue to deal with when working from home is the support of family and friends. Often, many people don’t understand the concept, and feel like a work at home position may be unstable. No job is 100 percent stable, and a work-at-home job is just like any other job. You have to do the work, but it is real work, and you do get paid, and as long as you are good at you work, you can continue with the company.

It’s not just family. Employers are often reluctant to allow employees to work from home. Some are saying it shows lack of control in the workplace.

Workers constantly want to not have fixed hours, to work at home, and to have much flexibility in their schedules. Unfortunately, this contributes to a less structured and diffuse environment that contributes to less self-control. Employers (like parents) have to set boundaries and limits. A young employee cannot grow and develop without boundaries and limits. Employers seem to think that productivity increases with flexibility because workers are happier. Slosar points out that the primary culprit in declining self-control reflected in increased risk-taking and cheating, is the lack of boundaries and limits. He states: “In an era that prized deregulation, we have deregulated our internal mechanisms of self-control.” — SOURCE Jay Slosar

Making employees happy makes them more likely to cheat? Some employers feel the need, still, to analyze everything an employee does. Even in the work at home environment, some employees have to deal with digital cameras as supervisors watch them during work hours. Some may think they’re keeping everyone in check. My opinion: Control freaks just don’t know how to let go.

When you’re in the office, no one ever doubts whether you’re working or not. You could be balancing your checkbook, but the fact that you’re there is a reassurance. When you work at home, people don’t really believe that you’re working. So a common reaction is to say, “I will respond to every email within 30 seconds. I will be on my computer again at the end of the evening, so that when people come in they will see stuff waiting for them.” It becomes another source of stress. — SOURCEJennifer Reingold

Sociological Aspects of Working from Home

Working from home allows more free time of an individual, there’s no longer a work commute. However, you may feel a lack of work comradeship, something many people often enjoy. Working from home often appeals to socially shy people. If you happen to be more sociable and enjoy chatting, there are online forums for those who work at home, and there may be local groups that meet up to discuss business or issues relating to the work-at-home life.

Give yourself a regular “sanity check” by setting aside some time each week to get the human contact you need before minor feelings of loneliness turn into a real depression. Learn how to get the support you need to fight off feelings of isolation. — SOURCE BNet

In the end, I feel there’s a human balance system. Not everyone can work from home. Some need a boss to tell them what to do every day. On the other hand, there are many who will work well in a less controlled environment, with more flexible hours. Yes, there are those who take advantage of a work situation, however, I don’t think they are the majority.

His speech holds a lot of meaning for me, simply because I am someone who never went to college, until now, at 29. I was nervous about going to college, because I didn’t know what I wanted to do. I felt like I had one shot at going to college. The government would pay for it, and I would have to choose what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. Because I didn’t know what I wanted, I never went.

Instead, I looked for what I really wanted to do. I experimented with different types of businesses, some were massive failures. It is through this ‘testing’ phase that I found writing. I found I loved to write fiction. I discovered that while I could write nonfiction, it wasn’t my favorite. However, I learned certain aspects of it that were enjoyable. I learned to focused on what I loved about it. Over 10 years of working in nonfiction, and having perfected it, I did it because it allowed me access to do what I really want to do while working part time at it. Maybe I’m a ‘late bloomer’ but I absolutely love working from home and having the free time that I have to seek out other opportunities.

So this year, as I enter college, I do so with the idea that I’ll be diving into lessons and learning and passions that I can discover all over again. I’m not taking English. Why would I want to learn how to do something that I already do for a living? Instead, I chose physics, a science field, and with full intention of exploring other sciences along the way as well. Chemistry and biology are also of interest to me. I wouldn’t have this opportunity to learn about things that could be very important to me. I wish to find the solutions to problems I’m passionate about. I feel I can only do that through knowing the science behind it, so I can create what I want. I’m a problem solver. I like knowing how to make it, not going over problems.

Imagine if Christopher Columbus had believed in his formal education where everyone around him believed the earth was flat. Pigeonholed into what was tradition, rather than willing to push the boundaries but following his passion, he revolutionized beliefs in his time. In the picture above, he is seen with people weeping at his parting, because they feared he would not return. He must surely fall off the end of the world if he were to go off in his ships.

If you haven’t yet, go listen to Sir Ken Robinson, and then maybe share with me your interpretations.

“I need my job.” AKA They don’t want to switch jobs and work from home, or from a place where they can walk.

“I have too much debt.” I don’t have credit card debt, yet others do and live off of less per month.

“My rent is too high.” People are looking so hard at their current situation, they won’t look at anything else.

You can say no like the grumpy turtle, but you do things by choice. No one else is going to care if you live off of working part time, except yourself.

Here’s what I’ve learned about people who say, “I can’t do it like you do it.”

1. They’re blocking suggestions. Some people just can’t wrap their brain around how to do something else. They’re stuck in their own mode, and they won’t see the forest for the trees. For example, some folks will say, “Well, my own rent is $500 a month. My phone is $100. I’d never survive off of $1000 a month.”

People like this are looking from it from the opposite way. They have a set amount they’ve already established for themselves. If you suggest to them, “Well move to a cheaper apartment.” They will often suggest that they “can’t”. In most cases, I’m sorry, there is nothing I can do for you. Part of living off of part time work means doing a few difficult things now so you can get to that point to where you want to be. If you say you can’t, you are right. You can’t. This blog may not be for you.

2. Some folks just can’t do it. If you have kids, you can’t live off of $1000 a month, but having kids or having a family has the potential for both parents to work part time and earn plenty and still have free time. You don’t have to live off of exactly $1000 a month, either. I like to show that it is possible, but if you have extra coming in, you can use it as savings or for paying down debt if you have it, you don’t have to spend it.

3. Some people already spent more than their fair share. They established some kind of debt, and that eats up more costs than rent and so forth. That’s all about debt consolidation, and all I can suggest is to get help, tear up the credit cards, and pay it off as soon as possible. I have lived without credit cards and loans. If you already have a loan or credit cards, that’s something you will have to pay off, but it’s just some additional income. It doesn’t have to mean you work harder, you’ll just have to work smarter. (I love Scrooge McDuck from Duck Tales when he says, “Work smarter, not harder.”)

So set up your own budget, and then progress from there. How much do you really need? Is there any way to cut corners without living off of rice and ketchup dinners? Maybe you can work at a slightly higher paying job part time, working from home, instead of having to work in an office, earn less and spending more on gas and clothes?

From this blog, I hope you’ll take what works and leave the rest behind. As mentioned before, mileage may vary.

Photo by hortongrou.

If anyone knows where to find the original tale, I’ll be happy to link to it. This is my ‘memory’ of how it went.

There was once a fisherman sitting on the beach, bringing in his catch. An MBA guy walks up to him and begins asking about his fishing business.

“So, how much money are you making here?”

“Enough to live on the beach, feed my family. I fish in the morning and have the whole day to myself. I surf every evening, visit the pub.”

The MBA asks, “How would you like to let me help you? You could work for me, I could pay a wage, and help you start up a fleet of boats.”

“What for?”

“To be rich. You’d start with another boat, hire on crew. It’ll be long hours in the beginning. Eventually, you’ll move up with additional boats, and additional crew who will need to be managed. The more boats you manage, the more money you’d make. Eventually you’d hire managers to manage the boats.”

“Sounds like a lot of work,” the fisherman said.

“You’d make a whole lot more money. I could make you rich.”

“What would I do with all of that money?”

“Well,” the MBA man thought about it, and then smiled, “you could retire in twenty years or so, and live with your family on the beach, surf every day, and visit the pub. Enjoying your hard earned life.”

What would you use your riches for?

And why are you waiting?

Photo by Auroqueiro.

Today, I run a blog with a fair amount of success. I still write part time. I work only part time, as it’s enough for me to work only 4 hours a day, and I spend the rest of my time trying to build up the blog. I’ve used work at home jobs to help supplement me through until I found something I liked and want to work with.

I’ve also had a lot of free time on my hands. With that, I’ll be going to school this fall. Tomorrow, I’ll be heading to school to do work study during the summer, not because I have to, but because the department I will be in is doing a lot and I want to help out.

I’ve learned over the past few years how much I could live without, how much I really need to earn to be happy, and how to live without credit cards and loans and the debt that follows.

Now that things are changing for me, now that I’ll be at school full time and working on the blog, writing novels, and writing to earn a living so I can do all of the things I love, I just wanted to share my story with you. Ten years is a very long time to be working from home. I’ve done it with success, and I feel so many people could do this, if only they took time out.

So here’s what I’ve learned after 10 years of working from home.

Fear is probably the number one reason why people don’t work from home. They fear they won’t be able to pay their bills. They feel guilty for not taking a ‘real job’ that is supposed to be more secure. I can tell you, that my work at home jobs have been more secure and have paid me very well over the past few years. Maybe not in the beginning, but I learned how to earn $15 to $30 or more an hour with writing, and where to find ‘back up jobs’ if I found I was burned out from doing those things.

Learning from what others have gone through is the best way to get a jump start in any of the careers available. If you only need part time cash, read from groups who only work part time. If you need full time money, talk with folks who work full time. Read what they’ve gone through, and follow their lead. There’s a reason why they post their experiences.

Teaching others is also learning. I’ve learned a lot, I like sharing what I’ve learned. Once I feel I can teach someone else what I’ve learned, I feel I fully ‘get’ my topic. I can then move on to learn new things. So share your own experiences when possible, and try to help someone else get into what you’ve found is successful.

Perseverance and being self taught is much more valuable than ‘normal job’ training. What they don’t teach you in school is to be able to dig up a job when you’ve lost one. Or how to have two or three jobs so that you don’t have to worry about losing one. We have the most secure positions, only because we don’t pin ourselves to a single company.

Your friends and family may not understand why you’ve decided to work from home. My mom has asked me for years if I’ll ever get a ‘real job’. Even though I’ve supported myself on my own for this long, she still worries. I understand where she’s coming from. Although she hasn’t worked in years, as my father provides for her very well, she thinks you have to have a ‘real job’ in order to find security.

Nothing is every 100% secure. Not even a ‘real’ job. My writing jobs may be gone tomorrow, but I’ll still find work. I’ll still find something to do. Because working from home has taught me to be flexible. I don’t have to be a writer. I could work in an office. I could work delivering mail. I could babysit kids, work in fast food, work in the library or work on a farm.

The key to making it on your own, is to be flexible, to figure out what is successful to you, and running with it. It took me a couple of years to figure out writing could afford me the lifestyle I wanted. I didn’t have to work in a small motel on the beach, or work in a Chinese take out place, or work in a day care center if I didn’t want to any more.

You don’t have to, either, not unless you want to.

In the end, if you decide you want to work from home, the rewards can be much more than financial.

And now a little video about Demand Studios:

It is true. Demand Studios has issues. No consistency with their editorial team, not a lot of help from the ‘fan kids’ in the forums there. It’d be better if DS and the people admitted that there were problems. Being that there are many, many people working there, there’s going to be problems. Hiding their head in the sands is lame. They should step up and admit to the issues and try to work on solving it.

They’re banning talk of this video on their forums, I’m hearing. That’s really sad to know that they’ll basically prohibit people’s ideals and comments. It’s no wonder people feel the need to express their frustration with the company and the people who brown nose the moderators, editors and bosses.

If you like the company, if you enjoy the work, that’s cool. Nothing wrong with that. Can’t someone who enjoys the work still have ideas for improvement or wish for better?

If they feel the need to limit the freedom of speech in their forums, I’m glad I’m not a participant of those forums.

Anyway, I thought I would mention this one. Honestly, 4 Hour Work Week... I could see valid points in it.

Here’s what I glomped from the book:

• Americans work pretty hard.
• There’s always someone who will work hard for you, and cheaper.
• If you get someone else to do your work, you free up time to do other things, like explore the world.
• Exploring the world isn’t as expensive as you think it is.

I thought it was amusing. You see, in my line of work, people are discovering that certain jobs can be passed on to people in India or the Philippines, the same type of work he keeps moving over there.What happens is. for most people, if companies think we’re just playing middle man and hiring inexpensive workers, they’ll stop giving us things to do and hire those cheaper workers who are actually doing the work.
There’s room for all sorts on this planet. There’s deal makers and those who fulfill the deals. There’s going to be all sorts of bickering back and forth. I’d just assume the work I chose to do has some significance and actually helps other people. If I chose to hire people, it is because I need help toward a goal, not because I want to be lazy and find other people to do my work for me.

I also think if you’re making American dollars, you should pay American wages. Just saying…
I see Timothy Ferris as someone who will utilize the cheat codes in every single video game in order to win with the highest score. You may have various opinions about cheat codes, but there’s something about a guy willing to exploit every angle in order to get what he wants.

Not saying he’s the devil or that he’s a bad guy. He’s got some grand ideas in some cases. I think you should get help completing work or in your personal life if you think it is a little too overwhelming. I think people could manage things a little better, and in essence spread the wealth a little.

He’s yet-another-guru, and yes, he had some interesting points at TED, which is where I found him and why I read the book.

[ted id=517]

I think he is useful in different ways. I think his studies into how to do things more effectively, like his swim study, and his language study are great. He figured out what worked well (for him) and what didn’t. I’m more interested in this. It is helpful.

I think his approach to work and working hard is a little… disillusioned. I admire someone who creates a plan and was able to employ others. I think it is admirable that he made his fortune and can now move on to pursuits that he enjoys. I think he’s tempting people into something they might not realize what they are doing.

But then, people do what people do.