The Four Myths of Working from Home

According to a Forbes, in Feb of 2013; 1 and 5 Americans have the option of working from home. This number includes people who are running a small (or large) business out of their home, to people being given the option to telecommute with their traditional job. In the same article, they stated that three million Americans "never step a foot in an office outside of their own home..." Women in particular seem to embrace the concept of working from home. So much so, that there is an acroynom for moms who do it: WAHM (working at home moms!) I fall into this bracket. After putting in 15 plus years of getting up, and driving to an office every morning, I now get up and walk downstairs. And yes, sometimes I even work in my PJ's. While the trend is growing and modern technology makes it easier and easier, working for the home is not all the glamor that you may think. Here are some myths that I have run across, and how I combat them!

I can work from home and be a stay-at-home parent at the same time. While it is true that you will be at home, the thought that you will be able care for children while working is not necessarily accurate. When first embarking on my business, I had visions of eliminating childcare expense from our budget. I thought my daughter would either join me on my errand running, or entertain herself while I worked. And to a degree, she does. She is, however, a huge distraction as well. A cute one, but a distraction. And she has the right to be. Sitting while I work is not fun. Working from home can be balanced with a stay at home parent responsibilities. Here are some key things to look at:

• Will you be working while your child is not at home (ie at school) or in bed?

• Does the income for working at home support child care of some sort (remember, in most places school is not year round, but your job may be. You will need some sort of support during school vacations and the summer.)

• How old are your children - the older they are the better they are at self-entertainment.

Parents usually look at working for home options in order to be more present in their children's lives. I 100% get that. So to combat the challenges of being a WAHM, her is what I do.

• We enroll in after school programs 2 days a week. I am lucky that there is a fantastic after school program at her school that gives me 2 extra hours of uninterrupted work.

• In the summer, she attends a day camp, but only 4 days. I have told her: Fridays are OURS!

• When she is not in camp and/or after school programs , I try to 100% focus on her and the family. Unplug, and be present!

• We openly communicate about the need for mom to work. Understanding the my work helps to pay for trips to the beach, Hershey Park, etc; goes a long way!
  

If I work from home, my house is a business tax deduction! While true that you may be able to deduct some expenses of your home from your business income*, it is almost NEVER true that the full expense of your home will become a tax right off! This is a discussion for you and your accountant, but here are some general rules:

• The space you use for business must be exclusively used for business. The example the IRS gives is if you are a lawyer and meet with clients or write legal briefs in your den, this space does not count for a potential tax deduction.

• You don't get to deduct all the expenses, only a portion.

For more information and some light reading (haha) check out IRS Tax Topic 509 - Business Use of Home There is nothing you can really do to "combat" this. The best advice is to talk to your accountant and make a good decision on to proceed.

Working from home will be provide me more flexibility There are many who desire to work at home because they want to be able to have more flexibility of time; work off beat hours and not be held to the typical 9-5 clock. You can accomplish this, however; there are some realities of life that do step in. While you may be working at 12 midnight, your clients may not be! None of my clients want me to call them at 2:00 a.m. to ask about a project we are working on. The reality is, they are working and available during traditional working hours, or in early evenings. I personal rely on the ability to do some work at offbeat times. It helps me with being present with my daughter and family. The key is to understand how to use your flexibility:

• What tasks can be done in the  middle of the night? Which ones do you need to do during business hours.

• Schedule your days efficiently. If you are getting dressed up to go meet with one client, who else can you see?

I have to have self discipline to work from home Ok, this one is true. So why is it on my myth list? The myth is that you only need the discipline to get yourself started every  morning. (which in reality, once you start working for yourself, and don't get paid, because you didn't work, that thought takes care of itself.)The other side of this discipline is the ability to STOP! In 2013 there was a study published that showed that technology, designed to simplify and make telecommuting easier was also making the work day longer. Your office is now in your home. Your cellphone is now your business line, ease of access can make it difficult to turn off the work mode and turn on the home mode. Here are some keys that I have used to combat this challenge:

• Communicate to clients your typical "office hours" What this does is set up a boundary line, and lets them know certain hours that you may not be available.

• TURN OFF the computer! When your day is done, shut the computer off

• Set times up during the day that "work free zones." For us, it is from the time our daughter gets home to the time she goes to bed.

• Set up a separate email for business vs personal use - this one is vital! This way, during the weekends, evenings, vacations, you can stay on top of communications with your friends and family, without seeing all those pesky work emails! I have taken it a step further and have different apps on my phone and iPad for each account

• Discover the do-not disturb button on your phone. If you have the capital, consider setting up an office line for clients

• If possible, have you office out of the view/out of the way of the rest of the house. Up until last month, my office was a shared space with my husband. Out of a desire to create more balance, we moved it. Now, the space is just for me. Once the work day is done, I can close the door and leave it all behind!

If you can find a way to work from home and it meets you needs (it can be a bit quiet working from home!) then go for it! After working through the myths, I have come to love and appreciate the flexibility, balance and reward of being a WAHM!