Guest AuthorNeha Bagaria
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5 Things to Consider Before Working From Home

By | Kaajal A | www.jobsforher.com

Is the magic of these 3 words — work from home — luring you too?

It’s official. We are in the golden era for women across the world. With travel time nightmares and the advent of high-speed internet connectivity almost anywhere, the corporate world is opening itself up to a number of flexible working options.

With that, the ratio of women getting back to work is only on the rise. And among flexi-options like part-time, freelancing and returnee internships, work-from-home and online jobs rank the highest.

But if this is your first brush with a work-from-home job, it can take some getting used to. Here are 5 things to consider before you sign up for it:

1. A Designated Work Space

Working from home can be just as sacred as going to the office. Because regardless of the convenience that comes with work-from-home options, your employer will still expect work to be done with a degree of professionalism.

So, identify a space in your home that you can reserve solely for your work needs. If this isn’t feasible, consider renting a coworking space in the vicinity. A new-age concept, most of these places work out reasonably when you sign up for a longer term.

Restarter Geetha Pradeep, a Content Strategist, quotes from 4 years of work-from-home experience:
“It’s work-from-home, not work-at-your-leisure. So, be professional and have a regular home-office-space that’s comfortable and quiet.”

While you’re at it, here’s a new way to showcase your personal achievements and professional prowess to the world

2. Staying True to Your Work

If your past work experience has been that of an office goer, then working from home is quite the opposite. 

You may save on commute time and not have to deal with the distractions of lunch/coffee breaks with banter sessions. However, on the downside, efficiency and quality of work stand chances of compromise since you’re ‘at home’. 

But if you can make friends with solitude, keep distractions at bay, and be a thorough professional, you should be all set to take on online work from home.

Sanchita Nanaya, a Montessori Teacher who worked from home for 4 years, says: 
“Have a set routine in place. There’s no point in even attempting this if one is going to be distracted with the cooking, cleaning and children. A dedicated time slot is essential.” 

3. Pay Scale and Availability

Since a work-from-home job saves you the to-and-fro commutes to the office, your pay scale will most likely reflect this change. Which means that it could amount to half of what you were receiving in your corporate job. So, before you dive into your job hunt, make sure that the market rates match your expectations, or vice-a-versa. 

Secondly, since there is no face-to-face interaction between you and your employer, there might be delays in work transfer on certain days. And yet, your manager might expect you to be available on call and online, sometimes outside of working hours, or work within tight deadlines to deliver work.

Shravani, a Product Lead Analyst, speaks from 2 years of work-from-home experience:
“A woman needs to question herself before she signs up for work-from-home options: 

  • How many hours can I dedicate?
  • Does it match the employer’s expectations?
  • Am I ready to redefine salary, job security, role, and responsibility?” 

 Read the stories of 6 women who are living their dream with unusual work from home jobs

4. A Supportive Network

There will always be days when your child is sick and will have to stay home. Or when your domestic help will take the day off without any notice. Or when your in-laws will require that extra bit of attention. And sometimes, knowing that you’re ‘at home’ might be of solace to them, but may require you to go the extra mile.

To stay the course of your work schedule, these times might call for an earlier login or a late logoff. They may call for compromises — on your sleep, an evening out with friends, and the like.

Having said that, also make sure you’ve had a conversation around these challenges with family and friends who can pitch in so that they know how important your work is to you. And how their understanding and support will only make matters easier for you and them.

As Sangita, Senior Manager, who worked from home for 1+ years says:
“One can spend quality time with family if one has control over their work schedule and tactfulness on how to juggle around it.”

5. Patience, Positivity, and Perseverance

Since working from home is an act of solitude, it can often call for ‘picking up the pieces’ yourself. Your teammates and bosses don’t ‘see’ you, so it’s often an ‘out of sight, out of mind’ syndrome. And hence, it’s easy for effort and work to go unnoticed.

But if you stay patient and wait it out, your work will speak for you and you will shine through it.

To believe that can and will happen, you must prepare to carry a positive mindset at all times. And through such continued patience and positivity, you will gradually develop the perseverance to see through the challenges that come as a part of working from home.   

And that’s as simple as can be.
So, if you’ve got these covered, you’re ready to set foot on the work-from-home journey!

Republished with permission and originally published at www.jobsforher.com

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