For many, the appeal of blogging is being able to work from home. If you have kids or a spouse out earning the serious bacon, blogging seems like a great way to make a little extra money doing what you love, and nine times out of ten it is a great career. However, there are lots of freelancers out there who choose to write for a company as opposed to for their own blog. After all, running a blog is difficult work. Even though many bloggers have what it takes to run their own blog, they still aren’t interested in working from home or telecommuting. It may seem glamorous to work in your pajamas (okay, maybe glamorous isn’t the right word), but telecommuting isn’t always what it seems.
Consider some of the reasons telecommuting might not be right for every writer:
Top 5 Things to Consider Before Telecommuting Full-Time
1. You will need to purchase all the technology necessary in order to work from home
If a company asks you to work from home, they will most likely provide you with the technology necessary. However, if you ask to telecommute or decide to work from home on your own blog it is usually your responsibility to have the necessary technology. Although it may seem like bloggers don’t need a lot of tools, you will quickly realize that you want a nice, large computer, comfortable keypad and mouse, as well as any design software you may need for your blog.
2. There are many more distractions at home than in an office
People often think that they will be able to handle their distractions at home, but they are more tempting than many people realize. Even if your children are old enough to go to school, they will likely still call you or talk with you if they know you aren’t at work. You will need to be extremely disciplined if you want to pull off a no-distractions-in-the-house type lifestyle. You also have your house calls, neighborhood noise, and any pets to keep the distractions going if your children are leaving you alone.
3. There is a lot of temptation at home that is hard to ignore
In a sense, a temptation is a kind of distraction, but worthy of its own point nonetheless. I think that every blogger has experienced writers block at one point or another, but being in an office gives you an excuse to sit there and overcome it. If you’re at home, you will have a million things to do that will take you away from that writers block. You have a stocked fridge with foods you like, a TV with your favorite soap opera set to go on DVR, and a comfortable couch that always seems to be calling you for a nap. It’s easy to take a break from work at home, but hard to actually sit down and work.
4. It can be difficult to sound professional when you’re telecommuting
The more lax you get at home, the more lax you will get on your phone and your email. If you start to get behind on your work because you have been tempted or distracted by something, you’re going to sound frantic and unprofessional. It can be tough to have a serious conversation with someone on the phone or through video chat if your doorbell rings or you children come running in the door from school. This may sound like a stretch, but this happens more frequently than people realize.
5. You don’t get the sense of community when you’re working from home
Believe it or not, you will likely miss having co-workers near your desk. Offices always have some sort of culture and sense of belonging, but you miss all that when you’re working from home. You may have to come in for company meetings, but you’ll find that new faces will slowly begin to appear. It can be odd to walk into your company and not feel as though you’re a part of the team. If you’re working from home as your own blogger, the same sense of being alone can hit. You talk to people through your email, but it’s not quite the same as working in an office environment.
The important thing to remember is that telecommuting is a great option for many bloggers. However, it can be a little bit different than people might anticipate, so it’s important to really weigh the pros and the cons of the decision before jumping in the deep end.
Photo Credit: siliconeer.com
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Jordan Stewart is a writer and marketer for Calvin Klein Underwear retailer, Chonies. She also writes for various blogs and marketing communities giving startup companies financial advice.
Blogging and social media sites like Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter are great ways to promote your business. In the digital age these sites are cost effective because they are free and only require your time. But what about marketing your business the old fashioned way? Remember when companies had swag? You know, those squeeze balls that filled our cube desk drawers or letter openers that were frankly a little dangerous?
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