Is a Home-Based Business Right For You?

While working from home sounds like the ideal set of circumstances, it truthfully isn't for everyone. It works for many parents who want to save on the costs of commuting and childcare expenses allowing them to establish a work-life balance. But if someone told you it was easy and for everyone, they are wrong. It is work, often times harder in the sense of trying to strike a balance between home life and business success. Here are some questions to ask yourself before considering working from home or revamping your work at home business plan if you are struggling. Be it your own home-based business, a home-based job where you work as an independent contractor for someone else, or freelancing and working for several entities at once, working from home requires certain characteristics and disciplines. When you work for yourself, only you can evaluate your performance as in many cases there will be no boss or job review. Therefore, you must access yourself honestly. If you are considering a new work at home venture or are in an existing one and not feeling as productive as you would like to be, take a look at these questions and pointers to see if you are headed in the right direction: Are you an independent thinker and do-er? Working from home requires that and often times you feel shut-off from the outside world. While there is social interaction involved in home-based business, it's not the same as the social interaction one would get say from working in an office environment on a daily basis. Working from home requires you to be independent enough to not need the camaraderie of others to get your work done. Are you up for the task? Are you willing to have a fluctuating income? Often times that is true with home-based jobs when you work for another and your hours vary from week to week or project to project. If you are in a home-based business, your income depends on either work you complete or products you deliver to your customers or clients. Every month, your income will vary and that could be true for a long time. Do you have the budgeting skills to handle this? Are you willing to accept that in order to get your business off the ground? Are you a go-getter? You will have to be because you are the CEO and Manager of your own firm as an independent contractor. For many, it means you will have to find ways to get business ? be it product sales or projects to complete. You must think like the CEO of your own company and not a parent who is trying to ?make a living on the side? as that thinking can easily defeat you. Do you have a work-friendly environment in your home? While it might seem like that isn't so important, it really is! Where you will be working will indicate how productive you can be. So, take a look at your home office space. Do you have a workspace to call your own? Is it well-lit? Is your computer area comfortable enough to work long hours, easily accessible and free of distracting clutter? Are you able to adhere to a schedule? While working from home sounds like a dream come true in that you can work your own hours, you will still have to schedule blocks of work time or something else will always get in the way. You will need to create a somewhat structured routine. While there is always some room for flexibility, especially where family is concerned, you must be willing to put in hours to make money in your business. Can you strike that balance? Are you disciplined? If you work from home, would you sleep in late or get up, shower and get dressed and ?show up? for work just as if you worked outside the home? How about distractions? What will happen when your favorite television program comes on during a block of time you have scheduled for work? Discipline will be key to your success, so you must be honest with yourself and stay focused. Working for yourself means you have no boss to pat you on the shoulder and give you kudos. Therefore, you have to do so yourself when you have accomplished a job well done. But it's equally important to be sure you have what it takes to work from home ? the ability to overcome the obstacles that could stand in your way of your highest success.