Putting Families first while working successfully from home. Families Enhanced, with founder Gina Symonds, strives to see people grow their own businesses, be their own bosses, & ultimately have more time with their families while securing their finances.
Ponder this ... How would you like to get up every morning with your family, be there for every activity they are involved in, stop working and attend to their needs (sickness, emergency, or just to help them sort something out), be there for those "family moments (that usually the sitter gets to experience), and be thereto tuck everyone in for the night? Work your own hours! Be your own boss! Be there for your family! That is what is important.
WHY I WORK FROM HOME:
What I wanted!
To be home and raise my own children in a health environment while still being able to contribute to the family financially.
So find a job that allows the following ...
(1) Flexible Hours
(2) Have The Ability To Excel, At My Own Pace
(3) Still Be Available For My Family
Conclusion ... WORK FROM HOME!
THE WORKING FROM HOME PERCEPTION!
Now that you have taken the plunge and are starting to work from home it is great! You can participate in all the family events, you can actually make the parent/teacher nights, you are there when ever someone is sick or needs to picked up. So now EVERYONE knows that you are available!! This is great BUT ...
Don't forget you are working from home running your own business and you can easily fall into the trap of ALWAYS being available. The PERCEPTION of others is "she just works at home so call her up to make those cupcakes for school" or "she doesn't GO TO work so she should be able to drive the children to their game" or "she is always around so we will get her to volunteer for this and that".
If you start letting everyone's perception that just because you work from home and are able to your family first doesn't meant that everyone in the community can come first as well! It is great to be able to participate and volunteer but remember that if you do too many "extra" obligations outside of your family and your business then guess which one will suffer ... your business! Then you will find yourself working outside of the home again and missing out on family time.
SOLUTION!
(1) you can't plan for those unexpected family issues that come up but you can plan a "flexible work schedule". Schedule work hours such as working Monday to Friday from 9 to 2, when the children are at school. If you get those requests to volunteer or to make cupcakes you can simply tell the ones requesting that you work from 9 to 2 daily and if are able to fit in after those hours that you can or cannot help. This will help other parents and even adult family and friends see that your home business is a serious matter.
(2) Talk about your business to others. So often we work from home, alone, that when we are outside the home all we talk about is our family. Let others know what you do. Even if you have a sweater made with your business name on it when you go out, your family, friends and possibly even some potential customers/clients may see and inquire. Networking!
(3) Don't feel guilty about saying no to doing that extra volunteer work. If you say yes all the time you are showing others that you are not a serious business owner and your work at home is just a hobby. By saying no once in a while you are giving your home business credibility and also you won't be burning yourself out by trying to do everything.