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How to Work at Home

Reader Contribution by Brandon Dinsmore
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It has been well over two years since I started working from home and I have to say that I love it, although there are some definite ups and downs, pros and cons, consequences and benefits, which I thought I’d lay out for anyone out there interested in doing the same.

First off, let me say that I did not find work through any of those devious and deceptive ads on Craigslist or any other job listing website. There is no such thing as stuffing envelopes from home and earning money.

Second of all, I do not perform the kind of work that one might perform at an office in a bricks-and-mortar building.

Third, no matter what anyone tells you, it’s hard work! I probably invest more time working from home than I would if I were to have a normal “city job” although I certainly prefer the former.

Now, the nitty-gritty of it all. How did I get started? Simple – it was luck. The biggest let down of finding work that you can do from home, in my opinion, is that there is no concrete method of locking down employment for yourself. You must either perform a service or provide a product that people are willing to pay for, and pay enough that you can support yourself or at least pay your bills.

Here are some great examples of work you can do from home that can potentially earn you money:

Woodworking:

Cabinet making, furniture building, antique restoration

Food production

Homemade jellies and jams, breads, dessert foods, eggs, and veggies from your garden

Repair work

Automobile repair, computer service and repair, small motor and appliance repair, etc.

Web design and development

Building websites for small businesses or neighbors for a profit, content development for local clubs, organizations, or even schools, ad revenue from publishing your own online newspaper, blogging, although this typically will never make you enough money to rely upon

I started out a long time ago working in an office for a company when, by chance, I happened into a unique opportunity to take my work home with me, where I struggled over time to develop the work into something that I can rely upon for my income at home without the stress of a commute or an office in the city.

Some of the most difficult things to manage didn’t even occur to me until I was already working from home. Things like how easy it is to get distracted, or how much coffee is too much coffee when the pot is only a few feet away, and how to properly budget my time.

When you’re working at home you have to consider that you will be more tempted to dismiss things than if you were in an office working under a boss who’s sole job is to encourage you by scaring you to death about the stability of your own job. I found that I could easily start watching television and before I knew it I would have wasted a few hours. Or, I’d get caught up playing on the internet, not really doing my job.

It took time and dedication but I finally nailed it and am happier for it. The whole point was to get away from the office setting, which I did, and after that it was a matter of organizing myself so that I could do the same work without the same old headaches. Once I nailed that the rest was great. It’s still full of headaches and since the source of income is literally closer to home, things can get hectic, but I feel like this was the right move for me and my family. The tough decision is deciding whether or not it’s a suitable and viable option for you.

For more about working from home visit my website at www.brandondinsmore.com