The Pros & Cons of a Work at Home Business

Some will say working at home is the best thing they've ever done. Some will say that they would rather go out of the home to work. Everyone has their own preference. Some can tolerate commuting back and forth to their job, but others cannot bear the thought of it.

I've only been working at home since October '06 and I can tell you some of the pros and cons that I've experienced so far. I've been a stay at home mom for 11.5 years now so I'm used to being home with my children. I know there are some that need that little break from home and the kids when they go to work. I know I sometimes wonder if I should go out to work when I get overwhelmed at home. I know I would not be happy though. I want to see my kids grow and see every one of their milestones.

When my second son was 3 months old I went to work. After a few weeks my son preferred my mom over me. That killed me. I did not want that. I had others taking MY children to the doctor because I was working. I hated it. Needless to say, a few weeks later I quit. Now that I have four children, I wouldn't be able to keep up on the house and the kids if I was out working so a work at home business is perfect for me.

There are some things I've discovered over the last few months. The pros to working at home are being home with my children/family and being there when they get home from school. I don't have to commute back and forth in busy traffic. Not unless you count 6 people in a house with only one bathroom. That is the extent of my commute. I save money and wear and tear on my vehicle. I save money on food. I don't have to report to a boss and have deadlines to meet. I can work at my own pace and make my own hours. I have more free time since I don't have to come home and do housework and laundry.

Some of the cons include difficulty in concentrating when everyone is around. I am easily distracted and frequently interrupted. This is understandable though, if I'm the only parent home. The kids need things and my one year old requires more from me obviously. Because of this I find myself up way too late doing the things that require my full attention. It can be easy to say "oh I'll do that later" since there are no deadlines. You have to keep motivated because not having a boss to report to can make it easy to slack. Since I don't have an official office I don't have the quiet that I need during the day. I do as much as I can during the day that doesn't require a lot of thinking or concentration. I save the other stuff for when the kids go to sleep. When I do go to my bedroom/office one or more of the kids are banging on the door. I tend to not even bother.

Some people require adult conversation. Not being around other people besides kids can really cause a person to go stir crazy. That's why it's important to get out sometimes. Go to dinner and a movie with your spouse, lunch with friends or even just a walk to clear your head of all the demands of the kids. Me personally would rather quiet and to be by myself sometimes. At the end of the day I'm tired of talking and I'm tired of noise. That's probably why I'm up too late.

Ok, so now you know some of my pros and cons of working at home. Some may agree with these and some may not. Everyone has there own tolerance and preference. Weigh these and make the decision that's right for you.

To Your Success,

Tara Martindale
Work at Home Business Opportunities