by Angela Brown

Created on: October 27, 2008   Last Updated: June 22, 2010

Lots of moms dream about working from home. We imagine sleeping in, sitting around in pajamas, sipping coffee, working how and when we want to, and spending lots of time with our kids.

But eventually, reality rears its ugly head. And reality looks something like this:

I have a client who needs a proposal edited by noon. I get up earlier than usual and, at the exact moment I try logging into my e-mail, my eight-month-old starts to wail, the phone rings, and my internet connection stops working. My mom decides to stop by and ask about some paint samples, and my sister calls to see if she can drop off her two-year-old while she goes to the doctor....

ARRRRRGH!

Working from home requires much more than skill. Much more than patience. Much more than intelligence. So before you take the plunge, consider whether you fit the profile of a successful work-from-home mom:

She has an entrepreneur's mind-set. The work-from-home mom strives for maximum responsibility and accountability. She wants to do everything her way, and she happily accepts responsibility for every aspect of her work. She is completely self-motivated, often getting up earlier than everyone and going to bed hours after they are all peacefully asleep. She is motivated to get everything done, no matter what the obstacle. She is self-confident and really feels that she can accomplish anything. She possesses a sense of urgency, thrives on activity, and has a burning desire to get things done. In other words, you won't find any pass-the-buck, woe-is-me procrastinators in this bunch!

She is highly skilled and knows how to make money on her own. Whether she's a writer, administrator, telemarketer, or transcriptionist, she has the skill level necessary to produce a quality product or result. She's done her homework, knows where to find clients, and how to reel them in. She knows what her time is worth, but knows when she should accept less.

She is well organized. Her Blackberry is on her person at all times. She backs it up with a Day Timer. She furiously scribbles "notes to self" throughout the day. She knows everything that needs to be done, when, where, why, and how. She tracks her projects, assignments, and finances from day one, and can whip up a detailed invoice or project status report in no time flat!

She is a problem-solver. She knows the names and phone numbers of every local service provider in her field by heart, and knows exactly who to call when she needs something. She can change the toner in the fax machine, clear a jam from the printer, troubleshoot her internet connection, and research the best new project management systems and software without missing a beat!

She is willing and able to establish a solid set of personal ground rules. Sure, she'd love to meet her husband for lunch, shop the latest sale with her sister, or spend the afternoon pushing the kids on a swing. Who wouldn't? But she recognizes that having a business means establishing and sticking to a schedule of "business only" hours. She gets up and gets started before the rush of kids and meals and little league, and often forgoes relaxation in exchange for a few extra productive hours while the kids are napping or at school.

Whew!

Being a work-at-home-mom is certainly not for everyone, and may even be the most frustrating venture some of us will ever face. But having a stimulating career AND a fulfilling family life is, for many women, worth every daunting, exhilarating, problem-solving, multi-tasking minute!

Learn more about this author, Angela Brown.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.