by Jennifer Moll

Created on: March 10, 2009

Is telecommuting for you? Sounds like a silly question, right? Anyone can work from home in their pajamas, right? Actually, the answer is a surprisingly no. It takes a disciplined person to be able to be successful at telecommuting from home. Here are a few tips to help you decide if telecommuting is for you before you apply for a job or approach your current boss about the possibility of your current position becoming a telecommuting one.

1. Do you have a work space that is in a quiet area that is away from all noise and distractions that are equipped with a computer, fax machine, telephone, and a second phone line that is used for work only, internet access, copier and any other office equipment that may be required for you to complete your job.

2. Are you able to work independently with little or no supervision and are able to complete assignments and meet deadlines. You must be able to make your work your priority and be able to commit to your workload throughout your regular working hours without sneaking in extra breaks to do household chores.

3. Are you self-motivated? You will need to stay on task to meet deadlines and be able to find answers to questions on your own at times. Employers will expect you to be available to them during regular working hours just as if you were in the office sitting next to them. The same should be true for your Employer, if you have a problem that requires their assistance, your Employer should be available to you as well.

4. Will you be able to deal with family or friends that do not understand that you are working and try to disturb you during your working hours? Will you be able to tell them that you are not available during "working hours" unless for an emergency. This may be very hard, but it is extremely important to set strict guidelines and stick to them to be successful.

5. Another hard aspect of telecommuting is when your work day is over, that means no more work until the next day! I have a hard one with this one. At the end of the day, as I walk past my office, I always think of one more task I can finish that will take only a minute, then that minute turns into thirty then thirty turns into an hour and so on.

Telecommuting can be a real great opportunity for many people, especially parents so they can spend more time with their children, just be sure to think about all the pros and cons before you just jump right into a position.

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