Work From Home Career Opportunities

After I had my first child in 2000 I knew I wanted a job where I could work from home.  I couldn't bear the thought of being away from my baby for 45 to 50 hours per week, but at the time we needed my income.  This is something I know a lot of mothers struggle with.  Often times staying home with your children requires sacrifice, because suddenly a two income family with no children becomes a one income family with a child.  However, I happen to know many moms who have made it work.  They are organized, they create a family budget, clip coupons, watch for sales and are as frugal as possible; and they wouldn't have it any other way.

After becoming a mom I spent a couple of years working full-time and searching for that at-home opportunity, but shortly after giving birth to my second child I realized I was more suited for a part-time job opportunity.  I loved my kids dearly, but I needed a few days with them and a few days outside the home.  We all know in our hearts if we can be at home full-time with our children or if we need something else.  However, sometimes as our children age our career needs change.  I loved the part-time work; I had three days to focus on my job and four days to focus on the kids counting weekends.  On my days off I'd often take them to the park, the library, the pool or we'd play games and bake.  Once the kids got older and in school I wanted to be able to spend even more time with them in the summers, so finally in 2006 I was able to quit my part-time job and work from home.  I love the flexibility, the work and the hours, however, I'll be honest, working from home isn't for every one.  You need to be organized, dedicated and truthful with yourself as to whether or not you can do it.  Some people think working from home is easy and they get caught up in at-home tasks like dishes, laundry and cleaning, and they neglect their work.  If you want to work from home and keep your at-home job then the work must get done!  The work should become a priority.  Since I've been working from home I've often been asked to help brainstorm ideas for other moms who want to make some money from home.

The best advice I can give is to figure out a way to use your current education, passions, skills and talents to form your own business or seek out businesses that might employ you to do those things from home. Write a list of all the things you love and see if something triggers an idea. Owning your own business can be very challenging, yet rewarding. One of the drawbacks of working from home is at times you feel like you never get away from the responsibilities of your job. You have to create a schedule and try to stick to it. You deserve your own time just like everyone else.

Several of my friends have started working with home party or direct sales companies and some of them have done exceptionally well.  A childhood friend of mine has earned several trips with Premier Jewelry and absolutely loves her job!  There are several home party business out there to choose from, and you probably already have friends who are involved in a few of them.  I know direct sales opportunities aren't for everyone, however, I recently came across a great new direct sales company called Blessings Unlimited.  Blessings Unlimited started about five years ago and currently has around 2,000 consultants nationwide.  A newer company like this gives people a great opportunity to get in on the ground floor.  Blessings Unlimited is a Christian inspired company founded by DaySpring.  They sell home decor, dishes, books, jewelry and more.  If you are interested in learning more about this company please visit www.myblessingsunlimited.net/lynnarnquist.

If you are still trying to figure out the perfect work-from-home job or business here are some other ideas I've come across.

1. Create & sell homemade diapers
2. Create & sell homemade jewelry
3. Create & sell cards and stationery
4. Website design, graphic design, logos & branding
5. Tax preparer
6. Virtual assistant
7. Business consulting
8. Photography
9. Knitting
10. Candy making and/or baking
11. Event planning
12. Give music lessons
13. Daycare Provider

Be creative, think outside the box and ask yourself questions like, what are people willing to pay you for and what would you enjoy doing for them?  I realize not everyone has the entrepreneurial spirit, but there are plenty of companies now that will hire people to work from home for them.  It takes time and research, but once you find your niche you'll enjoy it!

"If you can't find your dream job, then create one." Unknown