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Work at Home Advice: Dealing with the Unexpected
There are plenty perks to being your own boss, and most people who start a home business never return to the workplace. However, there is an ugly side to telecommute life, and one aspect causes many to doubt their decision.
Unlike employees, work at home professionals don’t have sick leave, maternity leave, and paid vacations. If you don’t work, you don’t get paid - it’s that simple. For that reason, an extended illness or unexpected trip can have a negative impact on your business.
I believe in taking it one day at a time, and I try to avoid excessive worrying. However, when it comes to our businesses (our bread and butter), worrying isn’t necessarily a bad thing. It’s good to plan for the unexpected. Isn’t this why we pay insurance premiums each month?
There’s good worrying and bad worrying. Bad worrying is best described as spending countless days and nights obsessing over situations that may or may not occur. You might lose sleep, make yourself sick, or become an annoyance. Good worrying involves acknowledging the possibility of a future dilemma, planning accordingly, and moving on.
A telecommuter’s life is full of unexpected events - a sick child, death in the family, or you might simply need a mental break. Home based businesses vary. And my method of dealing with unexpected events might differ from your method. Personally, I try to complete assignments ahead of schedule. This way, I don’t feel rushed or overwhelmed. Plus, I have an emergency stash to compensate for slow periods.
Wouldn’t it be nice to take a break from your business, and not worry about upsetting clients or losing much needed income? Don’t wait until you’re smack dead in the middle of a crisis to plan an exit strategy - start now!
Technorati Tags: telecommute, work at home, unexpected, insurance, self-employed
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