Many Ways to Work at Home – How to Make a Transition That Fits Your Professional Life

Are you ready to make the transition from working full-time at an office to working full-time from home? Aside from the freedom that comes with working in your own space and setting your own hours, working from home may have tax benefits, too.

If you’re ready to get started, consider these four distinct ways to make the transition today.

Try Telecommuting, If Your Employer Allows

The path of least resistance is simply to convert your current position into a telecommuting role. Increasingly, employers looking to attract and retain top talent are amenable to full-time work-at-home arrangements; in some cases, telecommuting roles may even be location-independent, meaning employees aren’t required to live in a specific location.

Find a Totally Remote Position

If your current employer isn’t okay with full-time telecommuting, look for remote work opportunities with more flexible employers. Bear in mind that you may be expected to shoulder the cost of getting your home office set up, and for specialized equipment (such as a headset) required to perform your job functions.

Buy a Turnkey Home-Based Business

If you’d prefer to work for yourself, consider buying a turnkey home-based business, such as:

• An existing business with a ready-made client list
• A franchise business with well-defined owner systems and procedures
• A direct sales business with a set territory

Buying into an existing business can get expensive, so you may need to pursue one of these other work-at-home opportunities first.

Cobble Together Freelancing and Consulting Projects

You can also build a home-based business from the ground up by cobbling together freelancing and consulting projects that fit your unique mix of skills and credentials. Many beginners use freelance job sites to find clients and build name recognition.

What Kind of Jobs Can You Do From Home?

So, you’re ready to make the transition from the 9-to-5 office grind to a full-time work-at-home lifestyle. Will you still be able to do the job you love – and for which you’re qualified – without enduring a daily commute?

In a word, yes.

The variety of at-home job opportunities is endless. Some are well-known, such as:

• Freelance content writing
• Remote technical support contractor
• Website tester
• Virtual assistant
• Social media influencer
• Accounting and bookkeeping professional

Others aren’t as well-known, but no less lucrative for it. For instance, if you’d like to apply your skills to a good cause and earn money in the process, consider becoming a work-at-home fundraising distributor. According to the experts at ABC Fundraising, work-at-home fundraising distributors can earn anywhere from $500 to $5,000 or more when working full time.

Are You Ready to Make the Leap?

Whether you know it or not, you’re capable of working from home full-time. The trick is finding a pursuit that you love – that you can see yourself doing for years to come in the comfort of your home office, without constant external motivation – and implementing a plan to make it happen.

Don’t be discouraged if the transition from office work to full-time at-home work isn’t as smooth as you imagined. Some bumps are to be expected, particularly if you’re turning up a home-based business from scratch or cobbling together freelance or consulting arrangements with first-time clients.

Plan carefully; better to wait until you’re absolutely ready to make the leap than to jump prematurely and find yourself in a mess of unexpected trouble. Once you’re officially off on your own, execute your plan diligently and keep close tabs on your progress. You’ve got this – as long as you hold up your end of the bargain.