Melissa Rich Author – Your Virtual Home Office Can Be a Reality!

A lot of people I encounter are seeking a home based job/career. It sounds wonderful but the need for legitimate home-based positions are not any easier to find than when I started 12 years ago. The scammers are even better at finding those that are considered to be newbies to the field. My advice to those just starting out in this market-Research every opportunity and if you think that it seems to good to be true, it generally is.

Look at local sites such as:

Flexjobs.com

Indeed.com

Monster.com

Or companies such as:

Live-ops

VIP desk

Convergys

There are many legitimate opportunities out there for those that are seeking long term positions working from their virtual home office. When I first started looking for work from home, I made it my full time job to research companies and opportunities. I researched at night when my family was sleeping and in the afternoons after I completed my daily work.

If you need help determining what opportunity works best for you and how to avoid the scammers-check out our website: www.yourvirtualhomeoffice.com

Recently, I took a short vacation; so I took my home office essentials with me and worked from the hotel.    Even though I work from home, my home office is easy to pack and ready to go.  Here are a few of the essential items:

• A bag with essential supplies including pens, highlighters, a mini-stapler, calculator, etc.
•  Essential office files located in one place, so that they can be easily packed.
• Laptop computer.
  NOTE:   I have taken a vacation with a full size computer and compact screen.

Working from home certainly has its advantages, but being ready to work from any location with Internet access is even better!

Not everyone can work from home in a virtual situation successfully. What personality type is successful working from home? Answer:  People that have great time management skills and those that are organized and productive during working hours. Working from home is a great opportunity but not everyone can work without supervision or the flexibility that comes with working from home. If you need help with time management, read Melissa’s book-“ Your Virtual Home Office can be a Reality

If you are an independent contractor or employee working from your home office, it is generally your responsibility to keep up with equipment. Make sure you are updating virus protection as well as computer and software updates. Many things of those maintenance activities cost money but some of them are just a matter of completing the updates.

Some virus protections are free as well as Adobe reader products. I have found certain software will not function properly without all of the components which might mean windows updates or Microsoft office products. Keep a planner or notebook that gives dates of current updates to keep you on top of equipment and software. This will keep you up and running in your virtual home office.

I love my career working virtually from my  home office. It gives me the flexibility to contribute an income to our household, as well as enjoying life along the way. In my position as a Program Consultant, we have hired many people that share the same attitude towards working from home except for one small thing..they really don’t want to work. People that think they want to want to work from home will find many reasons to keep them from doing their job:

The cable man is coming; I need to take off the day.

The kids have a dentist appointment; I can’t work today.

I am just not feeling well.

How about if I get started on that tomorrow?  Or next week?

Working from home is very flexible and that same flexibility is one of the greatest reasons to work from home; but working from home is still work. If I don’t complete my scheduled working hours, I will not have a job or future work.  If you need help with time management, check out Melissa’s book:“Your Virtual Home Office can be a Reality”

I have worked from home for 12 years, but I have recently made a very positive change within my working environment.  I have made the transition from a home office to a portable office.   With my new laptop and a briefcase filled with necessary files, I am ready to work from any location with wifi.

The transition has been quite rewarding and I frequently find myself working while  waiting for appointments or killing time between appointments.

There are many companies that have started hiring virtual workers. Where can you go to find legitimate work? Here are a few of my favorite websites for legitimate work from home opportunities.

www.ratracerebellion.com

www.indeed.com

www.odesk.com

www.wahm.com

If you need help getting started in the virtual world-Check out our website:

www.yourvirtualhomeoffice.com

Many office supply retailers offer special discounts to loyal shoppers.     My local office supply store is  part of national chain, but the store personnel greet me by name.   I have been quite impressed with the rebates, discounts, and rewards programs offered to me in exchange for my loyalty.   In fact, last week my purchase equaled $90 in value (non-sale price), but I only paid $15 due to taking advantages of specials for repeat customers.

You may wish to check with your office supply vendors to determine what types of programs and discounts they offer to repeat customers.

Working from my virtual home office is the best thing I have ever done for myself and my family. However, not everyone feels that way. There are some virtual workers that need the everyday office drama and feel somewhat isolated from the day to day grind of the traditional brick and mortar job.

I personally have more interaction with people working from my home office than I would if I worked outside of the home. By working virtually, I am able to pick and choose my working relationships. In a traditional office, I would be required to interact with everyone.

It seems that business is really heating up and I am keeping plenty busy to meet the demands and needs of my growing business.    I have been working 50-60 hours each week lately.   While that can be overwhelming at times, the convenience of my home office makes the long hours more comfortable and less stressful.   

I am thankful for each and every day from my home office!  Hopefully, you are achieving that same level of satisfaction in your career.