Can Telecommuting Really Work For Moms?

As Mother's Day approaches, moms everywhere are looking at their wonderful kids and wondering if they are really striking the best balance in their lives. Are they really the doting, knowledgeable and fabulous moms that the greeting cards say they are? What if they didn't have to commute for an hour each day? Most moms would jump for joy at the idea of having an extra hour a day - heck, most people would!

Does working from home really work?

It certainly can. There are many pros: fewer distractions, less time commuting and less time spent getting everything last thing done as the mad dash out of the house happens each morning. (And that's even before we get to the gas prices making that commute even more painful!) Honestly, who couldn't use a little less time in the car and a little more productivity?

Nearly all of us, of course. And our bosses would agree. Ok, most of our bosses if they answered truthfully would.

It's not fun or productive to have employees arrive at work flustered and frustrated. And, it can be more expensive to keep office space along with general common spaces, such as lunchrooms and restrooms, than to have employees working from home. These things, in combination with the environmental benefits of employees driving less, have gotten many employers to think about telecommuting in a whole new way.

But to really be successful in getting a keeping a telecommuting job, you need to make sure that it will work for you. Ask some tough questions:

Are you a self-starter and motivated by the results?
Do you like the camaraderie of an office environment and sharing ideas with co-workers?
Can you stay focused on the task at hand - or will you be distracted by the dirty laundry and clean-but-full dishwasher?
Does your job - or any job in your company - lend itself to being done at another location?

It is almost more important that you know your own style than it is to worry about company policy at the outset. Working from home can sound great - but it just isn't for everyone. Be honest with yourself first - then approach your employer with a plan.

Your plan should include why this benefits the company, how you will manage calls from home and your ongoing availability to attend required meetings. Also be sure to address how your productivity will not decrease due to the changed work environment. It should not start out by focusing on why this is so great for you. Tell the employer what's in it for them first.

And to soften the impact a little, make part of your plan to have a trial period. Maybe it is to start with one day per week for 90 days to see how it goes. Then it can move to 2 days a week. Be sure to keep the communication lines open with your boss and your co-workers. No one should feel like the working arrangement is making communication more difficult - so be prepared to find new ways to manage what used to be done at the water cooler or in the hallway.

And if your boss does not approve? You can try again (but do not make yourself a pest!) - or you can find a company that is more open to a flexible work arrangement. Maybe this is the change you need to manage your total life - not just your work and career better.

Jennifer Peek writes about all aspects of kids and money at her website http://www.money-and-kids.com and is working on a better balance in her own life. See how she's doing that at http://www.money-and-kids.com

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