If you're a mom, mommy-to-be, or simply finding yourself with baby fever, you might be wondering what life would be like if you could stay home with your children and contribute to the monthly bills. As if being a stay-at-home-mom isn't enough work on its own! But, it is 2018 after all, so why shouldn't moms be able to take care of their children and work from the comfort of their own home?
And with 43 percent, according to nytimes.com, of Americans working remotely for at least some of the time, career opportunities for SAHMs are only increasing.
Like any career opportunity, though, working from home has its fair share of pros and cons.
We'll take a look at them here - so you can decide if working from home is the right path for you.
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1. More Time with Your Kids
What mom doesn't want to spend more time with their little ones?
One thing you'll want to think about when deciding whether you want to work from home or stay in the office, though, is that you'll be spending A LOT of time with your children before they're old enough to go to school and during the summer. Like, a lot of time.
They're going to want to play with you when you have conference calls or virtual meetings on your schedule. And, inevitably, someone's going to get hurt, and you may not be able to get to them right away – meaning they'll be crying somewhere, and you're probably going to feel completely helpless.
You may burn out, too. To avoid this, you need to have a plan regarding how much time you'll spend with your children during the day. Allow yourself (and them) to have breaks. Be sure to set ground rules so everyone knows what to expect.
2. Save on Child Care
If you're home all day, you may no longer need to pay for child care like you have in the past.
However, if you choose to go without, you may also find yourself more distracted at work as a result. If you're planning on going into business for yourself, you're going to need to think long and hard about all of the different distractions you may encounter. It's also important to realize that, when you're multitasking, you're not actually giving anything one hundred percent of your attention.
So, ask yourself this: Which is more important, your clients, or your children?
Frequently asked questions
3. Save on Your Commute and Other Costs
Of course, if you're no longer driving or taking public transportation into the office, you're going to save money there. And, you'll save money on other things, too, like coffee, lunches out, and snacks from the vending machine.
In order to benefit from those savings, though, you may have to take a pay cut – at least in the beginning. The best way to maintain your salary? Convince your boss to allow you to work remotely. If you can't do that, you'll have to find a new job, and you may struggle to find remote work that pays a comparable rate.
4. Taxes
Often, employees who work remotely don't have taxes deducted from their pay.
Sounds like a dream, right? Wrong!
At the end of the year, you're still going to owe Uncle Sam his cut. Taxes for work from home moms and other self-employed people are an entirely different ballgame, so you're going to need to educate yourself before making any moves.
5. Work-Life Balance
One of the many pros of working from home is having more time.
You'll have more time to spend with your children, family, friends, and more time for yourself. You might even be able to squeeze in some extra time at the gym, sleep in every once in a while, or do things like pop out for coffee with another SAHM during your workday.
While all of the above are great pros, there are cons, too. For one, the fridge is only a short walk away, which can have a negative impact on your diet. Two, your children are home. All day. This can cause different distractions and therefore stress – like you never knew at the office. And lastly? Working from home can be extremely isolating. Even when you're not alone, you may feel like you are.
Before you make the leap, be sure to think about each of the points in this article. This is far from an exhaustive list of all of the pros and cons of working from home, but it's one that will make it easier to determine if it is, in fact, the right choice for you.
