JayEll, how did you get into textbook editing? Some of the textbooks we use at my school are in desperate need of some good editing! I hate the ones we currently use.
I worked at home for a number of years (medical transcribing) and then went back to work (teaching middle school math) and it was a little bit of an adjustment...I mean, I am going from not having a schedulle at all (well, not really) to TOTALLY being on a schedule - to the point where I have to wait until a break to use the restroom!
That was the biggest thing, though. Once we worked through the schedule stuff I must say it is much better for me working outside the home! My house is cleaner, too!
My fiance and I have worked from home...together now for the last six years. Me, full time with him for the last year, before I was going to the university full time. He is 37 and has only had one real job in his life and it lasted one summer during college. He has traded baseball cards to trading stocks to photography to owning apartments.
Pros:
- Lots of time spent together
- Own schedule (for the most part)
- Kitchen and bathroom nearby
- Can take off for an appointment, etc whenever
- At home, what could be better
Cons:
- Work tooooooo much (currently working on that...not much progress)
- Hard seperating work and personal time
- Not always a steady income
- Have to be self-disciplined
You should look at this website... zenhabits.net This guy recently quit his day job to become self employed. He has lots of helpful tips on how to do this and what to do to stay on track once you do (along with many many other great tips). Good luck!
Last edited by elanelaine; 02-10-2008 at 01:26 AM.
I don't know if a pro would be "lots of time spent together" My DH has talked about starting his own business and both of us working together. I personally think that would be too much time spent together
Nelie -- my husband and I used to work for the same company/site but not a lot of contact - I couldn't even get him to have lunch with me -- but he was out of work for the month of Janaury and I was nervous about him being home so much -- it was actually pretty nice -- however, I guess if you throw the stress of a job in there, that could change quick!! I'm glad he can't type, so I don't have to let him work with me at home!!!
shelby - my husband and i work for the same company and we will soon be working in the same facility but as long as we aren't doing the same job/working closely together, I'm fine with that
Sorry I can't insert links yet since I don't have enough posts. So, just don't forget the http stuff in front (just in case it doesn't work).
Here's where he quit his day job and what he's doing now.
zenhabits.net/2008/01/so-i-quit-my-day-job-holy-cow-i-took-the-plunge/#more-617
Here's some great things to do if (or once) you work from home. zenhabits.net/2008/01/top-30-tips-for-staying-productive-and-sane-while-working-from-home/
Here's a link to some of his popular posts.
zenhabits.net/#categories
I work from home alot, being in the same profession as PhotoChick.
Like everything in the world it has it's good and bad points. While it's true I don't have to 'go' to work most days, I live at work. I often find myself working when I should be enjoying my home life.
I bought a place last year when I hired two employees thinking I'd 'go' to work too, but I have to admit I prefer working in my pajamas!
I can also be a bit of a micro-managing kind of girl, so it's better for me to stay away from my own office. I get distracted very easily, and end up doing employee jobs instead of my own. I know I'm an awful boss so it's easier for me not to even try, after all I don't want my peeps to quit!
My son has a full time nanny because I don't know how I'd ever get anything done otherwise.
The best for me is:
Working in my pajamas with some messy hair
Ability to keep odd hours if necessary
All the comforts of home at work
No disgruntled employees
The bad for me is:
All the alluring distractions at home
No escaping work
No escaping to work
No set schedule (I've tried, I don't like schedules, it's why I don't do something else)
I used to work solely at home. My husband was a computer tech and I ran the office for him and several other subcontractors. I setup the in-home service calls and prepared their work orders for the day, tracked and prepared the incoming and outgoing parts, took care of wages and other expenses.
And...I climbed the walls. It was NOT fun. All I wanted to do was get out of that house. I was alone. Sometimes for 19 hour stretches. If hubby had to do work in ME, he wouldn't get home until the middle of the night.
Now I work 3 days a week and I do some of it at home the rest of the week. I just logged 6 hours today working online. I work for a membership association and I can edit our website online, or write articles for our newsletter at home, and I can sign onto my office computer and do other work on documents there. I'm not at all bored doing it this way. Those 3 days out of the house keep my sane.
My DH has talked about starting his own business and both of us working together. I personally think that would be too much time spent together 
-- but he was out of work for the month of Janaury and I was nervous about him being home so much -- it was actually pretty nice -- however, I guess if you throw the stress of a job in there, that could change quick!! I'm glad he can't type, so I don't have to let him work with me at home!!!
