Advantages of a Working From Home Franchise or Business
Joel Caws - Technical Director, Select Your Franchise
Working from home can present some great opportunities but it does require alot of motivation. Having worked from home myself some years ago I can testify first hand to the benefits of this growing lifestyle choice. So lets look at some of the advantages of a work from home franchise or business:-
Time flexibility
Working from home means you can dictate your hours and work. Of course your time maybe dictated by some degree as to when is the best times to contact customers and so forth, but other than that you can work at the times which best suit your lifestyle. It’s also great for working parents since you have greater flexibility to cover school runs and such like.
Low overheads
A Working from home franchise or business means you can keep overheads low by not having to pay out for any commercial office space or premises. If you dedicate a room or space in your house as office space you may also be able to claim a proportion of rent/mortgage, power, heat and light back against tax (an accountant can usually advise you on best way to handle this).
No traveling to work
If you are decide to work from home, you place of work is never more than a few steps away so this can represent a great saving on traveling or commuting costs.
More Time
No travel requirement will give you extra time in your day. This could either be used for work or taking a bit of extra personal time. You could even use it as a flexible slot of the day that you could use for either depending on the demands of your work from home franchise or business.
Relaxed and less Stressful Lifestyle
The home environment is great for feeling relaxed and may help you to work more productively without the stresses and pressure of an office environment.
Save money
Unless your very organised, when your working from an office the easiest option is to pop to the shop to buy a prepacked sandwich or snack at lunchtime. This can add up to quite an expense over a month. When working from home its much cheaper to be able to pop to the kitchen and rustle up a sandwich or something from food already in the house.
These are just some of the advantages of a work from home franchise or business, however, many can find motivation a real issue. It’s easy to get distracted by all that ’stuff’ that needs doing around the house. In my next article I will look at some helpful tips to stay motivated when working from home.
Working from Home Business Opportunities
Joel Caws - Technical Director, Select Your Franchise
Working from home is an increasingly attractive option. The flexibility of running a business with no premises to pay for and being able to balance family life, especially if you have children, seems a most attractive proposition. So what options do you have if you are considering working from home?
Work from Home Employment
There are some employers which will allow employees to work from home, some or all of the time. Taking advantage of the Internet and the way it makes possible collaboration and ease of working together online, some employers are now recognising this as a way to reduce need for office space but still expand their workforce. It’s worth noting that although this may provide a certain level of flexibility, the employer will most likely have in place ways to ensure you are working during the agreed hours, or that you are working to meet defined targets.
Self-Employment
Many people decide to get out of the rat-race of working for a boss and to start up their own business. This ultimately affords you the most flexibility, however the fact you are not answerable to anyone else could also make this your achilles heel. If you are naturally entrepreneurial this can be a good choice as you are likely brimming with your own business ideas. With hard work, dedication and, most importantly, discipline to carry out your day to day work tasks, you can be successful. Ensure before you start you have a clear marketing and sales plan since its one thing to have a great product or service, but quite another to convince people to buy. Even with the best product and service in the world, it will require lots of hard work to market and sell your product or service.
Franchise Opportunities
A work from home franchise opportunity is basically an already proven business formula and brand that you can effectively buy into. By paying a franchise fee, you will buy the right to operate a franchise business usually within a local geographical area. The advantages are that you will be running a business that has already been tried and tested as successful and also most franchisors do provide on going training support so that it should feel like you are not completely operating on your own. Its wise to get professional advice and research your options carefully however to ensure you are investing wisely.
Whichever work from home business route you choose, success is usually determined by the same critical factors: Discipline, Dedication to the job and… good old fashioned hard work!
Tags: business opportunities, franchise, home based franchise, joel caws, Self employment, work from home
Working From Home: Staying Motivated
Naz Daud - Owner, CityLocal
Many dream of foregoing their office jobs for one where they can telecommute. Those whose office is located a few steps from their bedroom save the time and fuel wasted in a daily drive to and from the office. Many parents also like to work from home to be closer to their children. Working from home, whether it be a franchise business or traditional self-employment, is also perfect for those who hate to dress in a shirt and tie everyday to report to an office. The decision to work from ones house needs to be carefully weighed, since it is not a viable option for some. With a few tips and ideas in mind, though, almost anyone can alter their environment to be better able to base ones business at home, and this will save money and time on commutes while spending more time with ones family.
Staying Focussed
One of the largest problems with a working from home business or franchise is staying on task. Many people find it difficult to concentrate on their work, especially if they have young children or pets in the house who constantly need attention. The fewer distractions one has, the easier it will be to remain motivated while working from home. It is important that one has a clearly defined office space. When the home office worker is in this area, the family should know to not disturb him. Some have enough space in their homes to devote a spare room to a home office. This is ideal, since the door can be closed against any distractions. Others have to use a corner of a room in which to locate their desk, computer, and other home office needs. If this is the case, one trick to encourage family members to leave one be would be to wear “work clothes”. This can be anything from a specific hat to a shirt and tie. Wearing these clothing will let others know that the person is “at work” and is not to be disturbed. Some find that dressing in business attire even when working out of the house helps to put them into the mindset for work.
Working Hours
Another good method to stay motivated while working from home is to have “office hours”. These might be from 9 am to 5 pm like in a regular office, or they might be from 9 pm to 5 am if one is a night owl. Whatever these hours are, one needs to closely adhere to them. This will let one specify time for work and time for play. During the working hours, one needs to devote oneself to working in the home office and doing nothing else. One method some use is to pretend that they have a boss looking over their shoulder while “on the clock”. If one has difficulty sticking to a schedule, signing a time card daily might help to establish a routine. Once accustomed to working those hours, writing down ones working times can be abandoned. A written record also helps one to review habits over the past month.
Take a Break
Just as having a specific schedule is important, so is knowing when to stop. Some people want to work past their scheduled time. While this might be profitable, it takes away time which might be spent with friends and family. Part of working away from a traditional office building is to balance ones work with fun. In order to prevent burnout and stay interested, it is important to know when to have fun.
Following these tips can help one to stay focused and motivated while running a work from home franchise or business.
Naz Daud is the founder of CityLocal. This Franchise Opportunity is for people who would like to work from home and be their own boss – Read more about the CityLocal Franchise Opportunity.
