The thought of working from home can be very appealing if you are a mum-to-be or are just starting to enjoy your maternity leave. You might have been considering options for quite a while, even perhaps before you found out you were pregnant, and now the thought of those long commutes and excessive hours may have a new significance to you. A lot of mums find that they have no choice but to work after they have a baby, especially as money is tight to start with, and they know it’ll be even tighter from then on.
In a recent survey in the Daily Express, more than a third of working mums said they would rather be with their children and give up work if they could, whilst a majority wished that they could work a shorter week.
When the idea of physically leaving the home to go to work every day combines with the thought of being away from your precious baby, many mums start to think about “work from home” options. There are many opportunities available to you in this respect, but you must first be sure that you are aware of all the repercussions. Very often a home-based business can represent longer hours and the thought of having to keep up with paperwork and all the other elements of running your own business can be quite daunting. Before your make a decision about working from home, you should really consider looking into professional coaching - at least briefly, as it will help you to realise all of the implications which are involved in this situation.
So, if you’re giving some thought to setting up a home-based business sometime soon, you should carefully consider your personal strengths and weaknesses. Think back all the way to your school days and consider your interests. Even though many online life coaching experts say that trying to turn a hobby into a business might not be the best of ideas, you should still nevertheless see if you can find something special that peaks your interest. You may remember that you were particularly good at an extracurricular activity in school or university and, as with any business venture, you should always try and pander to your strengths.
1. Photography.
This can be a very rewarding venture. Most people like to take photographs, but if you find that you have a particular “eye” for this or remember that people often told you that you take good photographs, why not expand this? These days it is relatively easy to open your own photography business and you can set up a small studio in one of your spare rooms relatively easily. With the advent of digital technology and the spread of the web, you can get someone to help you design a great website and upload your creations for all to see. You should know that there are a number of online websites that allow you to register and upload your creations for their members to browse and potentially buy.
2. Wedding or event planner.
If you were always actively involved in planning events in university, or if you love to put together those outdoor parties for families and friends, why not consider becoming a wedding planner. This is an ideal job for a work at home mum and you can use your flair for creativity and your list of contacts to start the ball rolling.
3. Mobile pet grooming.
This opportunity can combine your love for animals with a definite need in the marketplace. Just as others have problems allocating time to do anything these days, they may neglect the pet and would be more than willing to allow you to bathe and groom. You will have to spend a good bit of time away, but you can set your own hours and will probably be surprised to find that there is a fairly large client base within your immediately vicinity.
4. Consulting.
If your career to this point has been in a specialised industry or you have specialised skills of your own, why not consider establishing yourself as a consultant in this field? You must of course find out whether you had any kind of “non compete” agreement with your previous employer, but if not, use your expertise and skills to help others.
5. Internet marketing.
This is a huge growth area and while it does suggest a fairly significant learning curve, you will conduct all of your business from the comfort of your spare room. There are a variety of different fields within the overall subject of Internet marketing and you can set yourself up to be an agent to sell other companies’ products, something known as “affiliate marketing,” or you can sell your own services as a web content provider, writer, artist or designer.
You should know that coaching for women in your position is available online and can often help to open your eyes to a number of possibilities that you may not yet have considered.
Amanda Alexander is the Founder and Inspiration behind Coaching Mums. She’s a distinguished ICF accredited coach, who for almost seven years now, has been bringing a new feeling of hope into the lives of working moms from around the world, showing them how to discard their guilt, rediscover their passions and to have a lot more fun! For amazing articles and truly effective professional coaching tips, sign up to get “Inspire” right away, our absolutely outstanding free newsletter!