Working at home, especially if you’re doing it in a side-hustle capacity to start takes very little risk. In fact, you’ll find that most of what you need to get started in a work-at-home job is
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A fast computer
It really doesn’t need to be fast — mine wasn’t at the beginning, but it’s going to make your life so much better. You’ll get so much more done and won’t feel that constant frustration of being interrupted by a computer that’s thinking.
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Working internet
This is a must to working at home. If you don’t have working internet at home, that’s fine, but you’ll need to have working internet somewhere close by – a cafe, library, etc.
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Space to think/get work done without many interruptions
Let’s face it, working at home requires discipline. If you’re constantly interrupted, it might be more difficult to get things done. You don’t want to be spending all day and night working, and you also don’t want to be slow. Find a space that limits those distractions and then set up your space in a way that you can create flow as often as possible.
If you have a new baby, for example, you might not be able to be distraction free. But how can you set up your workspace in a way that the things you do have control over stimulate flow and not distraction? Maybe that means keeping that area clean or moving your phone somewhere else so you’re not distracted by social media or random texts.
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A business plan
It’s hard to succeed if you’re unsure where you’re going. Your business plan can (and should) change over time — it should be a living document. But if you have an overall plan, it’s going to be a lot easier for you.
Someone you’ll want to listen to is Alex Charfen. He talks about setting up systems so that you can be as effective and move with as much momentum as possible.
While my business plan changes slightly from month to month, here are the most important things we talk about with clarity at every meeting:
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What is the customer-centric mission?
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What is/are the critical numbers? (Revenue, list building, etc)
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What is the one year goal?
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What are three goals for the next 30 days?
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What tasks support that goal for everyone?
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A health plan.
I didn’t realize how crucial this one was until I started working at home … and really not until I was diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes.
I was feeling tired alllll the time and genuinely just thought I was getting old. It turns out my blood sugar was just going sky high every day and then crashing hard.
As I’ve worked hard to normalize my blood sugar, I’ve noticed how much better I feel and that I’ve been able to provide a much higher level of work because my body is functioning as it should.
When your body is functioning as it should, it’s going to be a lot easier for you to work the hours required as an entrepreneur, or have the confidence needed to go after the contractor and employee positions you’d like.
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A good attitude
This is a must. Since being in a position to hire people, I’ve noticed that while there are many virtual assistants, proofreaders, etc., what sets the ones we want to hire apart from those we don’t is often a good attitude and (the next point) a willingness to learn.
If you want to stand out for a contractor or employee position, have a great attitude. Be thankful for the opportunity and care enough about the position to research the company beforehand so you know how you can help them.
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A willingness to learn
I have two incredible people on my team, Julie and Cindy. When I brought them on, they were both newbies in their field. I knew there was a lot of training we would need to go through, but I wanted them specifically because they reached out to me with questions and actually took action on what I said. Because they have a willingness to learn and take initiative (plus a great attitude!) it was a no-brainer to have them on my team. 99% of the time I’d rather take someone that is slightly less experienced but has a great attitude and willingness to learn over someone who knows everything but isn’t willing to learn, grow, or be flexible.
Our take
Working from home often doesn’t require a huge investment in gear. Instead, you might want to invest your time into learning and developing both hard and soft skills. As someone who has had the opportunity to hire and look for new hirees, I can assure you that there are always people looking for hard working, initiative-taking individuals with a great attitude.
Your turn
Sometimes you have the tools you need to get started but still have a resistance to starting. Can you relate? Your mindset might be holding you back. Take my free 2-week mindset course and break past the limiting beliefs that are keeping you from where you want to be.
