Finding Quiet Time

Unless you have the concentration skills of a Jedi Master then you must have a quiet place to work from home. Interruptions from children and others can be a problem if it continues on a regular basis.

Some telecommuters work for companies that demand you have quiet time and a dedicated space to do your work. These companies are usually ones where you'll need to assist customers over the phone. No one wants to hear a screaming baby when they're trying to get an answer to something so please take this into consideration when you apply for a work-at-home position involving phone time.

Also, make sure you're available to do the work. Sometimes we have the impression since we're home from an office that we can clean the house, take care of the kids, and work in a home office. Unless you're extremely organized, this is almost an impossible task because there will always be interruptions. The perfect time to work from home is not when the new baby arrives, but after the kids get into preschool or elementary school.

If it's impossible to do the work alone, then try to work during the hours when the kids are asleep. Maybe set aside some movie time and rent some movies for the kids to watch. iTunes Store Movies just created a great way for someone to download movies to their computer and watch them in a way so no tapes or DVDs are handled. This is perfect for older kids who can manage a computer.

Remember, you're working from home not only for yourself, but for the employer or the company you're working for. If you're not giving them quality time then you're not doing the job promised. Also remember that your kids need you around as well. Try to balance the two to get the most out of your telecommute job or work at home business.