By Allison Rice

Since the popularization of the Internet, one of the fastest-growing trends in the professional world is telecommuting – and working from home has never been easier.

Meanwhile, corporate mega moguls (like Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer and Best Buy CEO Hubert Joly) are instituting company-wide telecommuting bans and changes to the work-at-home policies.

Why?

According to Marissa Mayer, telecommuting kills the “communication and collaboration” required for innovation to flourish. That may very well be true for careers that require team-work; however, for solitary positions, face-to-face meetings may actually stifle the flow of creativity and efficiency.

At the same time, there are some very real concerns related to the accountability and productivity issues inherent in a work-at-home environment. (more…)

By Louise Blake

Working from home may sound like the ideal job situation – no stressful commutes, no stiff office clothing, plus all the comforts of your living space on hand. Sound tempting? Of course it does. You earn your own living from the sanctity of your house while looking after your kids… and you get to do so while wearing whatever you want.

But that’s ‘the work at home mom’ as a Disney movie. The truth is that it’s hard working from home. Studies have demonstrated alarming rates of dissatisfaction, resentment and even depression from mothers who’ve merged their professional and home lives. So whether you’re contemplating working from home or struggling to adjust to your new work-from-home life, here are some tips you should always keep in mind. (more…)

By Holly Reisem Hanna

Dear Work at Home Woman,

I have been following your site and I like it very much. However, it’s seems that most, if not all, of the women who decide to work from home have college degrees and leave an already established career to pursue a career at home – these women have much to pull from in order to succeed.

For years now I have desired to run my own life and dearly want to work from home – but I do not have the fore mentioned degree/career to pull from, as I was a stay-at-home wife and home schooling mom for 22 years. About 4 years ago, I suffered a divorce and now am struggling to survive as I foolishly thought my marriage would last for forever. (more…)

By Kirsten Hendrich

If you’re not able to negotiate a work from home contract in your current job, there are plenty of alternatives for you. If you’re a busy mom who wants to get back into work yet maintain the stay at home parent role and would welcome an income boost, there are a wide range of opportunities, most of which simply require a computer or laptop.

Even during a recession there are jobs openings and part time work readily available it’s just a case of deciding what’s best for your situation and your time constraints. Another benefit is that you don’t have to feel tied into a particular role, if it’s not for you, simply move on. (more…)

By Meghan Nguyen

Seven years ago, I asked the partner of the law firm I worked for in Austin to do the impossible… make my full time office job a work from home job. I was nervous asking for this, especially since I was still relatively new to the firm, but my boldness payed off. My position became a remote job, even after I no longer worked there.

If you are interested in working your current job from home, let’s talk about why your supervisor should let you, and how to ask your supervisor so they will say yes!

First off, is your job the type of position that can easily be converted into a remote position?

Here are a few questions to ask yourself, before you submit your telecommuting proposal. (more…)