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Not everyone succeeds as a work at home mom. We’re not all suited for it, and that’s okay. Here’s why you won’t succeed.
The work at home life isn’t for everyone. Stay at home moms are not instantly going to make money selling their jewelry, and those who would love to be their own boss are not going to find being a work at home mom easy.
It takes a certain mindset and set of skills to succeed. Some of these skills are certainly learnable, but you may have no interest in putting that effort or time in. It’s okay to admit that being a work at home mom isn’t for you. It’s also okay to admit that you don’t have the skills right now, but you want to learn them. Or you can decide that you’re happy where you are with your life.
I couldn’t imagine going back to the office, but I have friends who hate remote working and can’t wait for their workplaces to get them back in the office. We’re all made differently.
Here are four reasons why being a work at home mom isn’t right for you, especially if it’s to start your own business.
You don’t have motivation to be a work at home mom
You need to be motivated to succeed. When you work at home, you have nobody to set a specific starting time for the day, or determine when you take breaks or go home. There is nobody to keep an eye on you to make sure you work. You need to do all that yourself.
This is partially discipline, but motivation is also essential. If you don’t have the motivation to drag yourself out of bed on a morning, you’re not going to get anything done.
Yes, there are days when motivation is low for anyone. I’ve been there, but those days are a minimum. This is where the discipline comes in, because I still force myself to work. But nine times out of 10 I have the motivation, so the discipline is easy.
Deadlines aren’t things you can stick to
This does depend on the job, but most of the time you will have deadlines to meet. Your clients will buy your services and expect results within a certain number of days. When customers buy your products, they expect to receive them within a timeframe that you set.
If you can’t stick to deadlines or you’re not organized enough to plan everything out, you’re going to find it hard to live the work at home dream. There’s nothing wrong with that. Some people simply work better when they have the pressure of their boss looking over their shoulders.
Think about how you worked in school. Did you tend to pull all-nighters, or would you be miles ahead of schedule for your projects because you wanted to get them done?
Distractions happen all the time as a work at home mom
How often do you get distracted? Interruptions will happen on a daily basis when you work at home. You’ll have children running in, your spouse may interrupt your workflow, or you may even have to deal with friends and relatives calling around because they know you’re at home.
You need to deal with all those distractions, and more. If you struggle with that, you’re going to struggle with working from home. You can learn how to handle the interruptions, but you need to be willing to spend time and effort doing that.
You don’t want to be your own boss
Most work at home jobs will lead to you becoming your own boss. There are a few opportunities where you have someone to report to, but those opportunities are fewer and farer between.
If you don’t want to be your own boss, chances are the work at home life isn’t suited for you. If you prefer the office politics and socialization, then stick to that. There is no need to force the work at home lifestyle on yourself.
Are you really suited for the work at home life? Not everyone is, and it doesn’t make you a failure. You are your own person, and you really need to think about what you want from life.
MORE: 5 tips to be a great work at home mom
What are you struggling with when it comes to working from home? What fears do you have going into this lifestyle? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
