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Most everyone has thoughts now and then of quitting their outside jobs so they can work from home. After all, we can always find something we don't like about where we work, the work we do or who we work with. Working from home can be a wonderful alternative. But maybe you're just not sure. Even with the hundreds of work-at-home opportunities available today, walking away from a job you've had for a while, or that has become comfortable, is a big decision.
So how can you know when your reasons for quitting outweigh the reasons to stay?
1. Family Matters! If you're paying half of your hourly wage for child care or you walk through the door after working all day and your kids don't recognize you, it's time to rethink your job situation. You work so your kids can have “stuff” but what they need most is you. Figure out whether more money is worth less time with your family. Working from home may be the perfect option for you.
2. Moral or Ethical Conflict. If your boss expects you to lie to land an account, fudge numbers on a report or do something else that points your moral compass in the wrong direction, you have a valid reason to remove yourself from that position. Most importantly, you'll be teaching your kids that standing up for what you believe is honorable and maintaining your integrity is always the right decision.
3. No opportunity for Advancement. Are you stuck? Have you reached a place in your line of work where there is no more room for advancement? If you can't see yourself doing the same old thing (probably at the same amount of pay) for umpteen years to come, it may be time for a change. And being home with your kids definitely provides opportunities for advancement every day!
4. Where's the Challenge? The truth is, we only develop and change through the challenges we face. And if the challenge has been taken out of your job, so has your growth. Lack of growth is cause to consider replanting to another location (like home!) where you can bloom in new and glorious ways.
5. It's not fun anymore. No job is fun ALL the time. But it should, at least, be enjoyable and satisfying most of the time. In fact, if you're doing what you love to do, sometimes it shouldn't even feel like work. If all of the fun has gone out of your job, and it feels too much like work every minute you're on the clock, quitting to work from home may be a good choice for you. Being home isn't all fun and games, but at least you'll be able to take a break when you need a burst of fun in your day.
6. You're burned out! If getting out of bed every morning is a chore (not because you stayed up a little too late the night before but because you dread going in to work) and you find yourself getting sick more often, it may be time to call it quits. No job is worth the stress and health-risks it's causing to your body.
Maybe you aren't quite ready to take the plunge and walk away from your job to work from home. But, at the very least, it may be time to reevaluate your work situation and figure out where to go from here. Quitting your day job is a big decision. But if you find yourself in any of the previous situations, it may just be one that's necessary – and hopefully rewarding - for you and your family.