Convincing Your Family Members You
Want to Work from Home
By Marsha Maung
It�s a difficult ride if you want to work from home and yet, the most
important people in your life are against the work at home concept. It�s
a dream to you but it can be a nightmare for people who care for you. The
whole idea of not having a stable income makes them worry about you, so,
don�t blame them. For all you know, you�re terribly confident that your
plan will work and you know you can commit to your new work at home business�you
know that but THEY don�t.
The first step you will need to take to help your family members accept
your work at home decision is to understand how they feel. I know, I know,
this is a time when you want others to understand you and accept your decision.
You�re tired of working for someone else and want to have the freedom of
spending time with your family and friends, instead of lounging around
in the office day in and day out. And here I am, telling you that you should
understand the very people who are opposing you?
This is not a secret but think of it like some kind of a psychological
plan. ever heard of the term �reverse psychology�? Ok, you�re required
to use this and let me tell you this�it works like a charm! If you do this
right, you will convince your family members that working at home is the
best option for you.
Say things like, �I know you care for me, love me and want what is best
for me�.�, �I understand what you�re saying��, or �You�re absolutely right
in saying that, I can�t say you�re wrong�. When you�re talking to them
in a non-attack way, they will back down and bring down their fences. This
is an amazing way to help your family members accept your work-at-home
decision. It�s true, my own family members were not to keen on me wasting
my law degree to start a work at home business either � to them, I am wasting
my degree, wasting my talents and wasting my energy. And they don�t want
to see me suffer, be disappointed and face financial problems. Being parents,
they want what is best for me and in their eyes, working at home is NOT
the best moneymaking opportunity. Over the years, I have finally opened
my parents� eyes to the working at home concept. They finally accepted
it that I communicate with clients from all over the world and that I am
being paid for the work that I do and that my income is comfortable.
As for the spouse, this is a little bit trickier. You see, in 2-income
families, if one person wants to start working from home, the other spouse
would have to be prepared to give up more of his or her income to cover
for the stuff that is supposed to be covered by the now-working-at-home
spouse. At least during the first few months of the business, that is.
I mean, for 3 to 6 months after working from home, you�ll have to expect
to dig into your savings or the spouse would have to cover for expenses,
so, naturally, he or she would be a little bit disgruntled with the fact.
They�re not being selfish � they�re trying to deal with you breaking out
of the comfort zone. Everyone, including you, hates that. So, don�t expect
your spouse to welcome the idea of working from home with wide open arms.
There�s bound to be some skepticism.
And skepticism from your loved ones is good too because it will keep
you on your toes and you�re feet remains firmly planted on the ground.
So, the best thing to do with your spouse is to discuss the idea with him
or her, sit down and plan the finances. For example, dig into your savings
to cover for contribution to expenses, working part-time, telecommuting,
cut down on expenses, selling the extra car, remortgaging, etc. Find a
way and a plan to ease the discomfort for your spouse. Make sure he or
she has nothing to complain about your working at home decision. It�s incredibly
difficult to accept, trust me, if you�re not the one who wants to work
from home. If you�re on the other side of the fence, everything looks so
bleak and uncertain.
Break through their barrier not with force, but with gentle compromising
and understanding. Then, you�ll get their full support for your work at
home business.
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