A Work at Home Challenge - Do You Spend More Time Working, or Searching?

by Traci Anderson | More from this Blogger

26 Feb 2007 11:48 AM

If you are currently looking for home-based work, or if you are looking for additional income sources, have you ever taken the time to consider the amount of time you spend searching? Are you searching now? Did you find my blog during your home-business hunt? If so, bookmark me... and keep reading. This is just the first post in a series of home-business challenges I have for you.

In a previous post (Find Your Passion or Fake it Until You Make It?) I talked about how it may not be a bad idea to settle for a "less-than-perfect" home business in order to gain experience.

There are hundreds of websites dedicated to helping moms and dads work from home. Every day, thousands of new opportunities are posted. You've probably already learned that if you search often enough, you can begin to weed through the "too good too be true" jobs and find a business that may be right for you.

Obviously, searching can take a tremendous amount of time. It involves hours of web-surfing, submitting resumes and filling out forms. You'll probably want to network with others to find out what the job is really like and if you are a candidate for a position, you may be required to interview for the position, take tests or send in additional writing samples.

I've been watching a thread on a message board recently regarding this topic. It was interesting to see how many people said that the searching can become addictive. Some even said that they spend time searching even though they already have a full-time job or work-at-home business.

I am guilty of this. I always knew that I wanted to work from home. Even before I was pregnant, I started searching online for the perfect business opportunity. The ads are enticing and the opportunities are endless. Even when I was content with my first home-based business, I continued searching. Heaven forbid I miss the next best thing, right?

As a freelance writer, I still spend a considerable amount of time on the internet searching for additional writing jobs. I often wonder how much money I could make if I spent as much time working, as I do searching.

If you are spending a considerable amount of time searching, I want to challenge you to consider the effect the time you spend job-hunting may be having on your current business. Does it make you less satisfied? Does it take time away from your business? Is it distracting?

What if you do not have a home business yet. Is the searching causing you to bypass the "less than perfect" opportunities and waste precious time earning a legitimate income from home?

Spend some time this week thinking about your searching hours, versus your working hours and let us know if you made any adjustments in the comments section. I will do the same.

Learn more about Traci Anderson

Traci is a work-at-home-mom (WAHM) from beautiful Big Sky Country (Montana). She spends most of her time trying to keep up with two extremely energetic (but hysterical) Irish twins.

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Kori Rodley Irons (8277) 28 Feb 2007 01:21 PM

As a freelance writer, the constant searching just seems to come with the territory. Until editors and publications are knocking down the door and ASKING me to please write pieces (No, this has definitely NOT happened yet, I think it only happens in old novels), I have to schedule in time to search for work and leads on a daily or weekly basis. THEN, I also have to schedule in time to nuture and cultivate and pitch the contacts I already have.