Question:

I have been talking to a lot of work at home moms lately, well all the time, and the topic of a work at home mom’s job not being a real job, comes up frequently. My question however is what can we do as work at home mom’s to overcome these labels that have been put on us? What can we do as a work at home community to overcome these public labels and the scrutiny that we undergo on a daily basis?

Asked by Amanda at Mommy Neighborhood

Answer:

This is such a pertinent question that I had to write an article on the subject.

Working at home isn’t a REAL job and that’s why I do it!

I had the honor of participating in two interesting chats recently at wahpromotion.com that indirectly spoke to the issue of not being taken seriously because you work from home. Non-Verbal communication plays a very large part in how people react and treat us, as well as, how we ultimately feel about ourselves. Crossed arms, fidgeting and not making eye contact are a few physical signs of insecurity and there are many more but what can you do to look, feel and act like you are serious about your business so that other people will take you seriously?

When talking about your business, be confident and self-assured. Yes, maybe your business started from a hobby but you chose that hobby and didn’t have to apply for it, interview for it or ‘one up’ the next person to have it. Who can say that about their job? I assure you I am not complaining about making money from something I love to do, while working my own hours, in my own house and getting to play with my son at the drop of a hat, with the added bonus of choosing who I work with, among other things.

Dress, speak and act the part. You never know when you will run into a client or meet a future client, always present your best self when out and about. I know us women don’t have time to spiffy up for every run to the grocery store but think what five minutes could cost you if you didn’t take the time to change that stained shirt for a clean one or sweats for a presentable pair of jeans. A potential client could take one look and say no instantly, even before you’ve introduced yourself. This is one of the main things I need to work on myself - when you don’t have a car and lug a two year old around on the bus or walking you tend to go for comfort but comfort can look good too, it really doesn’t take that long. I find that when I do take the time to be presentable, I magically become more confident, extremely approachable, a lot less shy and I make more eye contact. How can that be bad for business?

Talk about your fellow work at home women business owners with respect, admiration and awe. Speak with confidence and don’t rush your words. Express yourself matter of factly and without any doubt reflected in your tone. Positive affirmations are a great way to overcome nervousness and fear, so can realizing the worst that can happen when approaching someone about your business and accepting that it will happen, a lot. You’ll either embarrass yourself and or they’ll say no - I’m sure you’ll get over the embarrassment eventually and if they say no, they say no.

Set certain work hours and let everyone know that you will be working during those times. If they still ‘drop by’ during your business hours, keep working or tell them you are busy and that they can come back after you are done, they’ll get the hint. Answering machines are great deterrents - let the machine get it - this might be easier said than done if you don’t have caller ID, so go ahead and invest a few bucks a month – you don’t want to miss your business related phone calls. You could also post a sign up on your door with your company name and business hours - just like businesses with store fronts. So when they come to your door during business hours have a catalogue and an order form ready for them, you can’t lose, you’ll either turn them into a regular customer or have the time to deal with other customers once they get that you take your business seriously. You could always be cheeky and bill them for the time they were there keeping you from your work.

Try to have your work area look like a separate, organized, tidy part of the house. If your ‘office’ is like mine it’s in the middle of the living room doubling as a ‘fort’ and tripling as a catch all for toys, crafts and dirty dishes on their way to the kitchen. Treating your office like an office makes for better use of your time and possibly a more professional mind set. I find that it helps to keep my head clear and organized if my desk is the same. Besides keeping me focused it shows family and friends that I am serious, organized and have it together in regards to my business.

Don’t gripe or complain about the issues you are having with your business, vent to a colleague or team member. Adding fuel to their fire and having to justify everything you do or say with ‘…but I love working from home’ isn’t the way to gain support and encouragement from someone that doesn’t do what you do and will chip away at what you’ve built until you become discouraged and give up. Do you listen to their work related complaints and advise them to ‘just quit’ their jobs? I think not - half the time the person not taking us seriously is the person that doesn’t share any details about their job or what goes on while they are working but because we ‘work from home’, it’s fair game and we’re supposed to tell them every little detail so they can tell you what you are doing wrong and ask you ‘why do you bother’.

Unfortunately, a lot of the time the belittling originates from jealousy. They wish they had the guts, dedication, determination and commitment to do what you do everyday. They try and make you look and feel like what you do isn’t to be taken seriously so they can make themselves feel better about having to work a nine to five and report their every move to six different supervisors. Let them have their J.O.B. (Just Over Broke) while we enjoy our time working on the things we choose to do rather than the things we have to do, networking and creating relationships, filling orders for items we feel passionate about all while being chauffeur, maid, wrestler, cook, mother and wife.

Everything I’ve said here should be taken with a grain of salt, not every persons situation is the same. Sarcasm and humor are great but results speak for themselves. If all else fails, don’t talk about your business with family and friends - answer their questions but don’t elaborate when you know it will be used against you. When they notice that you have a thriving business and are having a blast running it they will see that what we do is worthy of their respect and something to be taken seriously.

Thanks Amanda for asking such a great question! This matter is so pertinent for work at home women in today’s world.

Filed under: This and That on May 19th, 2006