| My International Home Business |
You can cut down on commuting, spend more time with family and be your own boss. But
before handing in your notice or suggesting to your manager that you would be better off
working out of the office, make sure you have taken everything into consideration.
The first thing to ask yourself is whether or not you will be able to use your time effectively
and that you will not be distracted. Will it be beneficial to the company? Will you be able to
function away from the support of an office environment?
The concept of working from home is growing worldwide and with rising office rents and
unending hours spent in traffic, it is also becoming common in the UAE. So if you decide to
take the plunge, here are a few things you must remember.
Ask yourself if it's for you
Working from home could be the solution to the work-life balance conundrum. The comfort
of working in your own environment instead of the mundane commute to and from work,
early mornings and office politics make working from home sound very appealing. Yet it
might not suit everyone.
If you are the kind of person who loves the social contact with peers or if you enjoy working
in a close-knit team, then working alone is probably a bad choice because it requires a level
of self-discipline, motivation and organisation that not everyone will possess, say experts.
Do your research first and be wary of fraudulent websites and online services that advertise
opportunities.
Armelle O'Neal, a human resources professional from Microsoft, says: "It's very easy for
people to think working from home means an easy life and less work. But this is not the
case, just because you are not physically leaving the house it doesn't mean that you
shouldn't work as hard. Ask yourself if you want your home to become the office."
Communication is key
More and more companies and organisations not only allow but also encourage
telecommuting. If your organisation offers that option, you can use your laptop to be
productive in the comfort of your own home or a remote location.
But do you have the equipment you need to operate? How much will it cost you to set up?
Will it be cost effective? When telecommuting, make sure that your colleagues, customers
and manager can communicate with you at all times.
O'Neal says: "Whether you're in the office or working remotely, make it easy for people to
contact you. Share your phone number with people you work with and leave your contact
information with your manager and one or two additional contacts. Also, consider using call
forwarding to your home or mobile phone so that you receive incoming calls wherever
you're working."
Stay focused
In order for work to get done and for the home to become the office, Nancy Struck, author of
Working Smarter from Home, Your Day Your Way, says: "Start working at the same time
each day, treat work days like regular days, get up, get dressed and be at your desk on
time.
"Establish a schedule. Keep work hours similar to the ones you would if you were working in
an office. Your manager and co-workers will appreciate knowing when you are available.
"Limit distractions. Be careful not to replace office-based interruptions with home ones such
as children, friends and television."
In the UAE
For those wanting to work from home in the Emirates, there is still the important issue of
visas. If you have negotiated with your present employers to work from home then you can
still be sponsored by them. However, if you want to go it alone and start your own business
or work freelance then there are various options. One would be to be sponsored by your
spouse. Another would be to get somebody to sponsor you, which would cost you a fee.
For more information, visit www.dubai.ae
Q&A Donia Alalawi
Donia Alalawi, who lives in Seattle, has been working from home since 1992 selling
dehydrated supplements by Organics USA. Now, 16 years later, she has a network of 1,000
customers and believes her life has changed for the better. She is recruiting in the UAE,
where she spends 10 days every two months.
What are the benefits of working from home?
Firstly, there is no commuting, which means not having to go through stressful traffic jams
every day. Time freedom is also a huge plus as I can take care of my family and do work in
my own time.
I can go on vacations with my family whenever I want and enjoy free periods to do exercise,
gardening and travel.
I do not have the headache of having to interact with different personalities and I can be
more creative and innovative in my approach to work.
How can you remain efficient and not get distracted at home?
It is quite a challenge, but with setting short and long-term goals and looking at these every
morning, it helps me to focus on what I have to do. Also one must be organised and manage
time a lot more effectively when working from home.
What are the factors that get the best results?
Focusing on the task and shutting off any distractions. When I'm finishing my daily goals for
the business, and if I'm running out of time, I let my family know, so they will allow me to have
the time without any interruptions.
Self-education is important and this becomes a way of life. You may have some nay-sayers
when you start out but if it's what you believe in then you will succeed. When I first started,
people, including my family, would say I was mad to leave my job and said that I was leaving
the security of my work.
But with determination I was able to turn this business around.
What can make working from home a disaster?
Not being organised and not setting specific daily goals for what needs to be accomplished
are the worst things.
I sell organic whole food supplements and this is something I actually use, so I feel
passionate about what I am selling. If you do not have faith in what you are doing it will
reflect on the business.
Are people who work from home likely to be as efficient as those who work in an
office?
I know that on a personal level I am more efficient at home because I wanted to prove to
myself and to my family that I was capable of running a successful business from home.
Is the UAE a good place to work from home?
It is the perfect place. Not only do you have a safe environment you also have a culture of
networking.
before handing in your notice or suggesting to your manager that you would be better off
working out of the office, make sure you have taken everything into consideration.
The first thing to ask yourself is whether or not you will be able to use your time effectively
and that you will not be distracted. Will it be beneficial to the company? Will you be able to
function away from the support of an office environment?
The concept of working from home is growing worldwide and with rising office rents and
unending hours spent in traffic, it is also becoming common in the UAE. So if you decide to
take the plunge, here are a few things you must remember.
Ask yourself if it's for you
Working from home could be the solution to the work-life balance conundrum. The comfort
of working in your own environment instead of the mundane commute to and from work,
early mornings and office politics make working from home sound very appealing. Yet it
might not suit everyone.
If you are the kind of person who loves the social contact with peers or if you enjoy working
in a close-knit team, then working alone is probably a bad choice because it requires a level
of self-discipline, motivation and organisation that not everyone will possess, say experts.
Do your research first and be wary of fraudulent websites and online services that advertise
opportunities.
Armelle O'Neal, a human resources professional from Microsoft, says: "It's very easy for
people to think working from home means an easy life and less work. But this is not the
case, just because you are not physically leaving the house it doesn't mean that you
shouldn't work as hard. Ask yourself if you want your home to become the office."
Communication is key
More and more companies and organisations not only allow but also encourage
telecommuting. If your organisation offers that option, you can use your laptop to be
productive in the comfort of your own home or a remote location.
But do you have the equipment you need to operate? How much will it cost you to set up?
Will it be cost effective? When telecommuting, make sure that your colleagues, customers
and manager can communicate with you at all times.
O'Neal says: "Whether you're in the office or working remotely, make it easy for people to
contact you. Share your phone number with people you work with and leave your contact
information with your manager and one or two additional contacts. Also, consider using call
forwarding to your home or mobile phone so that you receive incoming calls wherever
you're working."
Stay focused
In order for work to get done and for the home to become the office, Nancy Struck, author of
Working Smarter from Home, Your Day Your Way, says: "Start working at the same time
each day, treat work days like regular days, get up, get dressed and be at your desk on
time.
"Establish a schedule. Keep work hours similar to the ones you would if you were working in
an office. Your manager and co-workers will appreciate knowing when you are available.
"Limit distractions. Be careful not to replace office-based interruptions with home ones such
as children, friends and television."
In the UAE
For those wanting to work from home in the Emirates, there is still the important issue of
visas. If you have negotiated with your present employers to work from home then you can
still be sponsored by them. However, if you want to go it alone and start your own business
or work freelance then there are various options. One would be to be sponsored by your
spouse. Another would be to get somebody to sponsor you, which would cost you a fee.
For more information, visit www.dubai.ae
Q&A Donia Alalawi
Donia Alalawi, who lives in Seattle, has been working from home since 1992 selling
dehydrated supplements by Organics USA. Now, 16 years later, she has a network of 1,000
customers and believes her life has changed for the better. She is recruiting in the UAE,
where she spends 10 days every two months.
What are the benefits of working from home?
Firstly, there is no commuting, which means not having to go through stressful traffic jams
every day. Time freedom is also a huge plus as I can take care of my family and do work in
my own time.
I can go on vacations with my family whenever I want and enjoy free periods to do exercise,
gardening and travel.
I do not have the headache of having to interact with different personalities and I can be
more creative and innovative in my approach to work.
How can you remain efficient and not get distracted at home?
It is quite a challenge, but with setting short and long-term goals and looking at these every
morning, it helps me to focus on what I have to do. Also one must be organised and manage
time a lot more effectively when working from home.
What are the factors that get the best results?
Focusing on the task and shutting off any distractions. When I'm finishing my daily goals for
the business, and if I'm running out of time, I let my family know, so they will allow me to have
the time without any interruptions.
Self-education is important and this becomes a way of life. You may have some nay-sayers
when you start out but if it's what you believe in then you will succeed. When I first started,
people, including my family, would say I was mad to leave my job and said that I was leaving
the security of my work.
But with determination I was able to turn this business around.
What can make working from home a disaster?
Not being organised and not setting specific daily goals for what needs to be accomplished
are the worst things.
I sell organic whole food supplements and this is something I actually use, so I feel
passionate about what I am selling. If you do not have faith in what you are doing it will
reflect on the business.
Are people who work from home likely to be as efficient as those who work in an
office?
I know that on a personal level I am more efficient at home because I wanted to prove to
myself and to my family that I was capable of running a successful business from home.
Is the UAE a good place to work from home?
It is the perfect place. Not only do you have a safe environment you also have a culture of
networking.
| The Office On Your Doorstep By Adrian Murphy |
Emirates Business 24/7
June 19, 2008
June 19, 2008
| Opened for business in the UAE June 2008 |