“Balancing Life as a WAHM”
By:  Paula Dodds

 My fringe benefits have constantly sticky hands and milk moustaches.  I no longer have the usual perks and benefits like expense accounts, company cars, and a private office (with a door that closes out the rest of the world!).  My office is now in half of our basement.  It shares this subterranean space with my husband’s game room, complete with pool table, and my daughters’ oversized toy box.  When I “commute” to work in the morning, I pick up the dirty laundry on the stairs and throw it into the laundry room, and then check my email.  Is this what I thought my “career” would be like when I was growing up?  Not even a little. 
 Would I trade this in for a private, corner office and a six-figure salary? 

                                                            No way!

  When my husband and I started our family, we struggled with the decision we had to make about one-income or two-incomes.  In today’s society, it’s becoming more and more difficult to make ends meet on one salary.  We decided that I should start working from home in order to help with our budget.  I looked into a lot of the business opportunities that are out there.  I’m not a very good salesperson, so that took me out of the running for a lot of the jobs that are offered.  I had one desire.  I wanted to keep doing the job that I liked doing and that I kept getting complimented on. . .  I wanted to be an Administrative Assistant. 

After four and a half years, and another daughter later, I am now an established Virtual Assistant.  I provide secretarial support for a number of clients both locally and nationally.  I get to work on the projects that I love and stay at home with both of our daughters.   

So, how do you know if you’re right for the WAHM lifestyle?

First, and foremost, do you have a true desire for working at home?  Can you not imagine any other way that your life could be?  Are you motivated to succeed?  And, do you have faith in yourself?  

Next, do you have an entrepreneurial spirit?  I always found it so hard to work for someone else.  I very much like setting my own deadlines, or working with a client on when a deadline will be set.  There is no more guilt on playing “hookie” every once in a while.  The girls are the reason I’m working from home.  It only makes sense that I take a day every now and then to play with them.  It’s one of the perks that this position has!

 Are you resilient?  This is not an easy life.  There are a lot of obstacles when working from home.  A LOT .  But, whatever you run into, you need to be able to pick yourself up and dust yourself off.  Then, keep going! 

And you also need to be creative.  This is not creativity for presentations (although that helps!); this is creativity for when you need to be meeting deadlines for your family and your work.  One week, I had a major presentation due, a birthday party for my oldest, and another smaller project due.  I’m still not sure how I got everything done!  There are times where you’re going to want to tear your hair out.  And then there are times when everything is going to fit perfectly!