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I Work Full-Time at Home! Yeah...Right
Written by: Diane St James
Copyright 2006

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Someone recently asked me if I could do something extra online
that would involve some planning and time. I told her I could
try to squeeze it in but it would be tough because I work
full-time. She said she didn't realize I work a full-time
job outside of the home.

"I don't. I work a full-time job inside the home", I replied.
Unfortunately since we were in Instant Messenger mode, I
couldn't see the "Yeah...right" expression on her face
but I somehow felt it.

Just because I don't dress up, sit in traffic and work in
a cubicle all day doesn't mean my work shouldn't be taken
seriously. I guess I was just surprised by her comment
because I thought surely another woman would understand what
I was saying, but clearly that was not the case.

Why is it that people think if you work at home it is not
full-time or that it is not serious work? I'm not talking about
someone barely dabbling in direct sales. Now before all the
Tupperware and Avon reps get ready to hit the send button
on their flaming emails to me, please read on. I know plenty
of folks who do work in direct sales at home, do it
full-time,take it seriously,and are very successful with it.
Please know that I am not knocking that at all. That is also
full-time work at home.

What I am talking about is a person who provides a service
for corporations or companies and are expected to
complete a certain amount of work per day just as if she
were in an office or punching a virtual time clock.
You can think of me as off-site worker.

I am a contractor. In my occupation the expectations put upon
me are the same as an employee. I am just not hired as an
employee. This way companies don't have to provide any of the
employee perks, like insurance that would have paid part of
my doctors bills that time when I trudged on working and
got so sick I needed antibiotics.

Believe me, there are days that I miss the parking lot that
was always so full by the time I got there. If it had been
a football stadium, I'd be parked in the nose bleed section.
Those are the days when I would long for a shuttle service
to the entrance of the building.

Then there are times when I miss the water cooler chit chat
and the brown nosing. I especially miss the days when I
walked into the ladies room and suddenly everyone was quiet.
Now you can't see the "yeah...right" expression on my face.

But seriously. I receive a report showing the amount of work
I have to complete by the end of the day if I want to get
paid and I have to attend corporate meetings via phone
conferences. Granted I have to put my phone on mute so
nobody can hear my dogs barking but me.  I also have voice
mail that I have to check and phone calls to return.
I have to stay up to date on changes to procedures
and policies.

I am not alone either. The off-site contractor ranks are
increasing in number. Many corporations are even breaking
the traditional mode and allowing employees to work at
home either part of their work week, or all of it. Others
hire contractors like me to do the work of an employee,
just not under their noses every day.

I can only hope that with time, the more people I tell
I work full-time at home will not think"Yeah...right", but
rather "Wish it were me"!

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Diane St James is a full-time work at home mom who wears
many hats and is involved in many things.
Visit her website: http://www.dianestjames.com

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