5 Things Every Work at Home Mom Needs to Do

Thanks to Norton for sponsoring this post.

Do you want to be a work at home mom? I’ve been working from home, in one way or another, for close to 12 years now and I’m so glad that I’ve had the ability to stay with my kids and keep a flexible schedule so I’m there when they need me.

Working from home is challenging, sure, but it’s the best choice for me and so many other moms. I’m frequently asked for work at home job suggestions from moms who need to bring in an income but don’t want to leave their kids. Fortunately, there are so many work at home job options out there now, but there are definitely some things you need to do before starting a work at home job to make sure you are protected.

Want to work from home? Here are 5 things every work at home mom needs to do:

Hire an accountant.

Taxes and bookkeeping as a work at home mom can get so complicated. While you can certainly try and do both these jobs on your own, I’ve found that it’s best to turn them over to a professional (unless you work at home as an accountant, then by all means, go to town). When you are first starting out, you may not need

Make sure your internet is up to the job.

When it comes to work at home jobs, there’s a HUGE variety to choose from. One thing they have in common though is you need to have a reliable internet connection. Whether you are working online or need to stay connected with coworkers, reliable internet is essential. Explore all the options that you have available where you live. Compare speed, the type of internet connection available, and reliability. I don’t mention price because this is one area where I don’t recommend calling costs. I lived in an area where we had internet that had a tendency to go in and out. Every time it went down, I had to head to a local coffee shop to work, which meant I also had to arrange for childcare. We eventually switched our internet service provider but not before it had already cost me a lot of working time.

Create a workspace.

You may not have a full office to dedicate to your work area but you do need a space in your home where you can work. This may be a desk set up in your kitchen, space in a spare room, or even a corner of your bedroom (although that’s not a top choice. It’s hard to sleep at night when your office is literally right there). I love having a dedicated office in my home because I can shut the door and shut out my work at the end of the day. I didn’t always have that though. In the beginning, I simply had a lap desk, a portable filing cabinet, and a bag that I used to keep everything I needed close at hand. Whatever space you are using, be sure you have your things organized, have a quiet space to work (whenever possible), and have a plan in place so you know where you are going to be working in your home.

Check with your city.

Some home-based businesses require a business license or permits from your local city. No matter what you are doing, it’s important to check and be sure you are following the regulations you need to. My first work at home job was running a home daycare and it required a fire inspection of my home, becoming licensed through the county, and getting a business license. Sure, some people try and do things under the table, but I felt so much better knowing my business was run the way it needed to be and I was protected.

Install Virus protection.

When you work at home, your computer is your lifeline. I can think of very few work at home jobs that don’t require at least some use of a computer. Even during my years as a home daycare provider, I used my computer to track paperwork, apply for grants, submit reimbursements for my state-supported clients, and find educational activities. Now as a full time blogger, direct sales distributor, and freelancer, I can not work without my computer. Something so essential to your business needs to be protected. I learned this the hard way a few years ago when my computer contracted a virus. I was being lax on my virus protection and my computer became infected. My husband and I are pretty tech savvy but there was nothing we could do to fix it. Most of my hard drive was fried (taking a lot of important work related and personal photos with it) and most of my documents were gone. In the end, I replaced my computer and learned a valuable lesson about protecting my computer going forward.

Norton has some amazing virus protection available (along with many other important security options). With Norton, you can protect your devices against viruses, spyware, malware and online threats as well as safeguard your identity and online transactions. Right now you can even check out Norton Security Deluxe with a free 60-day trial. If you don’t currently have a solid internet security plan in place, it’s definitely time to do something about that.

Download your free 60-day trial here

Do you want to work from home? What is on your to-do list before you get started?

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