Quiz: Are You Ready to Work from Home?

Aug. 23, 2005 — -- If you're currently working in a traditional office environment and you dream of ending your commute, greeting your kids at home after school and working in your pajamas, you might want to consider a work-from-home opportunity.

But before you pack up your desk, keep in mind that such an arrangement isn't right for everyone. Women For Hire CEO Tory Johnson prepared a mini-quiz to see if you're cut out for the challenges faced by those who must manage their time without getting easily bored, lonely or distracted.

Imagine yourself in each of these scenarios and answer honestly how you think you'd react. There are no right or wrong answers, so be true to yourself.

For every "A" response, give yourself 1 point; every "B" response is 2 points; and every "C" is worth 3 points. You can find out your score at the end of the quiz. Your overall score will offer some perspective on your readiness to work from home.

1. You're on a family vacation in which you promised not to be distracted by work. Midway through the trip, you can't stand being away from e-mail and voicemail. You:

a. Constantly check e-mail and voicemail, only to get distracted by a new project.

b. Sneak away to check your messages when nobody is looking.

c. Know the messages can wait since your out-of-office greetings indicated you're away.

2. You're working on a project that's due today and you're thinking about the flowers in your newly planted garden that could probably use some watering. You:

a. Water them a little bit at a time and return to your work on and off the rest of the day.

b. Immediately go water them knowing that you'll be distracted until you do so.

c. Wait to do water the garden until after your project is complete.

3. You're feeling bored, lonely, and restless, which is making it difficult to concentrate on your work today. You:

a. Ignore your feelings and just work through it because you have a lot to accomplish.

b. Schedule more lunch meetings to get out of your home office frequently.

c. Talk to a trusted colleague who works from home to share your thoughts and exchange tips for overcoming this natural feeling.

4. You're responsible for writing a business proposal for a prospective client that your company is trying to woo. Since you work at home, you've missed out on the idle office chit-chat about the project and you missed the meetings with the prospective client. You:

a. Contact the prospective client directly, explain that you've missed the meetings and ask them to forward to you any relevant information.

b. Carry on using your own research, information and ideas to write the proposal.

c. Call various colleagues at the corporate office to get feedback from those meetings to incorporate in the proposal, even though you don't have day-to-day relationships with these people.

5. You have a long-standing business meeting today with an important client, but your child has woken up with a fever and rash. You:

a. Immediately call off the meeting and care for your sick child.

b. Attempt to schedule a visit to the pediatrician around the meeting.

c. Ask a family member to tend to the child's needs given your long-standing work commitment.

6. Your unemployed neighbor is thrilled that you work from home. She calls you to announce a big sale at your favorite store. You:

a. Drop everything and head out the door because you'll do anything for a bargain.

b. Don't want to hurt her feelings, so you offer to meet for 30 minutes.

c. Tell her that your work does not allow for an unplanned shopping break today.

7. You want to get to your daughter's gymnastics competition, but you have a deadline to meet this afternoon. You:

a. Go see your daughter and try to extend the deadline until tomorrow.

b. Work as much as you can and then try to catch some of the competition.

c. Explain to your daughter in advance that you'll try to make it, but you've got a deadline that might prevent you from attending.

8. You have two phone lines at home -- one for personal use and one for work. The work line rings at night. You:

a. Let it ring to voicemail since it's clearly after hours and can wait until morning.

b. Pick it up. If a client needs something at any hour you want to deliver.

c. Let voicemail answer, but then check the message. You'll feel better knowing about something that may be important as soon as possible.

9. Your stay-at-home-mom friends meet at the park with their toddlers every day. You:

a. Decide to join them, leaving your work behind for a couple of hours.

b. Feel a bit envious, but realize that you have a successful career that allows you certain financial freedoms and professional satisfaction you wouldn't have otherwise.

c. Are happy for your friends and realize that everyone has different routines to suit their lifestyles.

10. Your decision is final. You are determined to work from home. You:

a. Quit your job and start looking for an employer that will allow you to work from home.

b. Look for random home-based work as quickly as possible. Since you hate your job, anything would be better than this.

c. Begin to research your company's policy for telework and prepare a plan to present to your boss on why you should be allowed to work from home.

Answer Key

You're good to go! (23-30 points)

It appears that you have the right attitude and focus necessary to try working from home. Prepare yourself to succeed by doing a lot of research within your company. Talk to peers who work from home to gain a solid understanding of the pros and cons of such an arrangement.

You could make a home office work. (13-22 points )

You can probably make working from home happen if you dedicate yourself to discipline. Do a lot of research and learn what you can do to increase the chances of success before jumping into this work style.

You prefer the organization of an established office (10-12 points)

Not everyone would benefit by working from home. No matter how much you think you may want try this, not every personality or type of work is suited for an at-home atmosphere. Don't give up on the possibility of working from home without learning more on how you can prepare to succeed in this environment.

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