BFC Careers 4: The Joys ... and Challenges ... of Telecommuting

<body onload="preloadImages();" background="../resources/bgbfc_an2.gif" bgcolor="#CCFFFF" text="#006600" link="#990099" vlink="#CC66CC" alink="#FF3300"> <div align="center"> <center> <div align="center"> <table width="750" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"> <tr> <td align="left" valign="top" width="25%"><img src="../resources/banners/bfc_career-wave.gif" alt="BarrierFreeChoices.com" width="262" height="31" align="bottom" border="0"><br> <img src="../resources/banners/tt-careerctr-w.gif" alt="Discover the Possibilities of a Career with BFC. Welcome to BFC's Online Career Center." width="261" height="13" border="0"></td> <td align="right" valign="top" width="75%"><font size="2"><img src="../resources/7x7-spacer.gif" alt="" width="7" height="7" align="absmiddle" border="0"><b><a title="previous: virtual office requirements" onmouseover="changeImages( /*CMP*/'NavLC_about',/*URL*/'../resources/buttons/nav-07/navtab7-prev_over.gif');return true" onmouseout="changeImages( /*CMP*/'NavLC_about',/*URL*/'../resources/buttons/nav-07/navtab7-prev.gif');return true" href="careers3fs.html" target="_parent"><font face="Verdana"><img src="../resources/buttons/nav-07/navtab7-prev.gif" name="NavLC_about" width="125" height="19" align="absmiddle" border="0" naturalsizeflag="3" alt="previous: virtual office requirements"></font></a></b><img src="../resources/7x7-spacer.gif" alt="" width="7" height="7" align="absmiddle" border="0"><a title="career section menu" onmouseover="changeImages( /*CMP*/'NavLC_businessinfo',/*URL*/'../resources/buttons/nav-07/navtab7-sectmenu_over.gif');return true" onmouseout="changeImages( /*CMP*/'NavLC_businessinfo',/*URL*/'../resources/buttons/nav-07/navtab7-sectmenu.gif');return true" href="index.html" target="_parent"><img src="../resources/buttons/nav-07/navtab7-sectmenu.gif" name="NavLC_businessinfo" width="125" height="19" align="absmiddle" border="0" naturalsizeflag="3" alt="career section menu"></a><img src="../resources/7x7-spacer.gif" alt="" width="7" height="7" align="absmiddle" border="0"><a title="next topic: independent contractor advantages" onmouseover="changeImages( /*CMP*/'NavLC_consumerinfo',/*URL*/'../resources/buttons/nav-07/navtab7-nexttopic_over.gif');return true" onmouseout="changeImages( /*CMP*/'NavLC_consumerinfo',/*URL*/'../resources/buttons/nav-07/navtab7-nexttopic.gif');return true" href="careers5fs.html" target="_parent"><img src="../resources/buttons/nav-07/navtab7-nexttopic.gif" name="NavLC_consumerinfo" width="125" height="19" align="absmiddle" border="0" naturalsizeflag="3" alt="next: life as an independent contractor"></a><img src="../resources/7x7-spacer.gif" alt="" width="7" height="7" align="absmiddle" border="0"></font></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" align="left" valign="top"> <div align="left"> <font size="2" color="#006600"><img src="../resources/7x7-spacer.gif" alt="" width="7" height="15" align="absmiddle" border="0"><br> <b><font face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular">Telecommuting can be a bed of roses, once you learn to avoid the thorns.<br></font> <img src="../resources/banners/cc_telecom-w.gif" alt="4. The Joys ... and Challenges ... of Telecommuting" width="528" height="38" border="0"><br></b></font> <font size="2"><img src="../resources/7x7-spacer.gif" alt="" width="7" height="7" align="absmiddle" border="0"></font> </div> </td> </tr> </table> <table width="750" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tr> <td align="right" valign="top" width="330"> <div align="right"><img src="../resources/careerpix/telecom2.gif" alt="Illustration: A man talks on the phone while typing on his computer keyboard." width="302" height="329" border="0"></div> </td> <td align="left" valign="top" width="420"> <div align="left"> <div align="left"> <table width="400" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="left"> <tr> <td width="400"> <div align="left"> <p><font size="2" color="#006600" face="Verdana"><b>By enabling you to work more efficiently from your own virtual office, a telecommuting strategy greatly increases the free time in your day ... which means you have more time to live a better life.<br></b></font> <font size="2"><img src="../resources/7x7-spacer.gif" alt="" width="6" height="7" border="0"><br></font> <font size="2" color="#006600" face="Verdana"><b>This page explores the positive – <i>and the negative</i> – sides of life as a telecommuter. If you are intimately familiar with telecommuting already, you can skip this page if you like.<br></b></font> <img src="../resources/7x7-spacer.gif" alt="" width="6" height="7" border="0"><font size="2" color="#006600" face="Verdana"><b><br> However, some of us at BFC started telecommuting <i>before the word "telecommuting" even existed</i>, and we might be able to provide some valuable insights you can use. So you may want to read on. And for more detailed discussion of some of the points we mention, you'll want to click the links on this page.</b></font><font size="2"><b><font color="#006600" face="Verdana"><br></font></b> <img src="../resources/7x7-spacer.gif" alt="" width="6" height="7" border="0"><br> <b><font color="#C71585" face="Verdana">HOW MUCH TIME DO YOU <i>REALLY</i> SPEND WORKING?<br></font></b></font> <font size="2" color="#006600" face="Verdana"><b>Commuting to a physical office for what is usually called an "8-hour" job requires substantially more than 8 hours from your daily life. Most people who commute to a physical office and work what is called an "8-hour" day at the office may get 4 to 5 hours' worth of <i>real</i> work done in the <i>10 to 12 hour period</i> their job <i>actually</i> requires (from the time they begin getting ready to leave for work until the time they return home).</b></font><font size="2"><b><font color="#006600" face="Verdana"><br></font></b> <img src="../resources/7x7-spacer.gif" alt="" width="6" height="7" border="0"><br> <b><font color="#C71585" face="Verdana">COMMUTING FACTOIDS FROM THE 2000 U.S. CENSUS:<br></font> <font color="#006600" face="Verdana">On average, Americans spend more than 24 minutes driving to work; and for 7 percent of American workers, the daily commute takes an hour or more!.<br></font></b> <img src="../resources/7x7-spacer.gif" alt="" width="6" height="7" border="0"><b><font color="#006600" face="Verdana"><br> Ranked by time of day they begin their trek to work, the most rapidly increasing commuter group between 1990 and 2000 was the "early birds." Those who leave for work between midnight and 6:29 a.m. now number about 25.4 million, or 20 percent of all workers.<br></font></b> <img src="../resources/7x7-spacer.gif" alt="" width="6" height="7" border="0"><b><font color="#006600" face="Verdana"><br> And how long do people stay on the job when they finally arrive at work? According to the Census Bureau, some 28% of workers 16 and older regularly work more than 40 hours a week. And 8% of American workers put in more than SIXTY hours a week.<br></font></b> <img src="../resources/7x7-spacer.gif" alt="" width="6" height="7" border="0"><b><font color="#006600" face="Verdana"><br> Have you been wondering why you're so tired lately?<br></font></b> <img src="../resources/7x7-spacer.gif" alt="" width="6" height="7" border="0"><b><font color="#006600" face="Verdana"><br></font></b> <b><font color="#C71585" face="Verdana">QUICK OVERVIEW OF SOME OF THE DIFFERENCES:<br></font> <font color="#006600" face="Verdana">Here's a little table we made to compare the workdays of a typical commuter and a typical telecommuter. While it is admittedly somewhat biased, we're sure most readers will get the point. <a title="View the Table" onclick="CSAction(new Array(/*CMP*/'C996A0D1'));return CSClickReturn();" href="#" csclick="C996A0D1">VIEW OUR TABLE</a>.<br></font></b> <img src="../resources/7x7-spacer.gif" alt="" width="6" height="7" border="0"><b><font color="#006600" face="Verdana"><br> [If you're reading this page in any language other than English, OR if your browser isn't "Java equipped", <a title="Click Here if viewing this page in translation mode, OR if your browser is NOT Java-equipped." href="notes/compare.html" target="_blank">CLICK HERE</a> instead.]<br></font></b> <img src="../resources/7x7-spacer.gif" alt="" width="6" height="7" border="0"><br> <b><font color="#C71585" face="Verdana">AND NOW A FEW WORDS ABOUT THE THORNS:</font><font color="#006600" face="Verdana"><br> Do you recall we said that "telecommuting can be a bed of roses, once you learn to avoid the thorns"?<br></font></b></font> <img src="../resources/7x7-spacer.gif" alt="" width="6" height="7" border="0"><font size="2"><b><font color="#006600" face="Verdana"><br> Yes we did say that. It's right up at the top of the page you're reading right now. And that's a fact, Jack!<br></font></b> <img src="../resources/7x7-spacer.gif" alt="" width="6" height="7" border="0"><b><font color="#006600" face="Verdana"><br> And lack of self-discipline can be one of the first thorns in the side of a would-be telecommuter.<br></font></b> <img src="../resources/7x7-spacer.gif" alt="" width="6" height="7" border="0"><b><font color="#006600" face="Verdana"><br></font> <font color="#C71585" face="Verdana">TELECOMMUTING REQUIRES SELF-DISCIPLINE:<br></font> <font color="#006600" face="Verdana">Either you have it or you don't. And if you don't, you need to grow some really fast. Because you can't buy it at the store. And without it, you won't survive very long in a telecommuting environment.<br> <br></font></b></font> <font size="2"><b><font color="#006600" face="Verdana">Read more about <a title="the necessity of self-discipline" onclick="CSAction(new Array(/*CMP*/'C996A0D3'));return CSClickReturn();" href="#" csclick="C996A0D3">the necessity of self-discipline</a> in a pop-up window.</font> <font color="#E0FFFF" face="Verdana">[</font><font color="#006600" face="Verdana"><a title="No Java? Click here." href="notes/selfdiscipline.html" target="_blank">No Java? Click here</a>.</font><font color="#E0FFFF" face="Verdana">]</font><font color="#006600" face="Verdana"><br></font></b> <img src="../resources/7x7-spacer.gif" alt="" width="6" height="7" border="0"><b><font color="#006600" face="Verdana"><br></font> <font color="#C71585" face="Verdana">THE GREATER FREEDOM TELECOMMUTING BRINGS:<br></font> <font color="#006600" face="Verdana">Freedom is great! But it can be a double-edged sword. And too much of it can overwhelm some folks, and freedom can be another thorn in the side of those who need more <i>externally imposed</i> structure in their lives.<br></font></b></font> <img src="../resources/7x7-spacer.gif" alt="" width="6" height="7" border="0"><font size="2"><b><font color="#006600" face="Verdana"><br> Read about <a title="the challenge of freedom" onclick="CSAction(new Array(/*CMP*/'C996A175'));return CSClickReturn();" href="#" csclick="C996A175">the challenges of freedom</a>.</font> <font color="#E0FFFF" face="Verdana">[</font><a title="No Java?" href="notes/freedom.html" target="_blank"><font color="#006600" face="Verdana">No Java?</font></a><font color="#E0FFFF" face="Verdana">]</font><font color="#006600" face="Verdana"><br></font></b> <img src="../resources/7x7-spacer.gif" alt="" width="6" height="7" border="0"><b><font color="#006600" face="Verdana"><br></font> <font color="#C71585" face="Verdana">VIRTUAL OFFICE COMMUNICATION AND FEEDBACK:<br></font> <font color="#006600" face="Verdana">In the virtual office environment, some people might tend to feel more "isolated" at first than when working in an office full of people, because they don't perceive the same degree of feedback and communication they traditionally expect. But it's still there.<br></font></b> <img src="../resources/7x7-spacer.gif" alt="" width="6" height="7" border="0"><b><font color="#006600" face="Verdana"><br></font></b></font> <font size="2"><b><font color="#006600" face="Verdana">Homo Sapiens is a social animal. And in today's world, we communicate more than ever. Read how we get <a title="how we get feedback in the virtual office" onclick="CSAction(new Array(/*CMP*/'C996A177'));return CSClickReturn();" href="#" csclick="C996A177">feedback in the virtual office</a>.</font> <font color="#E0FFFF" face="Verdana">[</font><a title="No Java?" href="notes/feedback.html" target="_blank"><font color="#006600" face="Verdana">No Java?</font></a><font color="#E0FFFF" face="Verdana">]</font><font color="#006600" face="Verdana"><br></font></b> <img src="../resources/7x7-spacer.gif" alt="" width="6" height="7" border="0"><b><font color="#006600" face="Verdana"><br></font></b></font> <font size="2"><b><font color="#C71585" face="Verdana">WORK MORE EFFICIENTLY – LIVE A BETTER LIFE:<br></font></b></font> <font size="2" color="#006600" face="Verdana"><b>If you can handle the challenges of telecommuting, you will realize these significant benefits every day:<br> • More time for your leisure activities;<br> • ZERO commuting costs;<br> • A reduction in other job-related costs;<br> • Less stress in your daily life; and<br> • A better lifestyle for you and your family.</b></font><font size="2"><b><font color="#006600" face="Verdana"><br></font></b> <img src="../resources/7x7-spacer.gif" alt="" width="6" height="7" border="0"><b><font color="#006600" face="Verdana"><br></font></b></font> <font size="2" color="#006600" face="Verdana"><b>Telecommuting has become a way of life for an ever-increasing number of workers, in the U.S. and around the world. Most who have experienced the freedom of a virtual office environment would never want to go back to working the "old" way again.</b></font><font size="2"><b><font color="#006600" face="Verdana"><br></font></b> <img src="../resources/7x7-spacer.gif" alt="" width="6" height="7" border="0"><b><font color="#006600" face="Verdana"><br></font></b></font> <font size="2" color="#006600" face="Verdana"><b>Are you ready to move ahead?<br></b></font> <font size="2"><i><b><img src="../resources/7x7-spacer.gif" alt="" width="6" height="7" border="0"><font color="#006600" face="Verdana"><br></font></b></i></font></p> </div> </td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" width="96%"> <div align="right"><i><font size="2"><img src="../resources/7x7-spacer.gif" alt="" width="7" height="7" border="0"><b><a title="Next: Life as an Independent Contractor" href="careers5fs.html" target="_parent"><font color="#006600" face="Verdana">Next: Life as an Independent Contractor >>></font></a></b><img src="../resources/7x7-spacer.gif" alt="" width="6" height="7" border="0"><br></font></i> <img src="../resources/7x7-spacer.gif" alt="" width="6" height="7" border="0"></div> </td> </tr> </table> </div> </div> </td> </tr> </table> <div align="center"> <center> <center> <center> <p><b><a title="Click the BarrierFreeChoices Logo to go to our Home Page." onmouseover="changeImages( /*CMP*/'bfcnotelogo2',/*URL*/'../resources/bfclogo/end-logo07_over.gif');return true" onmouseout="changeImages( /*CMP*/'bfcnotelogo2',/*URL*/'../resources/bfclogo/end-logo07.gif');return true" href="../index.html" target="_parent"><font color="#990099" face="Arial"><img src="../resources/bfclogo/end-logo07.gif" alt="Click the BarrierFreeChoices Logo to go to our Home Page." name="bfcnotelogo2" width="80" height="80" align="middle" border="0"></font></a></b></p> <table width="725" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tr> <td width="695"> <basefont size="4"> <div align="center"></div> <center> <hr width="85%" size="1" noshade> </center> </td> </tr> </table> <table width="725" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"> <tr> <td align="left" valign="middle" width="33%"> <div align="left"><img src="../resources/i26x25dkb.gif" width="26" height="25" align="middle" border="0" alt="ICRA - Internet Content Rating Association. 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