Home technology is more important than ever when your home is also your office. As a telecommuter, your computer is the capital that allows you to labor productively, and it is important to take care of it by using technology that is appropriate and efficient. Perhaps the most important part of this is selecting an internet provider that will meet your home business needs. You want to look for speed, bandwidth, availability, and usability.

From the first moment when looking for a provider, you can basically toss dial-up out the window. Think about it; the word telecommute shares an obvious root with the word telephone. This would seem to imply that when you work from home, your telephone is a vital asset to your productivity and progress. Clearly, anything that saddles your telephone service with problems is also hurting your ability to work from home. This is reason numero uno that dial-up internet simply won’t work as the internet provider for your home office. Dial-up uses the phone line to connect, which means that while you are online you can’t also be using the phone. Imagine trying to run a business where you could only be on the phone OR online, but never both. What’s more, when you are connected to the web you have no idea who could be trying to reach you by phone and is unable to get through because of the dial-up. You can’t risk missing calls from clients are coworkers, and there is just no way that dial-up is worth it.

Speed is a key aspect to look for when you shop around for internet providers. Not to harp on dial-up any more than is necessary, but that notoriously slow method makes a good baseline for comparing the speed of other systems. Satellite internet can accomplish in the blink of an eye what dial-up takes several minutes to do. When your home computer is also your business computer, you can’t waste time on sluggish connection speeds. To stay competitive you require quick speeds that won’t interrupt the flow of your progress with frustrating waiting periods.

Another consideration is the bandwidth of an internet system. Depending on what type of work you do, you might place heavy bandwidth demands on your computer. If you have a messenger program open, are working in several different windows, and are frequently exchanging information, you need a high bandwidth to handle all of these demands. Other providers, whether dial-up or DSL, can’t compete with satellite broadband when it comes to bandwidth. Satellite technology allows for super high bandwidth. If you are going to be doing a lot of streaming, downloading, or transferring – and it’s hard to imagine a business where that wouldn’t be the case – then satellite is the way to go.

Your internet provider is the foundation of your home office. Lay down sloppy groundwork and you will get a sloppy result; establish a solid foundation, and you can build a towering business atop it. Choose wisely for the provider that can offer you the best combination of bandwidth, speed, and efficiency.

Author: Joseph Cranston

Are slow dial-up download speeds getting you down? Hughes Net satellite internet is the answer! Hughes Net lets you connect at speeds as much as 50x faster than dial-up. Check out the great Hughes Net deals available now!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Joseph_Cranston

Technorati Tags: keywords, satellite internet

Virtual Business Management

The concept of a virtual office is changing. The description in this article is for the most part the old description. Now a virtual business can mean a mobile office in the form of a rugged laptop under your arm, or tucked away in a brief case or luggage.

A virtual office can also mean that you have no office at all, and have managed to develop online businesses, also known as VRE (virtual real estate). This is the habitat of the distance worker and the road warrior.

As costs keep rising and margins keep getting tighter and tighter, new companies are looking for ways to cut costs and pump in money to the more crucial aspects of their business. Just over ten years ago, having an office space was integral to a successful business and there was no way around this face. It represented the base of operations where transactions can occur, meetings can be held, calls can be made – all the secondary protocols of a business can be executed.

It was also the physical representation of a business – start and finish of corporate strategy and branding direction. As the years went by and the internet picked up momentum, there was a change in the business philosophy all over the world. The world was turning into a global village and new forms of liquid business were rearing their economic head out of the water.

Older, more established businesses were also being removed out of the physical office space and into the electronic and digital super corridor. The era of the home sourced office worker came into being and soon the idea of workforce and business became totally transformed. Soon new businesses were warming up to the idea of the virtual office and now the service has become a feature of business start up leaflets and pamphlets’.

What are the benefits of a virtual office? The obvious one is cost. Rental, electricity, renovations – these are just some of the things that can run up a bill when setting up a business base. Computer and digital equipment, internet connectivity and internal as well as external communication then add to several more lines on the bill. The market and especially new business were getting smarter, why should they spend money when the internet has revolutionarised communications and the Web 2.0 movement, with all its interactivity is in full swing.

Virtual boardrooms, online chat, digital fax, email, Microsoft Office – all these translates to a tiny fraction of the possible cost that an entrepreneur can incur on himself and in this time and economic climate, it is all about smart investing and corporate restructuring. Some services do the setting up of a virtual office for you, complete with a call centre, fax service and even a universal admin clerk.

Another benefit of a virtual office is the lack of stress when it comes to setting it up. All you need is simple co-ordination and making sure that connectivity and communication is set up. Each of the satellite mini virtual offices ensure that they have the necessary equipment from wherever they are operating from and voila! You have an integrated networked virtual office that is ready to go. No setup worries, no contractors, no messy wire and lines and most of all a huge reduction of possible things to go wrong. Other intangible benefits include higher levels of productivity for those who find it easier to work in a more comfortable and tactile environment.

These are just some of the benefits of using a virtual office and once you realise that the virtual is so much better than the physical – you will appreciate the full advantage of not having to go to work.

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Cut your business rental costs and use a virtual-office instead. Sign up today at this singapore virtual office or compare virtual office space plans.

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Telecommuting as a Digitalnomad

Everyone is looking for new income opportunities, ways to replace income, or create additional income, and maybe work for yourself. Now a worldwide economy on the skids ramps uo the need to think about being digital and possibly more nomadic. For many this equates to the idea of personal freedom with a mobile business.

Telecommuting, can be another term for working from home, and has always been a popular way of making a living thanks to the power and speed of the internet. The benefits of a telecommute job are tremendous and helpful to many people around the globe.

One of the most obvious benefits is the fact that you don’t have to leave your home to work. This leaves you with more free time to spend with your family, cuts down on travel time, and allows physically disabled people to hold down a job when they could not otherwise do so. Mothers with small children can spend time watching and taking care of their children while at work, so it saves them money on daycare costs. Depending on the type of work and the deadlines of your projects, some telecommuting jobs will allow you to set your own schedule and work whichever hours you choose. You also save on transportation costs, as you no longer will require a car or train ride to get to work on a regular basis.

While these benefits of itare important, another benefit also needs to be considered. Because telecommuting has become so pervasive in business, you are no longer relegated to only doing certain tasks. Everything from customer service call center positions to article writing and supervision have been outsourced by major companies, and given the right kinds of experience and expertise, you can literally do almost anything you’d like if you can find someone willing to pay you for it.

Because of these many benefits of it, many people have found a way to make an excellent living, but you must remember to start small. Since you are receiving such a large number of benefits from these types of jobs, it is not uncommon to see much smaller paychecks, especially at the beginning. Some people start off working on short-term projects at a loss to build up their profile to be able to earn work at a higher pay later. While this may not give you a glamorous life for the first two months or so, you can assuredly earn more for your services after this, and forever after if you have really positive feedback on your side.

Despite the relatively low pay for the first month or two while you build your profile, telecommuting offers so many benefits that it easily pays for itself in time. After all, when you consider the cost-savings of the benefits of telecommuting over the long-term, you really are not missing out on much. If you simply consider your profile building time as your education, it acts almost like a scholarship for college. You’re getting paid to learn the ropes, and eventually, you can start to charge a lot more for your services.

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Skype Improves for Digital Nomads

The Digital Nomad has not always been a fan of Skype. A few periodic trials over the years, and now it has become a default vox application. You actually can get by with Skype thes days, and won’t necessarily have a need to use the cellular so much. The only hitch is needing to have connectivity and proper bandwidth, but still pretty nifty if you make a living online.

Tried Skype before and found it buggy and unrelaible? There is a whole new version that may be what you have been waiting for. Skype is now simpler to use, and has a step-by-step guide to help you find friends, set up the download, and explain what is free and what is not. This is one of the recommended freedom tools for extreme telecommuters.   
   
What Skype Has Changed

   
You couldn’t find friends: Now there are over 340 million people on Skype. They help you find the ones you know.

   
You had trouble setting up your equipment: Now a step-by-step guide gets you set up quickly and easily when you open Skype.  

The sound wasn’t great: Now it’s crystal clear and reliable, with help to fix issues as soon as they come up.
   
You found it complicated to use: New big buttons are easy to use, easy to find and all in one place.
   
You thought Skype was free and found some things cost :  Anything Skype-to-Skype is always free. Calling and texting phone number costs a little. Now Skype clears up what is free and what is not.
   
The new version of Skype is much easier to use and fixes most of the issues you may have had as a mobile worker. Now there’s more reason than ever to come back to Skype.

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Maybe now is good time to consider a parallel, but very independent economy of the world wide web. Virtual income and the freedom that comes with being digital is attainable with the right knowledge, and the right mindset for creating an online business.

Unemployment claims in the US continue to rize from late 2008 into 2009, and more than financial experts were expecting. FYI, anything above 400,000 traditionally indicates the economy is in a recession. And, unemployment claims are continuing to rise.

While this is a snapshot in time, what it means is that any time the economy is in bad shape, job seekers find it hard to land new positions. If you’re recently unemployed, you can start the following telecommuting jobs right from the comfort of your home. And, if you have a computer and a phone, you’re almost ready to go. You need to find your own financial freedom now.

Following are two telecommuting jobs for laid-off workers that can be the start of a brand new career. You can start working from home – and you may never have to look for outside work again.

Freelance Writing: Freelance writing is a career that anyone who can read, write and conduct research can start. And, the wonderful thing about freelance writing is that it can be start for $0 with little or no experience.

Furthermore, it matters little what the economy is doing. In boom times, freelance writers are in great demand. And, when the economy is in a recession and/or downturn, freelance writers are in demand.

Why Freelance Writers are In Demand No Matter What the Economy is Doing

Well, think about it. When the economy is booming, that means that companies are spending money on ads. They need web copy, brochures, press releases, case studies, newsletters, sales material and a goo-gob of other material written. While some companies employ full-time staffs, many rely on freelance writers to get work done.

When the economy is booming, PR agencies, ad agencies, internet marketing firms, magazines, etc., get overwhelmed. They have to outsource to freelance writers to keep up.

When the economy is in trouble, workers get laid off, however, work still has to get done. And, who do companies turn to to get projects out the door? Freelance and/or temporary workers.

If you’ve ever wanted to work from home and/or find a telecommuting job, freelance writing is the perfect career choice – for it allows you to do it. And, you can get started almost immediately.

Virtual Assistants: A Great Telecommuting Job Opportunity

Virtual assistants have been described as everything from virtual secretaries to web assistants. They handle everything from data entry to scheduling appointments to research and call answering services.

Virtual assistants work for everybody from busy executives, to one-person web entrepreneurs. And, all you need is an internet connection and a phone to get started in this profession.

The wonderful thing about being a virtual assistant is that the web has opened up a wealth of opportunities in this profession. All of your marketing can be done online – for free. And, once clients get accustomed to working with you, they will rarely jump ship because you become an integral part of their "business.

Why the Recession Presents a Great Opportunity for Those Seeking Telecommuting Jobs

As these telecommuting job options show, if you’ve lost your job, you don’t need to fret. You need to get busy building a work-from-home business.

The telecommuting jobs discussed here are just the tip of the iceberg of what’s out there. The beauty of these opportunities is that they cost practically nothing to get started – and don’t require experience.

Instead of worrying about what the economy is doing, find income online that doesn’t depend on it. These telecommuting jobs present two options to start.

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Earning income online does not have to be difficult, but it does become a matter of being more of a self-starter and an entrepreneur. It is nothing like having an off-line job, and it take some tenacity to become a successful online business owner.

The information superhighway has certainly helped us in a lot of ways. It has made a milestone in the world of the online businessess. Because of the internet, there are millions of people nowadays who prefer to work at home rather than going to a regular office day after day.

What a great opportunity this is for people to do their job in the quiet surroundings of their own abode, surrounded by all their home comforts. It sure beats braving the cold and dark winter mornings these days. This is why telecommuting has become such a phenomenon in the computer age.

Think again if you believe that telecommuting is not as stressful or as hard as doing your job from the office. Even though it has become really popular in recent times, telecommuting is also becoming more and more challenging. So, if you are thinking of a life of telecommuting, consider these ideas.

Act professional – The world of telecommuting also requires everyone to have the professionalism expected from those who really work in physical business establishments. Deadlines, reports and estimates still have to be on time and presented in a professional manner.

Show enthusiasm – Take note of this. generally employers will be a little weary of telecommuting as they are not in a position to watch you. They may think that there are too many distractions in the home. Make sure you show extra enthusiasm at when working at home.

Downplay telecommuting aspect – Do not give the impression that telecommuting is the the only reason you applied for the job. You should apply for the job as if you are to be at the office everyday. Bear in mind that telecommuting is an option for the employer rather than the employee.

Be flexible – Be prepared to be more flexible when telecommuting epically when it comes to schedules. Whereas at work, you have a certain set of tasks to complete at by the end of the day, at home you may have to schedule work outside of office hours.

If this is the case, you have to show your employer that you are very flexible and willing to tale on the irregular nature of telecommuting. I may not be the case that you have to work many irregular hours in practise, but it is good practice to show you are willing when needed.

Always remember that telecommuting is not the easiest of tasks. You will have to perform to the same high level that you do when you are at the office – perhaps even more so. But it can be very rewarding to work virtually anywhere.

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Distance workers need not despair when it comes to looking for freelance work online. Perhaps you have lost your job, are underemployed, are looking for something extra to do, or developing a new career to work for yourself online.

Have you been searching for freelance writing opportunities? If so, just a word to let you know that there are endless options for you online. If you are a good writer with above average writing skills, good grammar and spelling skills and a desire to succeed, you can find freelance opportunities all over the internet.

Not everyone can excel at this profession. To be a good freelance writer, you really need a little extra imagination and creativity to come up with interesting and compelling copy. If this sounds like you, congratulations! There is no shortage of work available for you, and great money is one of the perks.

Freelance writing opportunities can consist of article writing, blogging, writing short stories, news stories and even fiction and non fiction stories. You may already know this, but thousands of people online who promote products are looking for ghostwriters to write short (350 – 500 word) articles for them. They just aren’t talented as writers, and need someone to outsource this work to.

Another option is submitting articles to sites like Associated Content. This type of work would actually be writing the articles for yourself on various topics. Once submitted to Associated Content, if your article is accepted you can get paid up to $20 – for one small article that may have taken you 20 to 30 minutes (or less) to write! Pretty good pay for just a little time spent.

Blogging is another option. If you already have a blog, you can submit it to sites like Pay per Post. Advertisers on Pay per Post will pay you to write an ad for their product and place it on your blog. There are many other sites that pay you to write. A couple that come to mind are Helium and MyLot.

Since writing is what the internet really consists of, there is no shortage of freelance writing opportunities. Everything that is done online involves writing! Just think about it – every site you see, every ad you click on, every blog you visit. They were all written by someone, and you wouldn’t believe the number of people who absolutely HATE writing.

If you are talented and have a knack for putting words down that catch interest and just seem to flow, you should consider checking out the links below. Find out all you need to know about freelance writing opportunities and how to go about locating the perfect options for you. These are good opportunities for digital nomads and those looking to be Internet distance workers.

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Technorati Tags: distance workers, freelance editors + job online, review of online freelance sites

A virtual office for some independent teleworkers may be a spare room at home, a hotel room, an airport lobby and even a vehicle. Depending on your business needs and your business style, you may occassioanly have to scale up to what is known as a virtual office. A virtual office for Internet entrepreneurs can still often be a well organized briefcase, and the right mobile and wireless computer and telecom gear.

A registered business address is one of the common virtual office services that you need to have. In essence, it is the calling card of your business, the first thing your client (potential) appraises before he or she decides to contact you.

Having a good business address is part of the battle won, it inspires confidence and gives you business integrity. Virtual offices should normally give the digital nomad business an address in a premier location, and this is especially true in Singapore.

Ranging from addresses in the Central Business District to in and around town, it allows you to have all the intangible benefits of having a swanky office space in the heart of the business district without all the costs in involved. This is one of the main things you should look out for when finding out about virtual office spaces. Do not settle for unknown addresses or generic P.O Boxes, ensure that your company name is highlighted in the address.

Attached to this address also should be a phone and fax number to go along. Virtual offices give you a centralised area of operations, where your customers can make calls, faxes and even forward emails to you. Not only are these internet and telephony services coming as standard nowadays, you should also look at the type of receptionist or administrative person that they provide you.

Normally, she will be manning more than one company, and that number can run as high as 15 – 20 companies. While that is a lot, she needs to have the proper training to represent your company and must have some basic knowledge. No longer is it about taking a call and forwarding it to your home or private mobile number, she or he should be able to answer basic questions, have minimal product knowledge and know some of the corporate literature.

Nothing is more damaging to business than an unsure operator, and it has become commonplace as a virtual office service to provide you with a competent and experienced operator to handle your calls. Some providers also have an integrated package where they provide free web hosting and web design services to go along with your virtual office address.

While not necessary for some, it provides quite an easy package for those unwilling to put in the time and effort to build up their website from scratch. Also, facilities like video conferencing and virtual meeting rooms are also part and parcel of any virtual office service. If you are looking for one, especially in Singapore, there are plenty of those online which you can refer to. Read on their services that they provide and see which ones suit your business needs. The good thing is that they are completely customisable and can be tailor made to suit any preference.

These are some of the common virtual office services provided and while others may have more advanced options, you should not overlook the critical, simpler services before you make a decision to sign with a provider.

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Cut your business rental costs and use a virtual-office instead. Sign up today at this singapore virtual office or compare virtual office space plans.

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Here are some thoughts on being digital, the advantages of mobile and wireless computing, and how to develop some strategies for a virtual office. If you are considering telecommuting, this list will be a good start. It is far from exhaustive. 

This will note many of the initial thoughts to gather the necessary technology of a virtual mobile office for those planning to become successful as digital nomads. The list was originally started by Chris Brogan at his blog, but has been heavily revised since first posted.

Even if you are new to the concept of being a Digital Nomad, you will find that this kind of techology punch list will need to be updated constantly. This is just the nature of mobile and wireless technology and the truth that rings through for Moore’s Law.

Number One
Purchase a Smartphone – Be sure to buy a quad phone that is compatible with the GSM network. It may sound futuristic now, but handheld devices may even replace laptops and mobile phones before we could ever expect.

Number Two
Use Online Apps – Use Open Office in combination with other open source programs. GNU/Linux will continue to influnece the way mobile computing evolves.

Number Three
Centralize and Organize – Develop encypted layers of anonymity for online privacy with opt-in networks versus public social networks. Be aware that the web is still in its infancy, and is stiill very much a free for all, and can be a dangerous place.

Number Four
Migrate to Online Storage – Use encryption for privacy and security. SaaS is the future for data backup and storage, along with many other useful open source software applications.

Number Five
Presence Management – Depending on your location at any given time, consider combining Skype with JAHJAH, Goolge GrandCentral, or any number of SIP telephony options. Pidgin is a good inteface for instant messaging services.

Number Six
Structure Work for Profit – Always structure your work for the higest return for your time investment, whether it is your own pet project, an assignment from work, or a joint venture. Structure for no employers / no employees / no partners, and become your own boss.

Number Seven
Watch for New Gear – Be on the lookout for new and improved high tech gear. New technologies like fuel cells, solar power, and wireless energy options are just around the corner.

Closing Comments
Are you questioning why you should go mobile? To determine your own reasons as to why to be mobile, and how to be a digitalnomad, first go back to step six and then create your own list of reasons you may want to beat the crowd to the best definition of work in the 21st century.

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One of the more successful blog post series ever wriiten on the Digital Nomads blodpsot blog detailed the use of Google GrandCentral. That series will be reprised here in some shape or form, as it is good information and was well recieved.

Unfortunaltely, for whatever reason, that Goolge project appears to have been put on the back burner for now by Google. The Grand Central service is a great computer/telephony system that still works absoultely free of charge at this time (02-09).

The program continues to be in beta testing, and users can send and receive all LD in Canada and the USA for free courtesy of GrandCentral and The Google. However, try as you may, it appears that invitations to the beta test are now non-existent.

According toGrand Central, they have not been handing ou the free servic invites now for quite some time. This was indicated in the last big promtion that was a promotion for Blogspot and the Blogger blogging platform.

However, there always is an alternative if you look around hard enough. The Digitalnomad suggests you sign up for a little known free sevice at RingBranch.com.

With this ad supported long distance solution, digital nomads can make long distance calls from any phone for absolutely no cost.

You also can manage some free air time for your cellular service. You can easily extend a family and friends type plan to an additional 100 numbers. This takes some planning and a little upfront work, but RingBranch has been tested, and it will even work with a GrandCentral number.

Some details from the RingBranch Site

"Some wireless providers offer calling plans that allow unlimited calling for a fixed monthly rate to identified phone numbers, regardless of the network being called. For example, T-Mobile and Alltel currently offer calling plans that allow unlimited ANY NETWORK calling. Under T-Mobile’s MyFaves™ plan, you can make and receive phone calls for free with up to 5 of your friends, regardless of the phone company they use. Alltel offers a similar program called My Circle®. If you are signed up for this plan, you can make and receive phone calls for free with up to 5, 10, or 20 of your friends, regardless of the network or phone company they use."

This means that if you have a MyFaves plan, or a My Circleplan, you no longer have to waste valuable minutes. Just pick up a RingBranch account and add up to 100 more people. Anyone on any network may use this to conserve allocated primetime calling minutes under their base calling plan.

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Communication systems and virtualization is becoming increasingly important for any size business from a one person digital nomad consultant to larger mobile teams. A virtual office system provides you with the capabilities to remain productive from just about everywhere – from home, car, hotel or office. It is based on the principle that a business requires effective communication.

A virtual office system provides digitalnomads leading edge technologies that save your time and money. They have various features like call monitoring, call routing, and voice mail delivery via email to help your business run smoothly and effectively. It can send your message in virtually any manner you specify.

There are certain basics involved in setting up a telecommuting scenario to gain the virtual office advantage. Each home office needs a computer, a telephone and broadband internet connection, which are absolutely necessary for telecommuting.

Virtual office uses different systems like PBX phone system, voice mail and unified messaging and phone answering service. It helps the virtual office user to enhance image and increase productivity with a comprehensive slate of features ideal for home businesses and other organizations. These systems help your small business to

• move to the next level by creating an executive impression
• sound bigger like a much larger and professional establishment
• increase productivity and credibility

PBX phone system- This fully customizable virtual receptionist greets callers, takes messages and routes calls seamlessly.
Advantages and services:
1.It reduces total cost of ownership due to minimal upfront investment
2.It works with any high-speed internet connection to provide all users with access to the same PBX features regardless of their location worldwide.
3.It lowers your monthly phone bill with free in network inter office calls.
4.It’s customizable and easy to use features managed online and by one touch, it controls virtual office telephones.

These PBX phone systems improves your communication system and makes it more efficient and competitive while reducing cost. With one phone number, you can connect to multiple locations. Based on the customized settings, your incoming calls can be routed to voice mail, cell phones, home phones.

Phone answering service- You might have been frustrated with a high volume of calls coming everyday to you. It is at this point that phone answering service can help you. The phone calls that you cannot answer in person can be handled efficiently with the help of a phone answering service. With the help of an automated answering service, you can minimize your expenses, maximize your productive time and achieve the goals at a faster time.

Unified communications is the greatest convenience available with a phone answering service. Voicemail messages and faxes can be unified with your personal telephone number.

Voice mail and unified messaging system-This system enables one to send voice messages instantly to other persons without caring the recipient’s availability. One no longer has to dial number and worry about busy tones. Voice mails are basically emails containing attached audio files. You can send or forward important voice mails to multiple recipients at a same time. This option saves a great deal of time.

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Distance working and telecommuting is not always site specific. Some digital nomads are lucky enough to strike a balance and call their home their office most of the time.

Working from home, commonly defined as telecommuting, appeals to most of us. The benefits that immediately come to mind are not having to commute and having a more flexible work schedule which will hopefully result in achieving that ultimate of all utopias; a balanced life between your work and your personal life, and the chance to create financial security.

The question that begs answering is why has telecommuting not become the norm today as was predicted a few decades back? Our roadways are clogged more than ever with rush hour traffic. Commuting times have actually increased, while strong demand for office space in major urban areas has created low vacancy and rising rents.

Some people can, and do, learn to achieve independent financial freedom for working 10 hours a week (Have you ever met a person who has participated in one of these online opportunities and made enough money to quit their job?), become another consultant or try your hand at assembling jewelry at home let me suggest something: Propose to your current employer that you work from home. Yes, it can be that simple. While there is no guarantee that your boss will accept your proposal you may be surprised at how well it is received and will ask yourself, "Why had I not done this before now?"

Writing a well though out proposal, which makes your case of why you should be telecommuting, is not as difficult as you probably are imagining. Just keep in mind the one fundamental rule when writing any proposal; focus on the benefits for the recipient of the proposal, which in this case is your company and your boss. Your boss already knows how telecommuting will benefit you. They too would probably like to be telecommuting. Remember it is all about what telecommuting can do for your employer, not what telecommuting can do for you.

Before you begin writing you need to ask yourself two questions. The first being, is your job engineered so you can telecommute? Obviously if you manage a retail store telecommuting is not an option for you. However, if you are a graphics designer you probably can make a good case for telecommuting. The second question: Is telecommuting for you? While the benefits of telecommuting are obvious the downside are not. Ask yourself, honestly, if you are able to work completely unsupervised and in isolation? When you work from home you cannot just get up from your desk and walk down the hallway to a co-worker’s office to brainstorm, or ask input on a project. Sure there is always the telephone, but it is not the same. Are you ready to be out of "the loop"? The office gossip and rumor mill can provide direction for your career within the company.

The biggest reason employees hesitate to telecommute is the fear of being out of sight out of mind. They will be passed over for promotions. This will vary from company to company depending on the corporate culture. A good boss values results over face time. On the other hand you should not ignore how the social aspects of work can help further your career. There is a great article here on EzineArticles.com, by Patti Ghezzi titled, The Truth About Telecommuting you should read to get the other side of the telecommuting story.

If you decide telecommuting is for you then what do you write to convince your boss to allow you to telecommute? Explain the following in no more than 5 pages:

1. The benefits of telecommuting to the company. Do not state the obvious such as saving of electricity, coffee, toilet paper, office space, etc… Think outside the box and look directly at your company. Is your company’s parking lot at its limit?Did a snow storm last winter prevent numerous employees from showing up at the office? What about disaster recovery? Telecommuting offers to minimize business disruption and maintain services during disasters and emergencies. Use statistics and case studies. Numerous studies support the notion that telecommuting workers are more productive and have higher morale and less absenteeism and employee turnover. For more ideas on how telecommuting can benefit your employer Google "telecommuting productivity" and start researching. You should also visit the websites of The American Telecommuting Association (www.yourata.com) and The Canadian Telework Association (www.ivc.ca).

2. How you plan to report / measure your productivity. Most likely the biggest fear your boss will have is your productivity will decrease. Explain how you plan to report your productivity and progress on projects. Offer to e-mail or fax a daily or weekly report of your activities. Suggest frequent scheduled evaluation meetings. Include a list of measurable goals against which it can be determined if telecommuting is a success.

3. Checking into the office. Your boss will be wondering; how will you stay connected to the office? Nothing beats instant-messaging for real-time communication. Provide your boss with, your telephone, fax and cell numbers and e-mail address. Vow to return phone calls within a set period of time. Assure your boss you are able to come into the office on relatively short notice if you are urgently needed and that you will attend all staff / team meetings.

4. Your home office. Describe a professional and well-equipped workspace free of distractions. Draw a diagram. Better yet, include a photo of your workspace. Even better, invite your boss to visit your home office. Also mention what equipment you will need that your employer will provide and what equipment you will provide along with what costs your employer will incur (i.e. a second telephone line, Internet connection, etc…), how data-security, insurance, and liability issues will be handled should your computer be hacked or equipment stolen or damaged. Typical you will require a fax machine, additional phone line with voicemai 1ff8 l, storage media (i.e. CD-ROMs) to back up and transport computer files, and a computer with Internet access, preferably broadband.

Conclude your proposal by offering to telecommute for a trial period, or on a part-time basis such as 2 – 3 days a week. Offer an easy out for your boss. It is hard to refuse an offer to simply try something. Your boss will want to know that you will not be distracted at home. Address any personal issues; especially if your boss is aware of them and therefore may suspect this as being the real reason for you wanting to telecommute. Outline any daycare arrangements you have for your children, or if you are looking after an elderly parent.

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With a well written proposal, and a forward thinking boss, you and your employer can start enjoying the benefits of telecommuting.

Author: Nick Kossovan

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The-Digital-Nomad.com website is an up-to-date view on the subject of extreme telecommuting, telecommuting employment and distance working.

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Goof luck on your travels and quest for being digital.

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