101 Work From Home Questions To Ask Yourself

Having decided recently that work from home could be a good option for me I suddenly found myself faced with a lot of questions. There was self doubt and there was curiosityas well.

So what are the questions you must ask yourself before you begin to work from home?Granted it is a dream job opportunity to be able to work from home, you need to ascertain your own preparedness. Are you sure you can handle pressures of home, kids, school and occasionally a pet and still be productive? How do you need to prepare yourself for the interview? Will you be able to handle the isolation? What happens if you decide to go back on site?

Studies show that an increasingly larger percentage of the workforce is getting lured into working from home, either full time or part-time. There are varied aspects to working from home. Not only the job at hand but how to balance everything else is the crux of the matter.

What are some vital questions to ask yourself before you begin a remote job?

6 Working from Home Alone Questions

You have to work alone in a remote job and that can be challenging for many in the long run.

Are you ready for loneliness? You will be on your own the whole day with barely any real interaction, days on end. Remaining isolated has been known to cause depression in some cases. You have to find ways to combat this in order to remain productive.
How to deal with virtual interaction? Be prepared that most of your interaction will be virtual in nature. You must be adept at using social media platforms for this.
What happens to your social life? Takes a hit with working from home. Unless you consciously create time for socializing and excel at time management, you may find yourself cut off from friends.
How can you utilize your breaks? Listen to music or go for a walk or do something creative during the break so that you return to work refreshed.
Will you be able to go out?Planning and scheduling will surely help you find time to go out, catch up with friends, watch a movie or a match etc.
Do hobbies help? Certainly! Having a hobby to fall back on is a great stress buster when deadlines or monotony looms large. Nurture your hobbies in your spare time.

32 WFH Self-assessment Questions

You need to thoroughly self-assess to see if you fit the bill

Why do you wish to work from home? Is it family or money or career? Or flexibility? Let that reason become the driving force for your productivity.
Are you a loner? If yes, you would do well in a remote setting. If no, this could be a problem.
Would you make an excuse to skip work? If your answer is ‘yes’ it could reflect a commitment problem, which is not good in a remote working scenario where there is less monitoring.
How disciplined can you be in the long run? Being on your own can lead you to get sloppy with time management and prioritizing. You need to exercise strict self-discipline in order to meet family and job demands.
What will keep you motivated? Self-motivation is needed to be at the top of your game. Set personal boundaries and goals. Whether it is money or career leap, whatever moves you more, keep reminding yourself why you chose this mode of work in the first place. With nobody breathing down your neck, you might get tempted to take it easy at times.
Can you work without direct supervision? Many people need external push in order to work on a schedule. Remote work rarely provides that. You have to self-assess your ability to be productive in this situation.
How pumped up for success are you? The onus is entirely on you. If you have drive and motivation, no goal is too challenging, money or position wise.
How do you plan to handle household chores? Chores have a way of piling up and you can plan to deal with them when you take breaks from work. Doing laundry, getting food ready while doing dishes, etc.
Is it possible to enlist help from family? Make sure they help, delegate responsibilities and request cooperation so it gets easier on you. Every little bit helps.
What happens to your kids? Sit down and have a talk with your kids about what to expect now that you will work from home. Explain that you will be around but might not be available always to play or watch TV.
How best can you manage your time? Time management is of utmost importance for a remote worker. You will play multiple roles, house-maker, parent, spouse, etc. If you do not manage time, you will find yourself missing deadlines.
Is a remote job going to address your work-life balance? Working on-site causes a lot of disruption in work-life balance and it is hoped this will be sorted out working from home.
Is your personality suited to work from home? Not all people have the temperament for sitting long hours alone and working. You need to have patience, application, and dedication to do remote work.
How organized are you? Remember you have to handle various roles and if you are not the organized type, remote work is not for you.
How would you react to delays? In case, of delayed payments, you will need to check with HR about processing.
Do you respond to mail promptly? Many people take their own time responding to E-mails especially because there is too much spam going around. This cannot be in case of remote work and you may either create a separate work E-mail or take care to respond immediately.
What would your response be in case of a mistake? It is best to face your mistakes openly and have a talk with your boss instead of trying to hide it or passing the buck. This speaks a lot about who you are.
Are you scared of making mistakes? In a new work set-up, there could be hiccups and mistakes. It is best to learn from them and move ahead rather than remain scared and in turn, under-productive.
What is your preferred mode of communication? Whether you like to pick up the phone and talk or communicate through E-mail, should be made clear right at the interview stage so that your employer knows.
Do you set personal goals? Doing this helps you to visualize yourselves a few years ahead and your work and efficiency are affected positively.
Can you handle criticism? You cannot always be right and you should be ready to face criticism with an open mind. Look at it as a way to further improve yourself.
Do you react to negative comments? Colleagues and bosses might throw negative comments your way. Best is to not react but reach out and correct any lapses.
How do you approach work? If you are methodical, committed and efficient, it is half the battle won.
Is it tough to work with conflicts? You might often face conflicting situations at home that affect your productivity negatively. Ability to compartmentalize and prioritize is needed to handle such situations.
How important is a promotion for you? It is the recognition of your abilities. However, if you are bypassed at times, don’t take it to heart. Instead, improve your skills to a level that you cannot be overlooked in the future.
How driven are you? Ahh the drive! Not all have this and tend to give in to stressful situations. If you have it, you are going to go places.
Would you put aside family for work? Work pressure is so intense at times, that family priorities get pushed aside in order to meet deadlines.
Are you sure you can stay away from your Facebook account or non-work mail or casual chat online? It is very difficult to ignore a ‘ping’ but before you realize you have spent considerable time away from work. While a break is good you must necessarily set a reminder to get back from digital distraction.
Who would be your tech support? Glitches with your computer or internet might not solve with online support or a call. If you are not tech-savvy it is important that you do have someone to fall back upon to seek help.
Who would be your 2 AM friend? Everyone needs to vent at times. It is always good to have that special friend whom you can call to listen to gibberish at odd hours and unfailingly back you.
Who would help out if you are unwell? Your office might not be too sympathetic and you need to look for someone to take care of your kids and lend a hand with household chores when you are not well. This could be your spouse or friend or family.
Will you adhere to data security clauses? You will be privy to sensitive information at some jobs and as part of company policy; you are supposed to adhere to security clauses completely. Failure to do so can lead to dire consequences as well as sully your remote-working reputation.

14 Questions to Ask When Preparing for a WFH Job

Here are the critical questions preparing you for work from home.

Where do you intend to work? You can work in any quiet corner, be it your house or a park or library. You have the freedom to mix it up as well depending on your mood.
How do you get set for remote work? Once you make up your mind and find a job, speak to your family about the changes to be expected at home and delegate responsibilities. Set some rules so that you are not disturbed while working.
What equipment would be needed to begin work from home? Very basic things like a phone, internet connection, a computer and audio devices are needed for most remote jobs.
Why the need to establish process? It is essential to establish a process so that you meet your personal as well as company targets. Once you establish a work pattern you will be able to meet deadlines easily.
How much effort can you put in? Remunerations are linked directly to the amount of effort you make. The more driven you are the more is the money out there for the making.
How would you handle family functions? You might not be able to attend or participate in family events due to work pressure. This can become embarrassing at times given that you are ‘home’.
How to find remote jobs? One needs to register online at various job portals with an accurate profile. Networking with peers also comes in handy.
Which portals offer remote jobs? Monster, CareerBuilder, Upwork.com, ComputerJobs.com, FlexJobs, Indeed.com are a few portals to begin looking.
How do you plan to receive payment? Ensure you have bank accounts or phone-based apps in order to receive digital payments for the work you do.
Are payments on time? Most companies pay remote workers on time; however, there are multiple instances when this does not happen. Make inquiries about the company, check reviews and try to get genuine feedback before you commit.
Will you be okay to take a pay cut? Often remote workers have to take a pay cut or lesser roles as compared to work from an office. You will then need to work on your expenses. It might also affect you when looking for a new job.
Does having a child or parent to care for and/or a pet act as a dampener for your prospects?Although that might be your primary reason for remote work, a few companies do have reservations about hiring personnel with such encumbrances. They are not sure how productive you will be with such distractions to deal with. You have to convince them otherwise.
What qualities do employers look for in a remote worker?People who are committed, responsible, available, patient, flexible, resourceful and willing to put in long hours. Make sure you highlight these qualities when facing the interviewer.
What kind of job options do you have as a person working from home? There are multiple options to choose from depending upon your skills. We list just a few of them:
- Transcription
- Medical billing
- Data entry
- Translator
- Data entry
- Counselor
- Sales
- Customer service representative
- Affiliate marketing
- Tax accountant
- SEO specialist

15 Questions to Ask When Managing Home and Self

Here are a few questions you should ask yourself regarding managing yourself and home situations:

How do you keep yourself fit? Exercise as much as possible. Online jobs by nature are sedentary and this is not good for health. Avoid reaching out for junk foods; munch a fruit instead.
Why is exercise so important? Sitting the whole day with your laptop spells doom for health. Move and get fresh air and exercise every day to keep fit.
How frequently do you need a break? Time yourself to take breaks every hour so that you move around a bit, get the circulation going, and then get back.
Can you handle distractions at home? You have to set rules so that you are not disturbed during work. The phone and doorbell will still ring though. You should be able to concentrate back on work right after.
Should you designate call time? Most definitely! Otherwise, you will find family and friends calling you up at all odd hours. For them, you are ‘home’.
What about childcare? It can happen that you do not have time for kids even though at home, in which case you need to consider childcare as an option. Ask yourself if you can afford this.
Will you feel the guilt? Leaving kids on their own, not spending quality time with spouse, neglecting chores, all of this can lead to guilt issues.
Is your family on board? Circumstances and lifestyles will change with you working from home. Discuss all aspects with your family and take all on board.
How important is flexibility to you? You can work your own hours as long as you keep to deadlines. You can work in pyjamas and there is no one looking.
How much time can you save working from home? You save time on the daily commute to and from work. The stress of having to reach your workplace on time braving traffic and weather conditions is completely ruled out.
Where do your skills lie? You need to know clearly where your aptitude lies. If you are not sure yourself, take one of the many tests that are available online.
Are you willing to denounce office comforts? The coffee, the air conditioning, and heating, the tech support, all of this will be your headaches at home.
Can you keep work and home separate? The lines seem to blur between work and home at most times. There is no luxury of looking forward to going home after work. Also, family members tend to take work from home casually at times.
Have you worked from home before?If yes, you already know the drill. If not, think of all aspects before you take the decision.
What does family feel about this?It is important to know how the family feels about your decision. That does not mean you back out if they are not okay with it. Convince them that the benefits are for everyone to enjoy.

19 Questions to Ask In Knowing What to Expect in a Remote Job

Take a look at this run-through of remote job details:

Will you be working full time from home or mix it up? It is a good idea to mix it up at times to break the monotony. You could work from the office at times and from home at other times if your company is okay with the idea.
Is the nature of your job suited to be handled remotely? On-site workers sometimes opt to go remote. Ask yourself if the job you are on can be worked remotely. Not all jobs answer this description.
Will you be more productive working solo? If you are one of those who prefers to be on your own and avoid office banter and ‘water-cooler’ moments, you will totally own remote work.
How are your verbal communication skills? You are away from the site and one way you can get your point across is by talking lucidly.
Will utilities be included in your pay? Some companies offer a monthly stipend that takes care of heating and electricity while others do not. Clarify this at the interview stage.
Do you envisage climbing the corporate ladder? For ambitious people, working from home can be a negative when it comes to promotions or raises. They also face higher chances of sacking when it comes to trimming the workforce.
How can you add value? Stay abreast of technological advances and about other companies from your industry. This way you are aware of the latest trends and your inputs are valued.
Why is it vital to nurture personal contact? Without personal contact, you risk the chance of being left out of major decisions. Establish real contact and be in the loop about company policies and decision-making.
Will there be holidays? A big casualty of remote work is that holidays are not defined. You are sort of expected to be available all the time.
What about employee benefits? You have to forego employee benefits when you work remotely. This is one of the minuses of working remotely.
How much can you be expected to make working from home? This depends on multiple factors: the nature of your job, the hours you put in and the quality of work you do.
What is the best thing about office? The fact that there are many things taken care of in terms of comforts which are not available as a matter of course at home.
Would there be overtime? Countries like the US do stipulate overtime even for work from home employees. Not all countries have this facility so check out at the onset.
Do you communicate better in writing? This is also a necessary skill since you will need to communicate over E-mail with your boss and colleagues. You need to be able to put your point across clearly.
Can you expect appraisals? Depending upon your performance appraisals come along. How much value you add to the company is the deciding factor.
Are appreciations rare? This varies from person to person, so you should not go in expecting anything. Let your work speak for you.
What happens if you move? You are a remote worker, to begin with so it should not matter much except if you are relocating to a different country or region with different rules altogether.
How do employers benefit from remote workers? They have a wider base to choose from, lower costs, and increased productivity. If they provide flexibility they are more likely to retain employees.
Is remote work easier?It is not any less difficult than office work, nor easier. Each has its own challenges and it is a matter of adjusting oneself to circumstances and working around situations.

6 Questions to Ask on Handling Technical Issues

How will you sort out glitches? Have a solid plan to take care of glitches through customer service because work gets stalled in such cases, affecting deadlines.
What if glitch doesn’t get sorted? Are you prone to panic if things do not work out? This will affect all your work from that point on so keeping calm in such situations is advisable.
Will others have access to your computer? You might be handling sensitive stuff at work and it is best to limit access in such cases so that privacy issues are taken care of.
How do you connect to internet? Make sure you know how you connect, modem or wireless or DSL etc. so that you can try set things right or give the correct information to persons concerned.
Do you have back up? This might mean human as well as tech back-up when things are not going right. Make sure there is always a fallback option.
What do you do if connectivity goes? Sitting with a hovering deadline and work completed but no way to send it across? Might happen with working from home. Have a back-up plan, work out an alternative so that you do not hold things up.

9 Questions to Ask Regarding WFH Workspace

Is space sharing a good option? Space sharing is a good way to fight loneliness. If you find a like-minded person in a similar situation, you could consider this. This will save resources as well as provide company.
How can you find someone to share space? Reaching out on social media or on forums that bring together people from the same industry, it is possible to find others who are in the neighborhood and looking for shared space to work with. There is, of course, the matter of completely different temperaments and whether it will work out in the end.
How will you connect with peers? Networking is the way to go in order to create contacts. Sites like LinkedIn will help you establish contact with others in the same industry and create important leads for future growth.
Is your computer having anti-virus protection? You will need to browse various websites some of which might or might not be secure. It is essential to have anti-virus protection running at all times.
Is there a background check involved? Depending upon the nature of your work, there might at times be background checks. This could become a liability if you have been involved in any kind of unlawful activity or have a record.
Are you supposed to be always available? Working from home means flexible hours but that should not mean office has the liberty to call you at every odd hour. Home needs your attention too and you might not be in a position to take random Skype calls from the boss while making dinner with stuff splattered across your apron.
Can it be easy to move back on site? Flexibility in timings and other advantages of remote work are tempting but if needed, there is no reason why you cannot make a transition back to the office. You will soon ease into the more structured office setting.
How to ascertain if the company is legit or a scam? The best way to do this is to go online and check employee reviews and opinions. Legitimate companies will have a robust online presence with transparent finances and genuine feedback from employees. Check thoroughly and take a call.
Will it all be worth it?It all boils down to this question in the end, does it not? Knowing all the pros and cons, it is up to you to make the best of remote work. If you can work your way around the problem areas, there really is nothing to hold you back.

Some additional inputs for remote workers

Will you be okay with fluctuating salary?Your salary varies from month to month depending on how much work you do. You need to adjust your budget every month.

Is it okay to take a break?Sometimes managing work and home demands can get too challenging. It is totally okay to take a break, indulge oneself and enjoy a relaxed few months before deciding to work again. Spare yourself the guilt, if any.

Is freelancing a good option? For jobs like blogging and content writing, if you have made a mark or found your niche, freelancing can be very rewarding for people working from home.

This expansive list of queries related to working from home will hopefully address your doubts and help you take a confident plunge.