For most people, who are into regular full time jobs, the term work from home (WFH) is almost akin to taking life easy and less work and more fun time. When I say regular, I mean professionals who need to be in the office premises almost every working day. The common perception held by such ‘regular’ professionals and employers who balk at the idea of WFH is that a person seeking flexible work is not really so serious about working and is doing so because it is more of marking time.
Quitting Full Time Work
I quit full time work because of two main reasons. I was beginning to experience severe backache, and with a constantly-travelling husband, managing home, work and a young growing child was a constant tight-rope walk. I was beginning to get very forgetful and irritable, especially when I returned home from work.
I was deterred by almost everyone I knew and warned that I was committing professional suicide by willingly putting in my papers with a good employer. Frankly, I would not have quit, had not my employer given me the option of WFH. While the HR and my immediate superiors were sympathetic about my needs, they were closed to the idea that I can WFH. It was unthinkable, as far as my employers were concerned, and, thought I was being irrational in asking for a WFH option.
My First Work From Home Assignment
As soon as I quit, almost immediately I was appointed by a publishing house on flexible work hours as their contributing retail writer. It was more a case of being at the right place at the right time, and generosity of a friend, who put me across to one of the writers of the publishing house. Since the publishing house was due to launch a new magazine soon, and was in urgent need of full time writers, I seemed to suit their profile. They made a concession with me, thinking that eventually I would join them full time. To cut a long story short, they decided to induct me in, on reduced hours, with reduced remuneration too, of course.
Loved it
The work was new and challenging and I loved it. Though, it was not all rosy, because it was perhaps for the first time I encountered enviousness and slight hostility, I would make occasional visits to the office to discuss projects. I was then enjoying my work. In the four years, at regular intervals, I was asked to reconsider my decision and start working full time with them. While it meant that I was doing good work, it was frustrating too, since I could feel the pressure and the non-acceptance of my work format.
