It’s important to consider many factors before leaping into telecommute or work at home life. And some people take this leap without a home office or designated workspace.

I’m a firm believer in a workspace—and no, I’m not talking about your bed or living room couch, although my creative juices tend to flow better when I’m in either spot. There’s nothing wrong with switching things up a bit and changing your surroundings. This is why some people choose to work outdoors or at their local coffeehouse.  But when I mention a “designated workspace,” I’m referring to a trustworthy and reliable space that’s always free from distractions. The living room or your kitchen table may provide a suitable workspace. But unless you live alone, is this space always available? Think about it: it might be difficult to speak with clients on the telephone or complete projects with someone sitting next to you on the couch watching television or chatting in your eye.

You don’t need a state of the art office to launch your freelance career. In fact, you don’t need an office–at least not in the beginning. But even if don’t have an immediate workspace, make it your aim to create one.

A spare bedroom, a corner in your bedroom, a space in your garage or basement–all of these can make great home offices.

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This technique usually works, wherein I’m able to avoid a full-blown cold. Of course, it isn’t foolproof and I usually get at least one cold a year. But I’m happy to say that it’s been several years since I’ve been sick with the flu–and I’ve never had a flu shot. The fact that I work from home likely contributes to my good fortune. Still, I spend a great amount of time outside the home, and I’m likely to come in contact with someone’s flu virus—some day. But in the meantime, I’ve adopted a few habits to help ward off colds and flu.

As freelancers, telecommuters and home based business owners, we’re the life of our businesses. Thus, it’s vital to maintain our health and keep our businesses moving forward.

• Wash hands or apply anti-bacterial gel upon entering your home and eating.
• Spray or wipe door knobs and commonly touched surfaces (telephones, remote controls, light switches, etc) with disinfected.
• Sneeze and cough into your sleeves,
• If you sneeze or cough into your hands, immediately wash your hands.
• Don’t shake hands, if possible.
• Take a multivitamin to boost your immune system and fight infections.
• Take medication at the first sign of impending cold.
• Properly dispose of Keenex tissues - in other words, don’t leave them laying on the floor, in the bed or on your desk.
• Avoid contact with sick persons.
• Keep your hands away from your mouth and face.

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For years I expressed my wishes for a laptop computer. But for whatever reason, I kept putting off the purchase and spent my money elsewhere. I wanted a laptop, but I didn’t necessarily need one. And because I didn’t work on a laptop, I didn’t know what I was missing.

I received a surprise call in October 2007. My husband was browsing the aisles of Best Buy and came across an amazing deal. The store had a sale on Gateway laptops; and because he’s adventurous, he decided to purchase two laptops.

Naturally, I had mixed feelings. On one hand I was excited and happily surprised to finally own a laptop. But on the other hand, I freaked at the idea of whimsically buying two laptops. Unfortunately, I didn’t have a say in the manner. And since that day two years ago, I’ve worked solely on my laptop and quickly neglected my trusted desktop.

My tune has definitely changed. Before, I saw laptops as an unnecessary luxury. Nowadays, it’s a life necessity. I don’t know why, but for some odd reason, work has become more enjoyable and I’ve become more productive. No longer am I confined to a single location, and I love the freedom of selecting my workspace.

I can work in bed if I feel sluggish or lazy, and I can move outdoors if I want a little fresh air. And although I don’t advocate this, laptops provide the option of staying in contact with clients while on vacation.

So, is there a better option? I guess it all depends on your preference and needs. But in my experience, I’ve never met a freelancer who could live without their laptop.

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That was me a few years ago. I might add, I was also younger and healthier back then, wherein I could work on vacation and still enjoy myself. Things have definitely changed, and I’ve learned to appreciate physical and mental rest.

Everyone’s different and I realize that some telecommuters and work at home professionals need consistent income and they can’t go a week or more without a paycheck. But oftentimes, enjoying a week (or even a few days off) doesn’t call for a huge cash reserve. Is there a way for you to temporarily cut back on spending or extras, in which you’ll have money to cover your expenses while away? Can you work more hours or take on additional assignments to compensate for the loss of income? Do you have a savings account?

Like I said, everyone needs a break. Talk to any telecommuter or business owner and they’ll attest to the realness of burnout, fatigue and eye strain. Rest and downtime are the best relief for all three.

But if you never take a break or put business behind you, how are you supposed to re-energize your body and mind?

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When I think of good people skills I picture my husband with his calm personality and his ability to make friends wherever we go. He works in sales and owns his own business; and in his line of work, good people skills are mandatory. Without it, he wouldn’t attract clients, and he wouldn’t make any money.

I believe he was born with people skills, and the ability to communicate effectively is definitely one of his biggest attributes. But even if you weren’t given the talent to “win people over,” you can reverse this and learn how to engage others.

No one says you have to be the life of the party or the most talkative person in the room. Offering a genuine smile and a simple “hello” can go a long way–especially when networking and trying to attract new business. It’s no secret, smiles are contagious and they break tension. Others will feel comfortable around you and possibly open up. But this is just the beginning.

Listening or paying attention to others is also key in developing good people skills. People naturally respond well to those who listen. What is the person’s name? What is their business? What was your last conversation about? Knowing these details demonstrates genuine interest.

The more people–or potential clients–like you, the more they’ll want to work with you.

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I can’t begin to talk about the benefits of passive income. This is an ingenious way to earn money and run a business without lifting a finger. So, why doesn’t everyone explore this route? To be perfectly honest, I don’t know. But I’m guessing entrepreneurship is a gene; and either you have it, or you don’t.

Regardless of whether you’re born with a desire to worker smarter, not harder, or you’re digging deep to find your inner entrepreneur, Freelance Switch outlines five creative ways to earn passive income.

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But if you ever want to grow as a freelancer, telecommuter or home based business owner, you’ve got to find ways to step outside your comfort circle. This might involve taking a few risks, and you might fall flat on your face. But if you never take that first step or big leap, you’ll never know your potential.

• Give yourself a raise: I know what it’s like to have a loyal long-term client, and I remember my first online writing opportunity six or seven years ago. The pay wasn’t great, but I enjoyed working with this particular client. And as a result, I held onto her for two years–even when bigger and better opportunities came my way. I had to take a step back and access the situation…and I realized the opportunity wasn’t financial beneficial anymore.

• Remove “someday” from your vocabulary: I’m famous for this. Someday I’ll be a regular contributor for a major magazine. Someday I’ll get my children’s book publish. Someday…well, you get the idea. Now, I give myself definite dates. Next week I’ll query five markets. Today I’ll research publishers and different markets, and so forth.

• Don’t be afraid of new opportunities: Thinking back I’ve turned down a few opportunities because they didn’t fit into my comfortable little bubble. I hate telephone interviews and one freelance opportunity required two or three interviews a month. I stupidly turned down the job because I didn’t want to deal with the hassle of playing phone tag with interview subjects or enduring any awkward moments….I know silly.

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There are infinite ways to tick off your clients. And even if you’ve maintained a long and happy relationship with your clients, one mishap can sever this relationship and impact your income.

But fortunately, tips and advice on how to keep clients happy are plentiful; and the FWJ Network recently ran a post–53 Sure-Fire Ways to Lose Clients– that gave a round down of things to “not” do with your clients.

Up your level of professionalism, get rid of a few bad habits, and you’re sure to maintain a lasting client-contractor relationship–and enjoy consistent income.

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This subject actually reminds me of a time when I missed out on a GREAT opportunity because I failed to “check-in.” I had applied for a copywriting job, in which the editor selected another writer.

Well, it didn’t work out with that particular writer. And the editor needed to replace the writer immediately. The pay was great, and the topic interesting—in other words, the perfect opportunity.

I was next in line for the gig, and the editor notified me by e-mail.

I didn’t read the e-mail until ten hours later. And by the time I responded, she had already chosen another applicant. I learned a valuable lesson that day.

Opportunities come knocking when you least expect them….just make sure you’re around to open the door.

Without brainstorming and putting ideas on paper, I’ll likely never reach a goal. As a self-proclaimed procrastinator, I know how to talk a good game. But when it comes to action, I tend to slack a little. I have all these brilliant ideas in my head for magazine articles and novels, but I let any and everything stand in my way of submitting proposals and queries. It wasn’t until I wrote down my goals—and posted them in a visible place—that I began achieving them.

Goals are key to success. Unfortunately, it isn’t enough to have goals. Don’t get me wrong, it’s definitely the first step. But how would you ever reach your goals without a clear plan? You can’t achieve most goals overnight. So it’s best to take a large goal and break it down into smaller goals.

Let’s say you’re looking to get a book published. Don’t expect the first publisher to accept your idea and story. Rather, plan to craft a fabulous proposal by a specific date; then plan to submit your idea to a certain number of publishers within a given time frame.

Keep this up, and you’ll hit every milestone.

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