Working at home can be an exciting new chapter in your life. It’s easy to get caught up in it all, and naturally, you expect everyone else will share your enthusiasm.

However, that’s not always the case. Family members may not be entirely onboard the work at home train just yet, and they may be hesitant to believe that this could work.

Here are some tips to get them to understand how much better this will be for all those involved…

Working at Home and Your Family

Share Examples of Others Successfully Working at Home

You may know others that are working at home, consider sharing their success stories with your family. Tell them how this person or that person is making a good living by doing it.

Explain what others are doing, and try to plant the seed of possibility when talking with your family.

Create a Business Plan

When you go to a bank to get funding for a business, you can expect that they will want to see a business plan. A plan shows you’ve looked at all the different aspects of running your business.

The business plan shows them the expected numbers and your ideas for making money in the short and long term. It can be a persuasive document in the direction you are going and the future of your business.

A business plan will work with your family too. They will feel some relief seeing the numbers and the direction you are going. A business plan can be a great way to impress your family with your business idea.

Expect a Transition Time

You may do a fantastic job of selling it, but not everyone is going to jump onboard at the first mention. Sometimes it just takes time for an idea to sink in completely. No everyone will share your entrepreneurial spirit, and that is perfectly okay.

You can expect that some people will need you to show them it works instead of just telling them. The good news is that once you do convince them, they will be your most reliable supporters.

It is surprising how many people still do not understand how deeply routed work at home people are in our economy.  In fact, they could have used a work at home person with that last shopping or pizza order and not even have known it.

“Show Them The Money” by Working from Home After Hours

If all else fails, start working from home in your spare time, and around the family schedule. Get some money built up, then, as Cuba Gooding Jr. said in that one movie, “Show them the money!”

You can buy them something, or even take them on a small vacation from your earnings.  When they see that working from home has a very tangible value, it will help to convince them that doing so is an excellent move on your part.

Gently Explain to Everyone about Your Work Time

If you are going to work at home, you will need an environment that is mostly free from disruptions. Because of this, you may need to explain to your family that you are working when you are in your office.

You can make it more fun by doing simple things, like a “Do not disturb” sign on your door while you are busy working. If you are going to be successful, you need to keep doing what you do best.

For family and friends that live outside the house, just make sure not to answer the phone or message until it is outside regular hours (or you have a break).

Refraining from answering not only sets expectations correctly but also keeps you focused on the job at hand.

Bring Your Family into the Business

Once family members see the value of your working from home, invite them to be part of the business. You can hire your family members as contractors and pay them real money while deducting it from your business taxes.

Once your family starts making their own money from your work from home business venture, they will be more apt to be entirely on board. You might even find that they are valued assets to your work.

Keep the Information Flowing

The single most important thing you can while working from home is to keep the lines of communication open. You want everyone to understand when you are working, and you want to stay abreast of any family activities when you are not.

By keeping the information flowing, you don’t come off as someone that they can’t talk to on a full-time basis. They will be with you on your goal of working at home.

Sometimes it is the people closest to us that are the hardest to convince. It could be a myriad of reason, but often it is just because they care for you.

Older people who are not tech savvy could be an even harder sell, but being successful can be a potent convincing tool.