Scared to leave a comfortable job and work remotely?
(Updated from 2019) Are you scared to leave a comfortable job and work remotely? I was scared to leave an office job in general – not necessarily a comfortable one (lol). But if you’re dreaming about working remotely and not sure you’re ready for that kind of step, I have a way that might overcome that fear.
Currently, I work as a Virtual Assistant. That means I’m my own boss. I don’t work for a company. That comes with a bunch of freedom but also a bunch of responsibility. (I talk about this in many other blogs – like this one).
But today, I want to talk about a way that is much easier to start. If you’re scared to leave a comfortable job and work remotely but love the idea of remote work, I have a way that might get you there and won’t be as scary.
Work as a virtual “employee”
You could be a virtual assistant employee.
A virtual bookkeeper employee.
There are virtual project manager employees and remote project manager employees.
But the key word is “employee”.
Why?
I think that there are four reasons why this is the best first step you can take if you’re scared to leave a comfortable job and work remotely.
NOTE: Below is a video I recorded back in 2019. I have DEFINITELY changed in appearance (aka more eye wrinkles lol) but the information is still REALLY good and needs to be shared again!
You like a routine
You are probably NOT scared of leaving the commute and the dress code of your current job.
There’s probably no fear of leaving the office politics and everything that goes along with that. (Do I hear an Amen?)
But, if you’ve worked in an office like I have for 20-some years you have a routine that’s very comfortable.
Comfort is a big deal and a constant routine is a big part of that comfort feeling.
You will have the Monday through Friday and the nine-to-five routine without the commute, without the dress code, and without the office politics that go along with it.
- It’s a “known” for you.
- Most of your friends are set up for that same routine and lifestyle so there’s no conflict in scheduling things.
- There’s really no change for you except WHERE and HOW you do your job. But the routine stays the same.
If you’re scared to leave a comfortable job and work remotely, especially because of the routine you’ve grown to love, working as a remote “employee” could be the answer.
You like a steady income
Working as a remote “employee” is more financially steady.
As an employee, you get a paycheck just like you did in an office. There’s no uncertainty while you’re finding clients.
You may even get benefits and other perks just like you did in a physical office so the income is steady and known.
This is a huge bonus if you’re scared to leave a comfortable job and work remotely. Working as a remote employee keeps that steady check coming in.
You’ll need to learn new programs
There are new programs you’ll need to learn when you choose to work virtually.
You’ll need a program to communicate with other staff in the company.
There will be programs to manage your email and share screens.
Some of these cost money. And, when you work as a remote employee, YOU’RE not the one paying for that program.
The company pays for that.
As an employee, you are basically being paid to learn these new programs.
These programs are something you’ll be using forever while working virtually but this way you’re not learning at your own expense.
You need people
If you’re scared to leave a comfortable job and work remotely because you think you’ll be lonely, working as a virtual “employee” for a company could take care of that.
In an office, you have weekly staff meetings and daily chit-chats in the hallway. You go to lunch with your coworkers.
However, as a virtual worker, you may fear you’ll lose that “people contact” that you enjoy.
As a remote “employee” you are going to have tons of weekly meetings and most of them are face-to-face.
You’ll still have daily chit-chats with people and those can be face-to-face if you choose as well.
Some companies even put an emphasis on getting together quarterly, semi-annually, or yearly. They normally pay for all expenses for you to get there too – a big perk).
In any case, this is a win-win for you.
You get people contact, a little travel, and you still are working from somewhere you love.
Conclusion:
These are 4 reasons I think working as an employee might be the best first step you take when you’re scared to leave a comfortable job to work remotely.
The risk is lower than starting your own businesses and finding your own clients.
In fact, some people decide never to leave this step.
It totally works for them.
I totally get that.
But for me, it was just a FIRST step.
After I got the taste of working remotely, I decided I COULD do this for myself — without an employer.
I could be my own employer.
And, then?
Well, it took off from there and I’ve never looked back.
The good news?
You get to decide.
Stay working as a remote “employee” or branch off.
Either way, if you’re scared to leave a comfortable job and work remotely, just know you have options.
There are several ways to get the work-life you dream of.
In fact, that’s what I’m constantly teaching others to do. Get my Ultimate “Work as a VA” Starter Checklist if you haven’t yet. It will definitely help you get started.
Remember: I’m here for you!
