WORKING FROM HOME: WHO IS ALLOWED TO DO IT?

I was approached a couple of months back by Dawn Papandrea, a writer from Getcurrency.com--a website recently launched by American Express intended to help better manage personal finance and provide with personal stories as people work to define and achieve success on their own terms--to take part on a story about young professionals working from home and I said why not!  Check out this interview piece below for more about this story...these days anyone can do this, as long as you can prove your boss that your worthy of it.

Getting Your Boss to Let You Work from Home

Source: GetCurrency

Let's experiment. That's the message that Reese Ramos, 32, a digital-marketing and publicity professional in Los Angeles, was proposing when he suggested, just weeks into his new position, that he work from home on Fridays to increase his productivity.

"My boss wasn't very sure with the idea, as it was new to him," Ramos says. But he pleaded his case, arguing that he could make calls and work on business development leads with less disruption. "The office is a big communal loft space with no privacy, so my productivity level was much higher at home," he says. And Ramos knew from feedback that he was regarded as dependable and professional, with a great work ethic. His boss soon agreed to give work-at-home Fridays a shot.

"If you think you're a good candidate to work at home, you must create a business proposal that takesyour needs out of the equation," says Darcy Eikenberg, a certified workplace coach and founder of Coach Darcy LLC. "While you may want to do it to shorten your commute or avoid parking costs, that's not your company's issue—unless it helps them in some way. You have to make the case that it's good for the company." In other words, if you don't have an hourlong commute, you can start earlier and work later.

Working His Way Toward Home

Over several months, Ramos kept proving himself to be self-motivated and accessible, and he gradually asked to increase the number of weekdays of working from home. "I agreed to be reachable at all times via e-mail and phone, to meet with the team in person twice a week, to meet with clients throughout the week, and to provide weekly reports," he says. And whenever he requested a schedule change, he wrote up a formal proposal and followed up with his boss to discuss the logistics.

He works exclusively from home now—10 a.m. to 6 p.m. every day, and sometimes late at night. So far, it's working out, he says: "When everyone is asleep is when the best ideas come up," he says. During the day, he says, staying connected is key. "We're always talking via e-mail, IM, and Facebook about things related to work."

Telecommuting is In

Thinking of taking a shot at making a similar proposal? Be prepared to work even harder than you do at the office, Ramos says: "Show your boss that you care, that you're entrepreneurial, and that you have a passion for your company and what you do."

Now might be a great time to broach the subject, with the economy still struggling. "As technology becomes more instant and accessible, working at home has become popular, and even encouraged by companies as they seek to reduce real estate and other location-based costs," says Eikenberg. "It's great for many roles and industries where the work can be done any time of the day or night, and without the direct interaction of others. And it can be an excellent option to attract new talent or to retain a high-performing associate who no longer lives near the office."

But if you thought working at home means tremendous flexibility, give up on that fantasy. "Working successfully at home means truly committing yourself to the work time, and not blending it with household tasks, childcare, or other distractions," Eikenberg says. Many large companies even require documentation that you have a dedicated home office that meets certain technology standards.

And another caveat: "Out of sight, out of mind is a reality," Eikenberg says. "To work at home successfully, you must also work to stay relevant and visible within your organization."

It's really all up to you!