Many people starting out in a career as a medical writer are interested in working from home and wonder about telecommuting. They often ask if pharmaceutical companies will allow a medical writer to work as a telecommuter, or if all medical writing jobs are done on the jobsite.
For those who are interested in working from home as a medical writer the opportunities are available. There are a few things you need to know before you go off on your career, but it is definitely doable. Following are some things you want to have in place before you take your job home.
Time management is a must:
If you are used to working for someone else it’s easy to think that now that you’re working from home you don’t need to worry about the clock anymore. That is not true. The clock may be even more important now, because you are the one who has to watch it. It’s still important to get up at a regular hour and prepare for the work day ahead. If you have a family that needs your attention in the mornings you will have to factor that into your schedule. Set regular work hours and stick to them.
Support from the Family:
It can be a little difficult for family members to understand that just because you are physically home does not mean that you are available to them for interaction. This goes along with setting regular work hours. Explain to your partner and children that working at home is still working and you need the same space and respect you would have if you were away at the office. They will have to get along without you for the times you are scheduled to work. If you have a home office where you can close the door that would be ideal. If you have to work in a common area, try to block off a section that will become your office. When you are in this space the rest of the family knows you are at work and not to be disturbed.
Focus:
This is all on you. All the same things we talked about for your family go for you too. If the sound of the TV is distracting, get some earplugs, or play some classical music that won’t interfere with your work. If you find yourself in the kitchen, remember to limit your snack times to break times, like you’d have to at the office. You can use that favorite treat in the fridge as an incentive to finish your project. If you allow yourself to have a special snack after you have completed a certain amount of work, you will stay focused that much easier and then feel great about the work and the reward.
Although working from home is ideal for some people, it can make life a little stale and boring for others. They begin to feel that they never leave the house. This actually becomes true to a point. A lot of people thrive on meeting others at work and going to the coffee shop on breaks. Before you decide to work at home, figure out if it really what you want then go for it. The most important thing, however, is to enjoy your work. Telecommuting is a great way to have more time with your family and still make a good wage. If you enjoy medical writing and want to work from home then be sure to take the points into account and have a happy career.