It was a major factor in my decision to pursue a career in journalism.

“Once I have children,” I thought, “I’ll be able to work from home in my spare time. I’ll kick off my freelancing career and I’ll bring in the big bucks, without ever having to change out of my pajamas.”

Little did I know that when you have children, spare time refuses to become a part of your day. Not only that, but spending all day in your pajamas gets to feeling a little too greasy.

As a result, I have yet to send the first article to Sports Illustrated or Parents magazine or any of the other hundreds of publications I thought I might submit my work to once I became a full-time freelancer. Most weeks, it’s all I can do to get my regular column in to The Cullman Times in time for deadline, and even then I sometimes have a child screaming upstairs while I’m frantically trying to finish up my column in my basement office.

However, my limited experience with working from home has altered my life plan somewhat. Rather than returning to work full-time once my kids are in school, I think I like the idea of picking up more writing assignments so that I can continue to work from home, in that window of time between dropping the kids off and racing back to the school to pick them up and have the house full of chaos again.

In the couple of years that I have been attempting a career as a full-time mom and a part-time writer, I have learned a few things that I think anyone considering taking their career home ought to consider. Maybe these will be helpful for someone who is ready to leave behind office politics in favor of an in-home office.

1. Do something you enjoy. If you can barely drag yourself in to a job you hate, don’t fool yourself into thinking that you will be motivated to do that same kind of work once you don’t have a boss making sure you get it done. On the other hand, if you already like your line of work, doing it from home can be a welcome break from the never-ending load of housework.

2. Time management is the key. I live for naptime. As soon as I have both children snoozing soundly, I race downstairs to make calls or to turn a jumble of notes into a readable story. There is no waiting for inspiration to strike when you know you may only have an hour or so if quiet time. You just jump straight in to your work and pray ideas will come your way.

3. Always have a backup distraction. Whether it’s a Blue’s Clues DVD or a ride-on toy that keeps a kid entertained and relatively quiet for a little while, keep it on standby in case you get a work-related call in the middle of playtime. If you can take a few moments to make sure your child is busy before focusing on the task at hand, you’re more likely to be able to stay focused.

4. Caller ID is a good investment. If you can know before you pick up whether it’s your sister or your source calling, you can get your “game face” on before you say, “Hello?” You can also keep track of who called when, in case they have answering machine phobia.

5. Keep track of work-related investments. A tax preparer could tell you more about what counts and what doesn’t, but personal expenses like computers, telephones, car mileage and other costs incurred while taking care of business may be tax deductible.

6. Establish a work space. Mine is in my basement, where I have my desk set up with computer, phone and phone book, reporter’s pad and anything else I need to do the job at hand. A baby monitor ensures that I can hear if my children start screaming or tearing up stuff, all the while I don’t wake them up with telephone interviews. Children need to know the work space is off limits while Mom or Dad is on the job.

On the flip side, a laptop computer can ensure you have a workspace anywhere you go, whether it’s to the kitchen table or the town park. It’s one of those investments I plan to make at some point.

7. Get in a work frame of mind. While you may be able to make the most of sitting-down time if you carry your laptop to the park, you’re more likely to get more done if you prepare yourself for work. Take a shower and dress, eat breakfast, or do whatever it takes for you to jumpstart your day. All jokes aside, it can be difficult to take yourself and your work seriously if you’re still smelly, sitting in your pajamas and bunny slippers.

8. Learn to improvise. Don’t tell my sources, but on several occasions I have cradled the telephone on my shoulder and the baby in my lap, taking notes while the baby nursed. On some days, it was the only way to keep the baby quiet for long enough to ask a series of questions. I have typed in long sections of articles with one hand because the other hand was busy being chewed on by sore gums.

Working from home means things will obviously be different than working in an office, and sometimes it means thinking outside the box.

9. Enlist help when you really need it. Hire a babysitter for those times you really need to get out and focus on the task at hand. Ask Daddy to take over for a little while so you can work an hour or two solidly. Don’t be ashamed to say you can’t handle it all just because you’re “home all day.”

10. Don’t forget why you’re working from home in the first place. For most people, it’s so they can spend more time with family and get away from the stress that an office environment can create. If you take on too much responsibility, though, you can fall right back into that same trap of overwhelming stress that takes away from family, even if you’re right in the room with them. When you can, and when you need to, learn to say no to the work and yes to the top priorities in your life.