homework ladies

Homework in America

• 2014 Brown Center Report on American Education

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Tom loveless tom loveless former brookings expert @tomloveless99.

March 18, 2014

• 18 min read

Part II of the 2014 Brown Center Report on American Education

Homework!  The topic, no, just the word itself, sparks controversy.  It has for a long time. In 1900, Edward Bok, editor of the Ladies Home Journal , published an impassioned article, “A National Crime at the Feet of Parents,” accusing homework of destroying American youth.  Drawing on the theories of his fellow educational progressive, psychologist G. Stanley Hall (who has since been largely discredited), Bok argued that study at home interfered with children’s natural inclination towards play and free movement, threatened children’s physical and mental health, and usurped the right of parents to decide activities in the home.

The Journal was an influential magazine, especially with parents.  An anti-homework campaign burst forth that grew into a national crusade. [i]   School districts across the land passed restrictions on homework, culminating in a 1901 statewide prohibition of homework in California for any student under the age of 15.  The crusade would remain powerful through 1913, before a world war and other concerns bumped it from the spotlight.  Nevertheless, anti-homework sentiment would remain a touchstone of progressive education throughout the twentieth century.  As a political force, it would lie dormant for years before bubbling up to mobilize proponents of free play and “the whole child.” Advocates would, if educators did not comply, seek to impose homework restrictions through policy making.

Our own century dawned during a surge of anti-homework sentiment. From 1998 to 2003, Newsweek , TIME , and People , all major national publications at the time, ran cover stories on the evils of homework.  TIME ’s 1999 story had the most provocative title, “The Homework Ate My Family: Kids Are Dazed, Parents Are Stressed, Why Piling On Is Hurting Students.” People ’s 2003 article offered a call to arms: “Overbooked: Four Hours of Homework for a Third Grader? Exhausted Kids (and Parents) Fight Back.” Feature stories about students laboring under an onerous homework burden ran in newspapers from coast to coast. Photos of angst ridden children became a journalistic staple.

The 2003 Brown Center Report on American Education included a study investigating the homework controversy.  Examining the most reliable empirical evidence at the time, the study concluded that the dramatic claims about homework were unfounded.  An overwhelming majority of students, at least two-thirds, depending on age, had an hour or less of homework each night.  Surprisingly, even the homework burden of college-bound high school seniors was discovered to be rather light, less than an hour per night or six hours per week. Public opinion polls also contradicted the prevailing story.  Parents were not up in arms about homework.  Most said their children’s homework load was about right.  Parents wanting more homework out-numbered those who wanted less.

Now homework is in the news again.  Several popular anti-homework books fill store shelves (whether virtual or brick and mortar). [ii]   The documentary Race to Nowhere depicts homework as one aspect of an overwrought, pressure-cooker school system that constantly pushes students to perform and destroys their love of learning.  The film’s website claims over 6,000 screenings in more than 30 countries.  In 2011, the New York Times ran a front page article about the homework restrictions adopted by schools in Galloway, NJ, describing “a wave of districts across the nation trying to remake homework amid concerns that high stakes testing and competition for college have fueled a nightly grind that is stressing out children and depriving them of play and rest, yet doing little to raise achievement, especially in elementary grades.”   In the article, Vicki Abeles, the director of Race to Nowhere , invokes the indictment of homework lodged a century ago, declaring, “The presence of homework is negatively affecting the health of our young people and the quality of family time.” [iii] 

A petition for the National PTA to adopt “healthy homework guidelines” on change.org currently has 19,000 signatures.  In September 2013, Atlantic featured an article, “My Daughter’s Homework is Killing Me,” by a Manhattan writer who joined his middle school daughter in doing her homework for a week.  Most nights the homework took more than three hours to complete.

The Current Study

A decade has passed since the last Brown Center Report study of homework, and it’s time for an update.  How much homework do American students have today?  Has the homework burden increased, gone down, or remained about the same?  What do parents think about the homework load?

A word on why such a study is important.  It’s not because the popular press is creating a fiction.  The press accounts are built on the testimony of real students and real parents, people who are very unhappy with the amount of homework coming home from school.  These unhappy people are real—but they also may be atypical.  Their experiences, as dramatic as they are, may not represent the common experience of American households with school-age children.  In the analysis below, data are analyzed from surveys that are methodologically designed to produce reliable information about the experiences of all Americans.  Some of the surveys have existed long enough to illustrate meaningful trends.  The question is whether strong empirical evidence confirms the anecdotes about overworked kids and outraged parents.

Data from the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) provide a good look at trends in homework for nearly the past three decades.  Table 2-1 displays NAEP data from 1984-2012.  The data are from the long-term trend NAEP assessment’s student questionnaire, a survey of homework practices featuring both consistently-worded questions and stable response categories.  The question asks: “How much time did you spend on homework yesterday?”  Responses are shown for NAEP’s three age groups: 9, 13, and 17. [iv]

Today’s youngest students seem to have more homework than in the past.  The first three rows of data for age 9 reveal a shift away from students having no homework, declining from 35% in 1984 to 22% in 2012.  A slight uptick occurred from the low of 18% in 2008, however, so the trend may be abating.  The decline of the “no homework” group is matched by growth in the percentage of students with less than an hour’s worth, from 41% in 1984 to 57% in 2012. The share of students with one to two hours of homework changed very little over the entire 28 years, comprising 12% of students in 2012.  The group with the heaviest load, more than two hours of homework, registered at 5% in 2012.  It was 6% in 1984.

The amount of homework for 13-year-olds appears to have lightened slightly. Students with one to two hours of homework declined from 29% to 23%.  The next category down (in terms of homework load), students with less than an hour, increased from 36% to 44%.  One can see, by combining the bottom two rows, that students with an hour or more of homework declined steadily from 1984 to 2008 (falling from 38% to 27%) and then ticked up to 30% in 2012.  The proportion of students with the heaviest load, more than two hours, slipped from 9% in 1984 to 7% in 2012 and ranged between 7-10% for the entire period.

For 17-year-olds, the homework burden has not varied much.  The percentage of students with no homework has increased from 22% to 27%.  Most of that gain occurred in the 1990s. Also note that the percentage of 17-year-olds who had homework but did not do it was 11% in 2012, the highest for the three NAEP age groups.  Adding that number in with the students who didn’t have homework in the first place means that more than one-third of seventeen year olds (38%) did no homework on the night in question in 2012.  That compares with 33% in 1984.  The segment of the 17-year-old population with more than two hours of homework, from which legitimate complaints of being overworked might arise, has been stuck in the 10%-13% range.

The NAEP data point to four main conclusions:

• With one exception, the homework load has remained remarkably stable since 1984.
• The exception is nine-year-olds.  They have experienced an increase in homework, primarily because many students who once did not have any now have some.  The percentage of nine-year-olds with no homework fell by 13 percentage points, and the percentage with less than an hour grew by 16 percentage points.
• Of the three age groups, 17-year-olds have the most bifurcated distribution of the homework burden.   They have the largest percentage of kids with no homework (especially when the homework shirkers are added in) and the largest percentage with more than two hours.
• NAEP data do not support the idea that a large and growing number of students have an onerous amount of homework.  For all three age groups, only a small percentage of students report more than two hours of homework.  For 1984-2012, the size of the two hours or more groups ranged from 5-6% for age 9, 6-10% for age 13, and 10-13% for age 17.

Note that the item asks students how much time they spent on homework “yesterday.”  That phrasing has the benefit of immediacy, asking for an estimate of precise, recent behavior rather than an estimate of general behavior for an extended, unspecified period.  But misleading responses could be generated if teachers lighten the homework of NAEP participants on the night before the NAEP test is given.  That’s possible. [v] Such skewing would not affect trends if it stayed about the same over time and in the same direction (teachers assigning less homework than usual on the day before NAEP).  Put another way, it would affect estimates of the amount of homework at any single point in time but not changes in the amount of homework between two points in time.

A check for possible skewing is to compare the responses above with those to another homework question on the NAEP questionnaire from 1986-2004 but no longer in use. [vi]   It asked students, “How much time do you usually spend on homework each day?” Most of the response categories have different boundaries from the “last night” question, making the data incomparable.  But the categories asking about no homework are comparable.  Responses indicating no homework on the “usual” question in 2004 were: 2% for age 9-year-olds, 5% for 13 year olds, and 12% for 17-year-olds.  These figures are much less than the ones reported in Table 2-1 above.  The “yesterday” data appear to overstate the proportion of students typically receiving no homework.

The story is different for the “heavy homework load” response categories.  The “usual” question reported similar percentages as the “yesterday” question.  The categories representing the most amount of homework were “more than one hour” for age 9 and “more than two hours” for ages 13 and 17.   In 2004, 12% of 9-year-olds said they had more than one hour of daily homework, while 8% of 13-year-olds and 12% of 17-year-olds said they had more than two hours.  For all three age groups, those figures declined from1986 to 2004. The decline for age 17 was quite large, falling from 17% in 1986 to 12% in 2004.  

The bottom line: regardless of how the question is posed, NAEP data do not support the view that the homework burden is growing, nor do they support the belief that the proportion of students with a lot of homework has increased in recent years.  The proportion of students with no homework is probably under-reported on the long-term trend NAEP.  But the upper bound of students with more than two hours of daily homework appears to be about 15%–and that is for students in their final years of high school.

College Freshmen Look Back  

There is another good source of information on high school students’ homework over several decades.  The Higher Education Research Institute at UCLA conducts an annual survey of college freshmen that began in 1966.  In 1986, the survey started asking a series of questions regarding how students spent time in the final year of high school.  Figure 2-1 shows the 2012 percentages for the dominant activities.  More than half of college freshmen say they spent at least six hours per week socializing with friends (66.2%) and exercising/sports (53.0%).  About 40% devoted that much weekly time to paid employment.

Homework comes in fourth pace. Only 38.4% of students said they spent at least six hours per week studying or doing homework. When these students were high school seniors, it was not an activity central to their out of school lives.  That is quite surprising.  Think about it.  The survey is confined to the nation’s best students, those attending college.  Gone are high school dropouts.  Also not included are students who go into the military or attain full time employment immediately after high school.  And yet only a little more than one-third of the sampled students, devoted more than six hours per week to homework and studying when they were on the verge of attending college.

Another notable finding from the UCLA survey is how the statistic is trending (see Figure 2-2).  In 1986, 49.5% reported spending six or more hours per week studying and doing homework.  By 2002, the proportion had dropped to 33.4%.  In 2012, as noted in Figure 2-1, the statistic had bounced off the historical lows to reach 38.4%.  It is slowly rising but still sits sharply below where it was in 1987.

What Do Parents Think?

Met Life has published an annual survey of teachers since 1984.  In 1987 and 2007, the survey included questions focusing on homework and expanded to sample both parents and students on the topic. Data are broken out for secondary and elementary parents and for students in grades 3-6 and grades 7-12 (the latter not being an exact match with secondary parents because of K-8 schools).

Table 2-2 shows estimates of homework from the 2007 survey.  Respondents were asked to estimate the amount of homework on a typical school day (Monday-Friday).  The median estimate of each group of respondents is shaded.  As displayed in the first column, the median estimate for parents of an elementary student is that their child devotes about 30 minutes to homework on the typical weekday.  Slightly more than half (52%) estimate 30 minutes or less; 48% estimate 45 minutes or more.  Students in grades 3-6 (third column) give a median estimate that is a bit higher than their parents’ (45 minutes), with almost two-thirds (63%) saying 45 minutes or less is the typical weekday homework load.

One hour of homework is the median estimate for both secondary parents and students in grade 7-12, with 55% of parents reporting an hour or less and about two-thirds (67%) of students reporting the same.  As for the prevalence of the heaviest homework loads, 11% of secondary parents say their children spend more than two hours on weekday homework, and 12% is the corresponding figure for students in grades 7-12.

The Met Life surveys in 1987 and 2007 asked parents to evaluate the amount and quality of homework.  Table 2-3 displays the results.  There was little change over the two decades separating the two surveys.  More than 60% of parents rate the amount of homework as good or excellent, and about two-thirds give such high ratings to the quality of the homework their children are receiving.  The proportion giving poor ratings to either the quantity or quality of homework did not exceed 10% on either survey.

Parental dissatisfaction with homework comes in two forms: those who feel schools give too much homework and those who feel schools do not give enough.  The current wave of journalism about unhappy parents is dominated by those who feel schools give too much homework.  How big is this group?  Not very big (see Figure 2-3). On the Met Life survey, 60% of parents felt schools were giving the right amount of homework, 25% wanted more homework, and only 15% wanted less.

National surveys on homework are infrequent, but the 2006-2007 period had more than one.  A poll conducted by Public Agenda in 2006 reported similar numbers as the Met Life survey: 68% of parents describing the homework load as “about right,” 20% saying there is “too little homework,” and 11% saying there is “too much homework.”  A 2006 AP-AOL poll found the highest percentage of parents reporting too much homework, 19%.  But even in that poll, they were outnumbered by parents believing there is too little homework (23%), and a clear majority (57%) described the load as “about right.”  A 2010 local survey of Chicago parents conducted by the Chicago Tribune reported figures similar to those reported above: approximately two-thirds of parents saying their children’s homework load is “about right,” 21% saying it’s not enough, and 12% responding that the homework load is too much.

Summary and Discussion

In recent years, the press has been filled with reports of kids over-burdened with homework and parents rebelling against their children’s oppressive workload. The data assembled above call into question whether that portrait is accurate for the typical American family.  Homework typically takes an hour per night.  The homework burden of students rarely exceeds two hours a night.  The upper limit of students with two or more hours per night is about 15% nationally—and that is for juniors or seniors in high school.  For younger children, the upper boundary is about 10% who have such a heavy load.  Polls show that parents who want less homework range from 10%-20%, and that they are outnumbered—in every national poll on the homework question—by parents who want more homework, not less.  The majority of parents describe their children’s homework burden as about right.

So what’s going on?  Where are the homework horror stories coming from?

The Met Life survey of parents is able to give a few hints, mainly because of several questions that extend beyond homework to other aspects of schooling.  The belief that homework is burdensome is more likely held by parents with a larger set of complaints and concerns.  They are alienated from their child’s school.  About two in five parents (19%) don’t believe homework is important.  Compared to other parents, these parents are more likely to say too much homework is assigned (39% vs. 9%), that what is assigned is just busywork (57% vs. 36%), and that homework gets in the way of their family spending time together (51% vs. 15%).  They are less likely to rate the quality of homework as excellent (3% vs. 23%) or to rate the availability and responsiveness of teachers as excellent (18% vs. 38%). [vii]

They can also convince themselves that their numbers are larger than they really are.  Karl Taro Greenfeld, the author of the Atlantic article mentioned above, seems to fit that description.  “Every parent I know in New York City comments on how much homework their children have,” Mr. Greenfeld writes.  As for those parents who do not share this view? “There is always a clique of parents who are happy with the amount of homework. In fact, they would prefer more .  I tend not to get along with that type of parent.” [viii] 

Mr. Greenfeld’s daughter attends a selective exam school in Manhattan, known for its rigorous expectations and, yes, heavy homework load.  He had also complained about homework in his daughter’s previous school in Brentwood, CA.  That school was a charter school.  After Mr. Greenfeld emailed several parents expressing his complaints about homework in that school, the school’s vice-principal accused Mr. Greenfeld of cyberbullying.  The lesson here is that even schools of choice are not immune from complaints about homework.

The homework horror stories need to be read in a proper perspective.  They seem to originate from the very personal discontents of a small group of parents.  They do not reflect the experience of the average family with a school-age child.  That does not diminish these stories’ power to command the attention of school officials or even the public at large. But it also suggests a limited role for policy making in settling such disputes.  Policy is a blunt instrument.  Educators, parents, and kids are in the best position to resolve complaints about homework on a case by case basis.  Complaints about homework have existed for more than a century, and they show no signs of going away.

Part II Notes:

[i]Brian Gill and Steven Schlossman, “A Sin Against Childhood: Progressive Education and the Crusade to Abolish Homework, 1897-1941,” American Journal of Education , vol. 105, no. 1 (Nov., 1996), 27-66.  Also see Brian P. Gill and Steven L. Schlossman, “Villain or Savior? The American Discourse on Homework, 1850-2003,” Theory into Practice , 43, 3 (Summer 2004), pp. 174-181.

[ii] Bennett, Sara, and Nancy Kalish.  The Case Against Homework:  How Homework Is Hurting Our Children and What We Can Do About It   (New York:  Crown, 2006).  Buell, John.  Closing the Book on Homework: Enhancing Public Education and Freeing Family Time . (Philadelphia: Temple University Press, 2004). Kohn, Alfie.    The Homework Myth:  Why Our Kids Get Too Much of a Bad Thing  (Cambridge, MA: Da Capo Press, 2006).  Kralovec, Etta, and John Buell.  The End of Homework: How Homework Disrupts Families, Overburdens Children, and Limits Learning  (Boston: Beacon Press, 2000).

[iii] Hu, Winnie, “ New Recruit in Homework Revolt: The Principal ,” New York Times , June 15, 2011, page a1.

[iv] Data for other years are available on the NAEP Data Explorer.  For Table 1, the starting point of 1984 was chosen because it is the first year all three ages were asked the homework question.  The two most recent dates (2012 and 2008) were chosen to show recent changes, and the two years in the 1990s to show developments during that decade.

[v] NAEP’s sampling design lessens the probability of skewing the homework figure.  Students are randomly drawn from a school population, meaning that an entire class is not tested.  Teachers would have to either single out NAEP students for special homework treatment or change their established homework routine for the whole class just to shelter NAEP participants from homework.  Sampling designs that draw entact classrooms for testing (such as TIMSS) would be more vulnerable to this effect.  Moreover, students in middle and high school usually have several different teachers during the day, meaning that prior knowledge of a particular student’s participation in NAEP would probably be limited to one or two teachers.

[vi] NAEP Question B003801 for 9 year olds and B003901 for 13- and 17-year olds.

[vii] Met Life, Met Life Survey of the American Teacher: The Homework Experience , November 13, 2007, pp. 21-22.

[viii] Greenfeld, Karl Taro, “ My Daughter’s Homework Is Killing Me ,” The Atlantic , September 18, 2013.

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Are You Down With or Done With Homework?

• Posted January 17, 2012
• By Lory Hough

The debate over how much schoolwork students should be doing at home has flared again, with one side saying it's too much, the other side saying in our competitive world, it's just not enough.

It was a move that doesn't happen very often in American public schools: The principal got rid of homework.

This past September, Stephanie Brant, principal of Gaithersburg Elementary School in Gaithersburg, Md., decided that instead of teachers sending kids home with math worksheets and spelling flash cards, students would instead go home and read. Every day for 30 minutes, more if they had time or the inclination, with parents or on their own.

"I knew this would be a big shift for my community," she says. But she also strongly believed it was a necessary one. Twenty-first-century learners, especially those in elementary school, need to think critically and understand their own learning — not spend night after night doing rote homework drills.

Brant's move may not be common, but she isn't alone in her questioning. The value of doing schoolwork at home has gone in and out of fashion in the United States among educators, policymakers, the media, and, more recently, parents. As far back as the late 1800s, with the rise of the Progressive Era, doctors such as Joseph Mayer Rice began pushing for a limit on what he called "mechanical homework," saying it caused childhood nervous conditions and eyestrain. Around that time, the then-influential Ladies Home Journal began publishing a series of anti-homework articles, stating that five hours of brain work a day was "the most we should ask of our children," and that homework was an intrusion on family life. In response, states like California passed laws abolishing homework for students under a certain age.

But, as is often the case with education, the tide eventually turned. After the Russians launched the Sputnik satellite in 1957, a space race emerged, and, writes Brian Gill in the journal Theory Into Practice, "The homework problem was reconceived as part of a national crisis; the U.S. was losing the Cold War because Russian children were smarter." Many earlier laws limiting homework were abolished, and the longterm trend toward less homework came to an end.

The debate re-emerged a decade later when parents of the late '60s and '70s argued that children should be free to play and explore — similar anti-homework wellness arguments echoed nearly a century earlier. By the early-1980s, however, the pendulum swung again with the publication of A Nation at Risk , which blamed poor education for a "rising tide of mediocrity." Students needed to work harder, the report said, and one way to do this was more homework.

For the most part, this pro-homework sentiment is still going strong today, in part because of mandatory testing and continued economic concerns about the nation's competitiveness. Many believe that today's students are falling behind their peers in places like Korea and Finland and are paying more attention to Angry Birds than to ancient Babylonia.

But there are also a growing number of Stephanie Brants out there, educators and parents who believe that students are stressed and missing out on valuable family time. Students, they say, particularly younger students who have seen a rise in the amount of take-home work and already put in a six- to nine-hour "work" day, need less, not more homework.

Who is right? Are students not working hard enough or is homework not working for them? Here's where the story gets a little tricky: It depends on whom you ask and what research you're looking at. As Cathy Vatterott, the author of Rethinking Homework , points out, "Homework has generated enough research so that a study can be found to support almost any position, as long as conflicting studies are ignored." Alfie Kohn, author of The Homework Myth and a strong believer in eliminating all homework, writes that, "The fact that there isn't anything close to unanimity among experts belies the widespread assumption that homework helps." At best, he says, homework shows only an association, not a causal relationship, with academic achievement. In other words, it's hard to tease out how homework is really affecting test scores and grades. Did one teacher give better homework than another? Was one teacher more effective in the classroom? Do certain students test better or just try harder?

"It is difficult to separate where the effect of classroom teaching ends," Vatterott writes, "and the effect of homework begins."

Putting research aside, however, much of the current debate over homework is focused less on how homework affects academic achievement and more on time. Parents in particular have been saying that the amount of time children spend in school, especially with afterschool programs, combined with the amount of homework given — as early as kindergarten — is leaving students with little time to run around, eat dinner with their families, or even get enough sleep.

Certainly, for some parents, homework is a way to stay connected to their children's learning. But for others, homework creates a tug-of-war between parents and children, says Liz Goodenough, M.A.T.'71, creator of a documentary called Where Do the Children Play?

"Ideally homework should be about taking something home, spending a few curious and interesting moments in which children might engage with parents, and then getting that project back to school — an organizational triumph," she says. "A nag-free activity could engage family time: Ask a parent about his or her own childhood. Interview siblings."

Instead, as the authors of The Case Against Homework write, "Homework overload is turning many of us into the types of parents we never wanted to be: nags, bribers, and taskmasters."

Leslie Butchko saw it happen a few years ago when her son started sixth grade in the Santa Monica-Malibu (Calif.) United School District. She remembers him getting two to four hours of homework a night, plus weekend and vacation projects. He was overwhelmed and struggled to finish assignments, especially on nights when he also had an extracurricular activity.

"Ultimately, we felt compelled to have Bobby quit karate — he's a black belt — to allow more time for homework," she says. And then, with all of their attention focused on Bobby's homework, she and her husband started sending their youngest to his room so that Bobby could focus. "One day, my younger son gave us 15-minute coupons as a present for us to use to send him to play in the back room. … It was then that we realized there had to be something wrong with the amount of homework we were facing."

Butchko joined forces with another mother who was having similar struggles and ultimately helped get the homework policy in her district changed, limiting homework on weekends and holidays, setting time guidelines for daily homework, and broadening the definition of homework to include projects and studying for tests. As she told the school board at one meeting when the policy was first being discussed, "In closing, I just want to say that I had more free time at Harvard Law School than my son has in middle school, and that is not in the best interests of our children."

One barrier that Butchko had to overcome initially was convincing many teachers and parents that more homework doesn't necessarily equal rigor.

"Most of the parents that were against the homework policy felt that students need a large quantity of homework to prepare them for the rigorous AP classes in high school and to get them into Harvard," she says.

Stephanie Conklin, Ed.M.'06, sees this at Another Course to College, the Boston pilot school where she teaches math. "When a student is not completing [his or her] homework, parents usually are frustrated by this and agree with me that homework is an important part of their child's learning," she says.

As Timothy Jarman, Ed.M.'10, a ninth-grade English teacher at Eugene Ashley High School in Wilmington, N.C., says, "Parents think it is strange when their children are not assigned a substantial amount of homework."

That's because, writes Vatterott, in her chapter, "The Cult(ure) of Homework," the concept of homework "has become so engrained in U.S. culture that the word homework is part of the common vernacular."

These days, nightly homework is a given in American schools, writes Kohn.

"Homework isn't limited to those occasions when it seems appropriate and important. Most teachers and administrators aren't saying, 'It may be useful to do this particular project at home,'" he writes. "Rather, the point of departure seems to be, 'We've decided ahead of time that children will have to do something every night (or several times a week). … This commitment to the idea of homework in the abstract is accepted by the overwhelming majority of schools — public and private, elementary and secondary."

Brant had to confront this when she cut homework at Gaithersburg Elementary.

"A lot of my parents have this idea that homework is part of life. This is what I had to do when I was young," she says, and so, too, will our kids. "So I had to shift their thinking." She did this slowly, first by asking her teachers last year to really think about what they were sending home. And this year, in addition to forming a parent advisory group around the issue, she also holds events to answer questions.

Still, not everyone is convinced that homework as a given is a bad thing. "Any pursuit of excellence, be it in sports, the arts, or academics, requires hard work. That our culture finds it okay for kids to spend hours a day in a sport but not equal time on academics is part of the problem," wrote one pro-homework parent on the blog for the documentary Race to Nowhere , which looks at the stress American students are under. "Homework has always been an issue for parents and children. It is now and it was 20 years ago. I think when people decide to have children that it is their responsibility to educate them," wrote another.

And part of educating them, some believe, is helping them develop skills they will eventually need in adulthood. "Homework can help students develop study skills that will be of value even after they leave school," reads a publication on the U.S. Department of Education website called Homework Tips for Parents. "It can teach them that learning takes place anywhere, not just in the classroom. … It can foster positive character traits such as independence and responsibility. Homework can teach children how to manage time."

Annie Brown, Ed.M.'01, feels this is particularly critical at less affluent schools like the ones she has worked at in Boston, Cambridge, Mass., and Los Angeles as a literacy coach.

"It feels important that my students do homework because they will ultimately be competing for college placement and jobs with students who have done homework and have developed a work ethic," she says. "Also it will get them ready for independently taking responsibility for their learning, which will need to happen for them to go to college."

The problem with this thinking, writes Vatterott, is that homework becomes a way to practice being a worker.

"Which begs the question," she writes. "Is our job as educators to produce learners or workers?"

Slate magazine editor Emily Bazelon, in a piece about homework, says this makes no sense for younger kids.

"Why should we think that practicing homework in first grade will make you better at doing it in middle school?" she writes. "Doesn't the opposite seem equally plausible: that it's counterproductive to ask children to sit down and work at night before they're developmentally ready because you'll just make them tired and cross?"

Kohn writes in the American School Board Journal that this "premature exposure" to practices like homework (and sit-and-listen lessons and tests) "are clearly a bad match for younger children and of questionable value at any age." He calls it BGUTI: Better Get Used to It. "The logic here is that we have to prepare you for the bad things that are going to be done to you later … by doing them to you now."

According to a recent University of Michigan study, daily homework for six- to eight-year-olds increased on average from about 8 minutes in 1981 to 22 minutes in 2003. A review of research by Duke University Professor Harris Cooper found that for elementary school students, "the average correlation between time spent on homework and achievement … hovered around zero."

So should homework be eliminated? Of course not, say many Ed School graduates who are teaching. Not only would students not have time for essays and long projects, but also teachers would not be able to get all students to grade level or to cover critical material, says Brett Pangburn, Ed.M.'06, a sixth-grade English teacher at Excel Academy Charter School in Boston. Still, he says, homework has to be relevant.

"Kids need to practice the skills being taught in class, especially where, like the kids I teach at Excel, they are behind and need to catch up," he says. "Our results at Excel have demonstrated that kids can catch up and view themselves as in control of their academic futures, but this requires hard work, and homework is a part of it."

Ed School Professor Howard Gardner basically agrees.

"America and Americans lurch between too little homework in many of our schools to an excess of homework in our most competitive environments — Li'l Abner vs. Tiger Mother," he says. "Neither approach makes sense. Homework should build on what happens in class, consolidating skills and helping students to answer new questions."

So how can schools come to a happy medium, a way that allows teachers to cover everything they need while not overwhelming students? Conklin says she often gives online math assignments that act as labs and students have two or three days to complete them, including some in-class time. Students at Pangburn's school have a 50-minute silent period during regular school hours where homework can be started, and where teachers pull individual or small groups of students aside for tutoring, often on that night's homework. Afterschool homework clubs can help.

Some schools and districts have adapted time limits rather than nix homework completely, with the 10-minute per grade rule being the standard — 10 minutes a night for first-graders, 30 minutes for third-graders, and so on. (This remedy, however, is often met with mixed results since not all students work at the same pace.) Other schools offer an extended day that allows teachers to cover more material in school, in turn requiring fewer take-home assignments. And for others, like Stephanie Brant's elementary school in Maryland, more reading with a few targeted project assignments has been the answer.

"The routine of reading is so much more important than the routine of homework," she says. "Let's have kids reflect. You can still have the routine and you can still have your workspace, but now it's for reading. I often say to parents, if we can put a man on the moon, we can put a man or woman on Mars and that person is now a second-grader. We don't know what skills that person will need. At the end of the day, we have to feel confident that we're giving them something they can use on Mars."

Read a January 2014 update.

Homework Policy Still Going Strong

Ed. Magazine

The magazine of the Harvard Graduate School of Education

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99 Work at Home Career Ideas for Women

Author: Holly Reisem Hanna

August 16, 2023 188 Comments

If you want to work from home but are unsure of your options, keep reading! This list contains 99 work at home career ideas!

For me, knowing that I wanted to work from home was the easy part. The hard part was figuring out what type of work I wanted to do. 

Before becoming a stay at home mom, I had worked as a nurse, but it wasn’t a career path that I was interested in continuing.

To help aid my career change, I read books, attended career events, and looked online. Still, I didn’t truly understand all the different career and business opportunities  available to me. 

I was lost without knowing what occupation to search for, and many women I’ve spoken to have encountered the same problem.

If you’re struggling to figure out your ideal work at home career path, I’ve compiled a massive list of work at home career ideas, jobs, business ideas, and ways to make extra money so you can find your dream job ! 

This list contains 99 legit work from home career ideas in a wide variety of occupations and fields. Whether you’re just starting out on your career journey, you’re a senior professional, or you wish to switch careers, this massive list of remote business and career ideas has you covered!

1. Advertiser

Do you have a highly trafficked property? Perhaps a website, a newsletter mailing, a popular Facebook Group, or a piece of property? 

Add some extra revenue to your property by adding  advertisements ! If you have a website, sign up with Google Adsense, Media.net, or Newor Media. If you have a lot of web traffic, you may be able to work with an ad network like  Raptive  or Mediavine. These companies will place advertisements on your website, and you’ll earn income from how many times each ad is viewed. 

If you offer a  weekly newsletter  and have a good number of subscribers, you can include paid advertisements in your weekly mailings. And if you own land on a well-trafficked road, you can earn money by placing a  billboard  on your property. 

But these aren’t the only way to make money advertising! Here are more ways to  make money   advertising  other people’s products and services!

2. Affiliate Marketer

Looking for a way to make passive income? Find products and services you love and introduce them to your friends, family, blog readers, or social media followers via  affiliate advertisements .

As an affiliate marketer, you will promote items and, in return, will earn a commission on every product that is sold through your affiliate link. Don’t have a website? No problem. Here’s information on how to earn affiliate income without a website or blog!

Do you love to paint, sculpt, or draw? Then you can use your creativity to earn a living from home. Check out a creative staffing agency like  AQUENT  to apply for creative projects and jobs. If you prefer to run your own business, you can  sell your art online  using sites like ArtPal and Artfinder. 

Do you love to write? We’ve all heard of best-selling authors J.K. Rowling and Stephenie Meyer, but thousands of women are writing their way to work at home success. The opportunities and possibilities are endless, from writing children’s books to self-help books, romance novels, and cookbooks. Nowadays, you don’t even need a publisher. You can  self-publish or you can  sell e-books  on your website, Amazon, or one of the many platforms authors can use to promote their work. 

5. Babyproofing Consultant

Do you have an eye for unsafe conditions? Are you an advocate for child safety?  Babyproofers  assess home environments for potential and hazardous conditions, making recommendations and suggestions to homeowners to create a safer environment for babies and children. To become a childproofing expert, you should look into  certification  or a franchise opportunity to train you on the best safety practices and concerns. 

Do you love to bake? Do you have a special recipe for chocolate chip cookies that everyone raves about? Turn your passion into a baking business. The opportunities are endless – birthdays, baby showers, weddings, retirement parties, housewarming parties, bachelorette parties, and anniversaries! Of course, you’ll need to look into your state’s laws and guidelines for safe food protocols and business practices.  This post  covers what you should know about starting a baking business from home. 

If you enjoy writing and being online, blogging is an easy and affordable way to start your own business from home. I’ve been blogging since 2009 and still love what I do! I also earn more than I ever did working as a nurse. The topics you can write on are endless, and there are many ways to monetize your blog.

Not sure how to get started? This post has  step-by-step instructions on how to set up your blog in a day or less. 

8. Bookkeeper

Do you have a head for numbers? Bookkeeping  may be right up your alley if you’re organized and detail-oriented. Bookkeepers help business owners organize and keep track of their monthly income and expenses. With bookkeeping, you can work for a company like BELAY or Intuit or start your own business at home. If you think bookkeeping may be your calling — check out this  FREE training from Bookkeepers . 

Do you run a successful business? Are you a direct sales guru? Then offer your particular expertise to others looking for guidance in a specific area, whether it is time management, PR, stress management, career guidance, or sleep training; the topics are endless!

With  coaching , you can work at home for a company like CVS (health coach), Ginger (behavioral coach), or Arine (lifestyle coach), or you can start your own business. Training for coaches will vary depending on your area of expertise, but you can look at CareerStep and iPEC for online coaching courses. 

10. Chat Agent

If you want to work at home but not on the phone, being a chat agent is a good entry-level position. Chat agents assist customers with questions, concerns, returns, and other various queries via email, chat, and social media. You must have excellent communication skills and be a fast and accurate typist for these positions. Companies that regularly hire for these work-at-home jobs include ModSquad, Chatdesk, and GE Appliances. 

11. Child Care Provider

Do you love working with kids? An easy way to make some extra cash is to simply provide child care services. With meetings, PTA involvement, and date nights with your partner, there are more than enough opportunities for you to cash in on this much-needed service year-round. To work as a babysitter, you can use sites like Care.com, Bambino, and Sittercity to connect with clients, or you can start your own  daycare business  from home. 

12. Consultant

Are you considered an expert in your field? Do you like to assist others in achieving their goals? Then act as an advisor to others who need your skill and expertise. You can connect with consulting clients and projects using a platform like COMATCH, Robert Half, or Toptal, or you can start your own consulting business, which  this post  details. 

13. Copywriter

Do you have a way with words?  Copywriting  is the process of using persuasive words to promote a person, product, business, idea, or opinion. Copywriters write the words in TV commercials, radio ads, magazines, newspapers, billboards, flyers, websites, and direct mailings – wherever something is being sold, copywriters are hard at work writing alluring and compelling advertisements to get customers to make a purchase.

You can find freelance copywriting positions on sites like Problogger, Kelly Services, or Upwork, or you can look for full-time work fom home jobs at marketing and advertising agencies. Working for the latter will often require a bachelor’s degree. However, you can usually start freelancing just by taking a course and understanding the fundamentals of copywriting. 

14. Crafter

Are you crafty? Whether you create knitted goods, crocheted items, handmade cards, or vinyl crafts, you can make good money selling them online. With sites like  Etsy ,  Amazon Handmade , and Shopify , you can set up your craft shop easily and affordably. You can also sell your crafts at craft shows, conferences, and farmer’s markets. If starting a business as a crafter is appealing, check out  this post  for more details. 

15. Customer Service Agent

Do you have excellent customer service skills? Do you like to talk on the phone? Companies are always looking for home-based  customer service agents  and inbound and outbound sales representatives. Some companies that regularly hire work from home customer service agents include  Apple ,  Amazon ,  Alorica ,  American Express , U-Haul ,  Williams-Sonoma , and  Concentrix . 

16. Data Entry Clerk

If you’re a fast and accurate typist and you’re familiar with programs with Mircosoft Office and Google Sheets,  data entry  might be a good work from home job! The thing with data entry is that so many people want to do this work that there are a lot of scams out there, so you need to research this career idea. Some of the best places to find legit data entry gigs include Robert Half, Adecco, and Kelly Services. 

17. Direct Sales Consultant

Are you a social butterfly? We’ve all heard of direct sales companies like Avon, but did you know that there are thousands of  direct sales  companies? Find one that offers products that you feel passionate about and get selling. Direct sale companies offer starter kits that give you everything you need to get started, and they usually have a very low start-up cost. Your first prospects and buyers will be friends, family, and co-workers; you will build your customer base by getting referrals from these people.

Need some ideas?

• Clothing –  cabi
• Food –  Tastefully Simple
• Promotional Products –  Kaeser & Blair
• Fair Trade Products – Noonday

If you’re interested in helping moms and their partners have a smooth labor and delivery, becoming a  birth doula  might be your calling. As a Doula, you’ll be working as a business owner, and since women go into labor at all hours of the day, you’ll be working odd and unpredictable hours. Doulas work with clients at all stages of pregnancy, providing education and emotional and physical support. For this career path, you’ll need need to take a course and get certified, but this career seems like it would be a highly satisfying occupation. 

19. Engineer

If you’re looking for a high-paying work from home job,  becoming an engineer  is an excellent option. Not only can you make good money in this profession, but all kinds (software, mechanical, chemical, electrical, and civil engineers) are in high demand. According to the  Bureau of Labor Statistics  (BLS), this field is expected to grow by 4% in the next ten years. Of course, for these roles, you’ll need a bachelor’s degree and, in some cases, a master’s degree. However, once you have the necessary education, you can work just about anywhere! Check out companies like EverView, ConvertKit, and DuckDuckGo for remote job openings! 

20. Event Planner

Do you love to plan parties? From weddings and birthday parties to baby showers, retirement parties, and corporate events,  event planners  handle the details of location, budget,  decorations , entertainment, food, beverages, transportation, activities, invitations, and more. Because parties often happen at night, on the weekends, and during the holidays you might have to work at these times too. You can find these remote event planning jobs on staffing agency sites ,  hospitality companies , and large corporations, or you can venture out and start your own business! 

21. Expert Advice Giver

Did you know that if you have expertise in a field like law, business, healthcare, tech, and many others, you can make money by answering questions online? With platforms like JustAnswer, you can earn an average of $2,000-$7,000 a month by logging on and answering people’s questions. JustAnswer accepts users from the US and Canada and distributes payments monthly using PayPal, Venmo, and direct deposit. For more ways to make money answering questions online, check out  this post . 

22. Face Painter

Are you a talented painter? Do you enjoy working with children? Take your artistic talents to birthday parties, carnivals, amusement parks, company picnics, zoos, and more. Use a site like  The Bash  to connect directly with clients or start your own business. 

23. Fashion Designer

Take your love of  fashion and design  and create one-of-a-kind designs and either sell them online, in specialty boutiques or take your product line the direct sales route. You can also apply for work at home designer jobs at clothing and apparel companies. You’ll need a degree in fashion design or merchandising for the second option. However, if you start your own business, you don’t necessarily need a degree. For instance, Sara Blakely, the creator of Spanx, did not have a degree in fashion but instead in communications. 

24. Financial Planner

Did you major in finance, business, or economics? Do you geek out over math? Financial planners assist individuals with important investment decisions, such as retirement, college, stock purchases, major life events, and more. Obtaining your CFP (certified financial planner) can help you stand out in this field. Check out  this post  for more math-based careers!

25. Fitness Instructor

Do you love being active? Are you a tennis, golf, or yoga pro? Take your  love of sports  and fitness and teach others how to improve their games, hone their skills, and get active. Depending on your area of expertise, you’ll likely need to get certified as an instructor; there are many online programs to get you up to speed. As a fitness instructor, you can start your own business from scratch, join a franchise opportunity like  Fit 4 Mom , or apply for a position at a studio or gym. With the Pandemic, many fitness instructors started offering classes online over Zoom, a trend that I think is here to stay. 

26. Franchise Owner

Do you want to be your own boss, but you’re not sure where to start? Then perhaps a  home-based franchise  is what you’re looking for. With franchise opportunities, you’re given a detailed roadmap on how to start and run a successful business — and many franchises have well-established names, so you don’t have to spend a fortune on marketing and brand recognition. With this work at home idea, you’ll need to invest money upfront for your franchise, but there are many affordable options, and some even offer financing options. 

27. Fraud Investigator

If you have a  criminal justice degree  and want to work from home, fraud investigation is an excellent option! With so much shopping online, financial institutions, insurance companies, and e-commerce platforms hire remote fraud investigators to search for irregular activity to prevent fraud and abuse online. 

28. Freelance Writer

Do you love to write? From blog posts and newsletters to magazine articles and social media updates, the job opportunities for writers are enormous. Check with some well-known freelance sites, like Upwork, Freelancer, and Guru, and see how you can offer up your writing services.  This post  also lists a ton of paid writing to get you started. 

29. Grant Writer

Do you have experience writing grant proposals? As a grant writer , you’ll specialize in writing persuasive proposals that persuade individuals to donate money to a specific cause or organization. You can find grant writing jobs on Freelancer and Upwork.

30. Graphic Designer

Do fonts and boldface type excite you?  Graphic design  is a way to visually communicate with people; it could be through a poster, an advertisement in a magazine, a website, a business logo, a business card, printables, or even an album cover. These are examples of what graphic designers create. As a graphic designer, you can freelance using sites like Dribbble or 99designs, or you can work for a large company as a work from home employee creating marketing assets and product designs. 

31. Hairdresser

Do you have a cosmetology license? Take your hairstyling skills home by cutting, coloring, highlighting, and styling your client’s hair in the comfort of your home or theirs. On-demand sites like  Concihairge  can help you get set up.

32. Home Stager

Do you have a way with design?  Home staging  is the process of de-cluttering, organizing, and improving the physical appearance of a residential dwelling before putting it on the market for sale. Home stagers are an essential occupation in today’s competitive real estate market. 

33. Housesitter

If you’re looking for a flexible side gig, housesitting is a great option for making extra money. Services include feeding pets, gathering the mail and newspapers, making the house look occupied, watering plants, maintaining the yard and pool, paying bills, and light housekeeping. You can find housesitting gigs on Care.com and Task Rabbit. You can also let family, friends, and neighbors that you’re open for business! 

34. Human Resources (HR)

Have a degree or experience in the HR field ? There are lots of companies that hire for remote HR positions. Since most companies have an HR department, you can write down a list of dream companies you’d like to work with and search their career pages for remote job openings. Staffing agencies are also excellent for finding these roles. 

35. Illustrator

Do you enjoy drawing and painting? Use your artistic talents to create images for children’s books, medical diagrams, fashion designs, brochures, advertising material, or product packing. You can find illustrator jobs on sites like Upwork and  FlexJobs ; you can use a print-on-demand site like  Spring ,  Spreadshirt , or  Printify to create and sell your own designs. 

36. Influencer

If you’ve built a loyal audience of followers on a platform like Instagram, TikTok, Pinterest, or Facebook, making money as an influencer can be quite lucrative. With brand deals, creator funds, affiliate marketing, and sponsored opportunities, the sky is the limit when it comes to this business idea. For more details on becoming an influencer, check out  this guide . 

37. Instructional Designer

Do you have a passion for learning? Instructional design is how instructional materials and manuals are designed, developed, and delivered. Instructional designers understand the learning process and how to convey it through the written word. While there are instructional design degree programs available, many instructional designers just have a teaching, marketing, or writing background.  FlexJobs  and  IXL Learning  have work at home instructional design jobs.

38. Instructor

Are you a culinary wizard? Maybe you’re skilled at playing the guitar? Then share your expertise and knowledge on a platform like  Udemy ,  Live Music Tutor , or  Lessonface  they allow you to create instructional courses and earn an income when individuals consume your content. For more places to sell your expertise, check out  this list  of ideas. 

39. Interior Designer

Do you have a flair for design? Use your creative skills as an interior designer or decorator to help others create an environment that suits their personality and preferences. With interior design, you can work as an independent contractor for  Havenly , or you can start your own business with a franchise opportunity like  Decorating Den . 

40. Internet Researcher

Are you skilled at finding the proverbial needle in the haystack? If so,  becoming an internet researcher  may be the perfect home-based career idea for you. Every day companies, writers, and marketers need research done, and they are willing to pay you good money for your skills. One company that hires freelancers to do research is  Wonder . For these positions, you’ll need a bachelor’s degree and the ability to prove your research ability. Wonder currently has a hiring freeze, but you can bookmark their site for when future openings arise. 

41. Inventor

Do you have a genius idea that you want to create? Then bring your invention to life. People every day are using sites like  Alibaba  to create prototypes and produce products that they bring to the consumer market. Check out these awesome inventions from women just like you;  Ficklets ,  Grill Charms,  and  Comfy Earrings . 

42. Investor Relations Specialist

Do you know how to secure funding? Finding funding for a small business can be a lot of work, not to mention the huge learning curve. Use your inside knowledge of how the investment realm works, and assist other entrepreneurs in securing funding for their businesses.

43. Laundry Sevice Provider

If you don’t mind doing laundry, you can start your own laundry service business from home. The great thing about this idea is you don’t need any special skills or equipment to get started. However, you will need to educate yourself on best business practices, which  this post  explains. 

If you’re a licensed  attorney  and you want to work from home, there are lots of options! You can choose to work remotely for a big corporation or law firm as an employee. Or you can offer freelance law services using a site like Hire an Esquire or Ontra, or you can start your own business. 

45. Librarian

When you think of the career path of a librarian, you likely have images of individuals shelving books at the library. However, there are many remote career paths librarians can take! Jobs like digital assets, proposal, research, and marketing manager librarians. This post explains the various  remote roles for librarians ; you can also find these work-at-home positions on sites like LinkedIn and  FlexJobs . 

46. Marketing Specialist

If you have a marketing or advertising degree, working from home in the marketing field is a great option! As a marketing assistant, you may help with writing press releases, newsletters, blog posts, podcast scripts, website copy, marketing research, or managing affiliate relationships – what you do will depend on your expertise, degree, and experience. Check out this article for a huge list of  marketing specialties  and hiring companies. 

47. Massage Therapist

Are you a licensed massage therapist? Provide in-home massage and spa treatments, or take your skills on the road and offer chair massages at conferences, grocery stores, malls, and other events. You can use an on-demand platform like  Zeel  to connect directly with massage clients.

48. Meal Planning Subscription

Are you a meal planning guru? Share your love for organization and meal planning by creating a membership program where you share weekly and monthly meal plans, complete with recipes and grocery lists. Specialize in a niche such as gluten-free, kid-friendly, or budget-friendly menus. 

49. Medical Coder and Biller

When hospitals, doctor’s offices, and labs bill insurance companies, they need to use specialized codes in order to receive payment. This is where  medical coders and billers  come in. They assign the appropriate procedure and diagnosis code to medical bills so that their establishment can receive prompt payment from the insurance companies. Medical coders and billers generally need to take a training course on these codes and become certified before beginning their careers. However, once they have the appropriate credentials, they can work from home for a company like CVS and Aviacode. 

50. Medical Scribe

If you’re interested in a typing career in the healthcare field, look into becoming a medical scribe . In this role, you’ll be typing in what the clinician says during a patient’s health visit. This is a fast-paced career where you’ll need knowledge of medical terminology. Online training for this career can be completed easily in 4-6 months with a program like  CareerStep . You can search for these remote roles on DeepScribe and Augmedix. 

51. Mock Juror

You’re not going to get rich being a mock juror, but it is an interesting way to make a little extra money from home. Lawyers who need to practice their court arguments use mock jurors to gauge if their argument is compelling. The average pay for these roles is about $10-$20 per hour, and you’ll need to be at least 18 years old and a US resident. For more details on this interesting side gig, check out  this post  for hiring companies and information. 

52. Moderator

If you enjoy reading and writing, being an  online moderator  might be your calling. With this work at home career idea, you’ll moderate forums, groups, membership platforms, and social media pages by keeping spammers out, approving comments, resolving conflicts, starting new conversations, and assisting members with their concerns. For these positions, you must have excellent written communication skills as you’ll be representing the brand’s image online. You can apply for these remote jobs on ModSquad, SocialBee, and Yelp. 

53. Muralist

Do you see things on a large scale? Use your talent as a painter and help individuals transform their indoor and outdoor space into the oasis they have always dreamed about. Choose to work with private residents or commercial establishments. You can also connect with clients on  FindAMuralist.com .

54. Mystery Shopper

Do you love shopping? Do you have excellent memory recall and writing skills? Then register to become a mystery shopper and check out local businesses, restaurants, and establishments. You won’t make a full-time income, but you could end up with a free dinner or products and a small amount of pocket cash. There are opportunities to work online, via  telephone , and in person. Check out Mobee, BARE International, and IntelliShop to get started. 

55. Nurse 

Do you have your nursing license? Insurance companies and hospitals are seeking registered nurses to perform case management, medical record review, triage, and more all from the comfort of home! Some companies that are always hiring remote nurses are CVS, The Cigna Group, Humana, and UnitedHealth Group. Most positions are location-dependent and require an active license. If you’re looking for more remote nursing jobs,  check out this post  — it has listings for nurse practitioners, registered nurses, and licensed vocational nurses.

56. Online Boutique Owner

Do you enjoy finding the trendiest new products? Combine all of your favorite brands and products and  open up an online boutique . You can source wholesale products from sites like Handshake, Sugarlips, and Faire. Of course, you’ll need a website to sell your items, and this post has many options for starting an e-commerce shop. You may also want to consider  dropshipping so you don’t have to ship items yourself. Lots to consider with this option; be sure to do your research before taking the plunge. 

57. Paralegal

Paralegals help lawyers with administrative tasks such as legal research, filing paperwork, and prepping for legal proceedings. Qualifications for paralegals vary greatly, but generally, you’ll need a bachelor’s degree and experience in the legal field or a paralegal certification and training. You can apply for remote paralegal positions at Bold Business, Equivity, Robert Half, and Hire an Esquire. 

58. Participate in Focus Group Studies

If you enjoy giving your thoughts and opinions on products, advertising campaigns, and services, you can make good money  participating in focus groups . While these opportunities are sporadic, they often pay $50-$150 for an hour of your time. Studies are usually conducted online, via phone, and sometimes in person. You can find studies at  Respondent ,  User Interviews , and  L&E Research if this sounds appealing. 

59. Personal Chef

Are you the next Julia Child? Take your passion for cooking and create menus and meals for others.  Personal chefs  can charge per meal or day and specialize in niched segments like vegetarian diets and gluten-free. I’ve used a couple of local chefs, and both parties promoted their services in a local Facebook Group. 

60. Personal Concierge

A  personal concierge  is a detail-oriented, home-based professional that offers professional and personal assistance by completing tasks such as arranging meetings, planning corporate events, purchasing gifts or tickets, making reservations, dog walking, and paying bills. The services that you can provide are endless, and all depend on your specific niche, experience, and what tasks you enjoy doing. 

61. Personal Shopper

Do you love to shop? Offer your shopping services to others by searching for the best deals and then purchasing items online or in-store. This will save your client a ton of time; you can even offer to gift wrap presents for an additional charge. Sites like  Stitch Fix  and Short Story offer home-based shopping gigs — head over to their career pages to learn more.

62. Personal Trainer

If you enjoy helping people achieve their weight loss and fitness goals, working as a personal trainer might be your thing. You should be certified, obtain professional training, or have a degree in health sciences or kinesiology so that you can incorporate diet and exercise into your training. To connect with potential clients, you can use an app like Bark or  Fiverr . 

63. Pet Sitter and Dog Walker

Do you love animals?  Pet sitters  care for people’s pets while they are on vacation and business trips – everything from feeding, walking, cleaning, grooming, pampering, and loving. If you’re not interested in starting a business from scratch, you can use an app like  Rover  or Wag! to connect with clients who need your pet care services. 

64. Pharmacist

If you’re a  pharmacist but you’re tired of working in a drugstore or hospital setting, there are many work at home options for you to consider. Positions include centralized order entry, remote order entry, screening, and verification, as well as providing telehealth services. Companies that frequently hire remote pharmacists include CVS, Walgreens, and PipelineRx.

65. Pharmacy Tech

Just like pharmacists, pharmacy technicians can also work from home! Check out companies like Symbria, CVS, and Cigna to find these remote roles. Most of these positions are location-dependent, so keep that in mind when you’re searching.

66. Photographer

Do you have a distinguishing eye? Then use your talent to  take photos for others  – family photos, kids, pets, weddings, special events, and professional headshots. Need more ideas? Here is a  list of stock photo sites  where you can sell your photos for cash.

67. Physician

If you’re a doctor and you still enjoy practicing medicine, there are many work at home career ideas for you to explore. From  telemedicine  and medical record review to education, research, and clinician positions, you have the option of working full-time or part-time hours. To find these remote jobs, check out companies like Wheel, Included Health, and Found. 

68. Professional Organizer

Are you organized?  Professional organizers  help others organize their homes and offices, resulting in a more functional environment, increased productivity, and decreased stress and chaos. Want to get more specific? Help individuals organize their digital photos, otherwise known as  photo organizers . With this idea, you can start your own business or join a franchise opportunity like Neat Method. 

69. Project Manager

Are you good at managing people and projects? Then, assist others with managing projects from start to finish. This role will encompass planning, developing, budgeting, accessing, and controlling the overall outcome of the project.  FlexJobs  has a good list of remote, part-time, and freelance project management jobs.

70. Proofreader or Editor

Have a keen eye for catching typos and spelling, and grammatical errors? If so, becoming a proofreader  or editor might be the perfect work-at-home idea for you. In these roles, you can work as a freelancer or a W2 employee. Some companies will require you have a bachelor’s or master’s degree, while others just make you pass a proficiency exam. For companies that hire editors and proofreaders, check into Express Writers, Forbes, and Cambridge Proofreading and Editing. 

71. Public Relations Professional

Do you have excellent communication and marketing skills? Are you persistent?  PR professionals  help individuals and companies secure media exposure on TV, radio, in newspapers, online, and in print publications. PR professionals can work for a marketing or PR agency as an employee, or they can venture out on their own a start a small PR firm from their homes. 

72. Real Estate Agent

Are you organized and enjoy sales? Do know your geographic area well?  Real estate agents  help clients buy and sell homes. Training takes around 150 hours of coursework, but often it can be done at home, at night, or on the weekends. As a real estate agent, you’ll make money from your commission on home sales which can be quite lucrative. 

73. Recruiter

Assist companies with finding the best and most qualified applicants for a job. Recruiters assist with finding, interviewing, negotiating, and developing a strategic plan to fill vacant positions within a company. These positions usually offer a base salary plus commission for the successful placement of a worker. Recruiters tend to spend a lot of time on the phone, so if you don’t enjoy working with people, this is not the career for you. To learn more, check out this  informative article . 

74. Reseller

Do you love garage sales and thrift stores? Are you good at finding a diamond in the rough? Then take mildly used and unwanted goods and make some additional money by flipping them and selling them online. Don’t think you can make good money doing this? This husband and wife team  earned over $130K last year by flipping items on eBay. For more details on becoming a reseller, check out  these tips . 

75. Resume Writer

If you’re an excellent writer who is well-versed in the career nice, becoming a resume writer is a great way to work from home. Professional resume writers use words and proper formatting to create a powerful image to sell a job seeker to a potential employer. To become a resume writer, you can take an online course and become certified. Some resume writers are also certified career coaches and can offer career coaching as an additional service to clients. In these roles, you can work as a W2 employee or freelancer, or you can start your own business. 

76. Sales Representative

Are you outgoing, motivated, and energetic? Sales representatives sell a variety of products and services in varying settings. This can be an excellent entry-level job, as many companies are willing to train the right individual, and compensation can be very lucrative. As a sales rep, you’ll likely earn a base salary plus commission. However, some positions are straight commission, so if you don’t make any sales, you don’t earn any money. You can check out NexRep and Concentrix for entry-level sales roles and companies like Salesforce and Lincoln Financial Group for experienced positions. 

77. Seamstress

Is sewing your passion? Help individuals with making their garments fit and look perfect. Specialize in a niche like wedding alterations or formal wear. You can use sites like Thumbtack to connect with potential customers. As a seamstress, you can also create and sell patterns online.  This post  has more ideas for people who enjoy sewing and crafting. 

78. Search Engine Evaluator

Becoming a search engine evaluator might be your calling if you’re tech-savvy, detail-oriented, and up on current trends. In these roles, you’ll work as an independent contractor and conduct search queries for search engines to help determine if the search results are relevant. To work as a search engine evaluator, you’ll need to pass a preliminary exam which I’ve heard is quite challenging. If this sounds interesting, you can learn more in  this article . 

79. SEO Consultant

Do you speak Google? Take your knowledge of search engine optimization and assist business owners and bloggers with driving more traffic to their websites. In this position, you can work as a W2 employee or freelancer, or you can start your own consulting business. To become an SEO consultant, check out  this article  for details. 

80. Short Task Provider

If you’re a student, parent, or caretaker, and you only have small pockets of time in your day to complete work,  short tasks  are the perfect option! As a short task provider, you’ll work on mini-tasks that may involve making a phone call, transcription, writing, data entry, verification, research, or something completely different. To start working on short tasks, check out  Appen  or  TELUS International . 

81. Social Media Marketer

Are you a fan of social networking sites like Facebook, Twitter,  Pinterest , TikTok, and Instagram? Then you may be ready to launch your own home-based career in one of the fastest-growing professions right now as a  social media marketer . Some companies may require you to have a marketing degree; others just care about your social media skills and experience. As a social media marketer, you can work as a W2 employee, a freelancer, or you can start your own business. For entry-level social media roles, check out SocialBee, $99 Social, and ModSquad. 

82. Social Worker

Believe it or not, social workers can also work from home! These roles generally require workers to be on the phone and have an active license. If you don’t mind being on the phone, then check out VocoVision, Wheel, or The Trevor Project. Positions include both W2 and independent contracting roles. Depending on your qualifications, you may be able to start a  counseling business  from your home. 

83. Software Developer

Can you read and write code? Then help companies create programs and applications to better serve their clients. As a software developer, you can work for big tech companies, and you can freelance or even start your own consulting firm. 

84. Speaker

Do you have the gift to motivate and inspire people? Are you an expert in your field? Then take your knowledge and expertise and speak to groups  about how they can make improvements in their life. As a public speaker, you’ll generally be working as a business owner, and your first speaking appearances will likely be unpaid. But as you gain recognition and experience, you can start charging for your appearances. You may even be able to use a site like eSpeakers to connect with potential clients. 

85. Tax Preparer

Did you know that you don’t need to be a certified public account (CPA) to become a tax preparer? If you enjoy working with numbers and willing to learn the ropes, you can work from home as a tax preparer. As a  tax preparer , most of your work will be seasonal, but some tax preparers earn enough money from their busy season to cover expenses for the rest of the year. If you have a bookkeeping business, this may be an excellent add-on service. To find out if being a tax preparer is the right career path for you, check out this  free training  from the Bookkeepers. 

86. Teacher 

If you have a bachelor’s degree and teacher’s certification, there are many companies that hire teachers to teach online in a variety of subjects and grades. To locate these jobs, check out companies like Amplify, Stride, and Connections Academy. 

87. Tech Support 

If your expertise is technology, there are a wide variety of tech companies that will hire you to provide  tech support  services from home. Some companies to check out include Asurion, AdviseTech, and OneSupport. 

88. Test Scorer

Do you enjoy reading? Do you have a bachelor’s degree? If so, you can work part-time reading and  scoring student essays  and exams. These gigs tend to be seasonal, with most opportunities happening between March and June. If this sounds like the perfect work-from-home job for you, check out Measurement Incorporated, Write Score, and ETS. 

89. Transcriber

Do you have excellent listening skills? Are you a fast typist? Help businesses  transcribe audio files  into written documents. Companies like  Rev  and  TranscribeMe  hire freelance transcriptionists. Interested in becoming a transcriber? Be sure to check out Janet Shaughnessy’s free transcription course .

90. Translator

Are you fluent in more than one language? Translate documents, correspondence, meetings, and phone calls for companies that deal with multi-lingual populations.  This article  has everything you need to know and companies that hire for these work-at-home positions.

91. Travel Planner

Take the stress out of someone’s day by offering  travel planning  services. Search for the cheapest holiday flights, car rentals, and hotel accommodations; you can even add extras in, like things to do and see while they’re visiting another part of the country. As a travel planner or agent, you can work as a W2 employee, freelancer, or business owner, where you’ll earn a commission on the travel you book for clients. 

Are you a math whiz? Do you speak a second language?  Tutoring  can be a wonderful home-based business opportunity, especially for those people who have extensive knowledge of a subject, such as a college student who is majoring in math, a school teacher, or a person who is fluent in a foreign language. Companies like  Studypool ,  Cambly , and Course Hero hire individuals to teach various subjects to students. These positions are generally independent contracting roles, so they’re a good way to earn extra money. 

93. Virtual Assistant

Do you like to help people? Are you good at administrative tasks? A  virtual assistant  (VA) is a highly-skilled, home-based professional that offers companies and businesses administrative, technical, and social assistance. The services that you can provide are endless, and all depend on your background training and experience. As a virtual assistant, you can work as a W2 employee for a company like Boldly, as a freelancer for a company like  BELAY , or venture out on your own by starting a business. 

94. Video Editor

With the rise of content creators and video platforms, video editors are in high demand. If you have the knowledge and expertise to edit videos, you can make good money online. As a video editor, you can freelance, start your own business, or find W2 employment. Check out BuzzFeed and Doing Things Media for job openings. 

95. Video Producer

Do you love the film industry? Take your filming skills, and assist small businesses with creating marketing commercials, short films, documentaries, and more. As a video producer, you can choose to freelance or find remote W2 employment. 

96. Voice Actor

Have you been told that you have a great voice? Are you an extrovert with a creative flair? If so, becoming a voice actor or  audiobook narrator  might be your calling. As a voice actor, you’ll work as an independent contractor. To find voice acting jobs online, check into ACX, Backstage, and BunnyStudio. 

97. Web Developer

Do you understand HTML, CSS, PHP, Java, and SEO? Take your techie skills and assist individuals and companies with creating websites, making modifications, and fixing glitches. You can find web programming positions online on freelance marketplaces like Upwork or Fiverr, or you can start your business. 

98. Website Tester

Do you enjoy testing out new apps and searching the web? If so, you can make extra money testing websites and apps from home. Most tests take between 10-20 minutes and pay around $10-$20 per test. No special skills are needed to apply for these gigs, but the more detailed your answers, the more likely you’ll be invited to do more testing.

For a list of companies that hire website testers,  look at this list . 

99. YouTube Content Creator

If you enjoy creating informative video tutorials, you can cash in as a  YouTube content creator . To earn advertising revenue from YouTube, you’ll need at least 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 hours of watch time in one year. As a YouTube creator, you can make money through advertising, YouTube’s creator fund, affiliate marketing, and paid sponsorships. Some YouTube creators make millions, like  Judy Travis !

What Skills and Education Do You Need to Work From Home? 

For entry-level jobs like customer service and data entry, you’ll need a high school diploma or GED, excellent communication skills, and basic computer skills. You’ll need a college degree for other remote occupations like engineering, journalism, computer science, and nursing. 

If you’re checking out new career options, volunteering, conducting informational interviews , and taking courses are excellent ways to explore new fields. 

No matter where you’re at on your job search, make your resume or CV stand out by adding the right keywords from the job listing so that your resume makes it past ATS (applicant tracking software). Today, most companies use ATS to scan resumes for the right skills, experience, and education. 

Remember, your resume isn’t a list of tasks you did at your past jobs; it’s a persuasive document highlighting your best skills, experience, and education, proving you’re the best candidate for the job! 

Of course, your career choices don’t stop with traditional 9-to-5 jobs. With advances in technology, anyone can start a business from home! All you need is the right mindset, some free time, and a willingness to work hard. And yes, there are many ways to start a business without money ! 

Remote Career Ideas For Women

There you have it, 99 work at home career ideas for women! 

Whether you’re looking for more flexibility, higher earnings, job growth, or better job security, there is something for everybody on this list. 

If you’re unsure which job ideas are best suited for your personality, skills, and education, reach out to others who work in the industry you’re interested in. Getting a real-life perspective can help you determine if an occupation is ideal for you and your overall life and career goals. You can also use a site like Robert Half to search by skills instead of occupation. Often people have the skills to do a job, but don’t know that certain occupations exist.

Need help with your career plan? Check out the Work From Home Career Planner ! 

Did any of these work at home career ideas pique your interest? Are you looking for a job, or do you want to start a business? Drop us a note; we’d love to hear from you!

Originally published March 23, 2011. Content updated August 2022.

Find a Remote Job That You Love

Fast-track your remote job search with this FREE 5-Day Work From Home Starter Guide and quickly land a work from home job that you LOVE! Job leads are for US residents.

About the Author

Holly Reisem Hanna

Holly Reisem Hanna is a former nurse who decided to start a blog to make money from home while caring for her daughter. Since its inception in 2009, The Work at Home Woman has helped millions of readers find legitimate work at home jobs and business ideas. Under Holly's guidance, The Work at Home Woman was named one of the best websites for your career by Forbes two years in a row. Holly graduated from the University of Texas and has been featured in Yahoo Finance, Woman’s World Magazine, CNN, and many others.

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188 comments.

January 19, 2022 at 11:55 am

I really like the 99+ ideas relating to online jobs women can indulge in…I equally like writing and am in need of an online job related to typing and writing..thank you

January 20, 2022 at 8:00 am

Glad you enjoyed the list of ideas!

Take a look at these articles for writing anf typing jobs”

https://www.theworkathomewoman.com/paid-writing-gigs/

https://www.theworkathomewoman.com/typing-jobs/

https://www.theworkathomewoman.com/data-entry-jobs/

November 7, 2021 at 1:41 am

Thank you so much for this list. Not only does it offer solutions, it also gives hope, which is the fuel that a struggling mom needs. I am considering a major life change after 25 years. I have been living overseas in a unique situation and I feel that between these unique experiences as well life itself, I a lot to offer. My issue, however, is focus. What to do?? I feel like I don’t have the time to try different things out; I have to choose something and stick with it. This pressure prevents me from knowing what to do. I appreciate the focus that you have given in a complicated situation.

November 7, 2021 at 6:25 am

I’m glad you enjoyed the list.

Figuring out what to do is often the biggest hurdle if finding a career you’re passionate book. I suggest doing a deep dive into your skills, experience, passion, and strengths. This post has some good tips for figuring it out: https://www.theworkathomewoman.com/finding-your-career-path/

Good luck and keep me posted!

November 2, 2019 at 3:31 am

Great list. #36 graphics designing is a great opportunity for creative people. I used to work as a graphics designer for small firms while studying.

November 2, 2019 at 4:01 pm

Glad you enjoyed the list!

Graphic design is a great skill to have — so many people need designers!

Thanks for stopping by!

September 6, 2019 at 4:04 pm

Hi Holly! If there are any other work from home women like myself who have a writing background, there is an awesome freelance writing opportunity with an online company called Ultius, Inc. I love writing with them because it is remote (I work from home or from my local Starbucks) and I make my own hours. If you get contracted with them, you are given access to lists of available projects and you can see how much you will earn on each project and when it is due before you decide to take it on. I love it! I have made meaningful professional relationships with my editors and with repeat clients. I highly recommend it for anyone who has experience writing and who wants to write from home! :-)

September 8, 2019 at 6:18 pm

Thanks for sharing, Emily!

June 14, 2019 at 10:46 am

Focus Forward Transcription is looking for independent contractor transcribers . Audio ranges from focus groups, to medical, academic, legal and files for the entertainment industry. Typical compensation is $0.40 to $0.65 per audio minute with audio that is around 5 to 30 minutes in length. Bi-weekly pay through PayPal. You can apply online and you usually get a response to your completed test within a couple days.

http://bit.ly/FFtranscription

April 27, 2019 at 6:04 am

I’m in service but want to start a side business. want to do work from home. If you have any details of cabi cloth business, want to join the same, please help.

April 28, 2019 at 6:35 pm

Where are you located? Cabi is available in the US, UK, and Canada.

March 1, 2019 at 1:48 pm

Hello! Thank you for this resource; there are a lot of good ideas here! I just have one comment: I am a doula, and I think it is inaccurate to list doula as a work from home job. It requires several inconsistent and unpredictable hours away from home, which is why I am looking for other sources of income. But that is just my perspective!

March 1, 2019 at 3:26 pm

We have it listed because it’s a home-based business that you run from home, but, yes, you’ll have to go out to assist your clients at all hours of the day/night.

You as a Doula could start a blog, offer to coach to other Doulas, create a course, or of course; you can do something unrelated to the field.

December 18, 2018 at 1:13 am

Hi, my name is Rahila. I have a part-time job. Pls, help me. Just completed my graduation and I have no money so you can get the job at home.

December 18, 2018 at 12:26 pm

These articles will give you a great place to start your WAH job search:

https://www.theworkathomewoman.com/right-job/

https://www.theworkathomewoman.com/wah-jobs/

https://www.theworkathomewoman.com/best-work-from-home-jobs/

https://www.theworkathomewoman.com/work-home-jobs-location/

November 10, 2018 at 9:36 am

As a young self-employed mum of 1, I have struggled with getting some sort of balance. I also at times say no to social events to avoid being tired on the weekends, when I like to enjoy walks and Pilates (and squeezing in a little work here and there)- I have felt guilty about not attending social engagements up until recently when my business really started to kick off, now I know I am making all the right decisions and doing what I love, all the time!

Have just stumbled across your site and LOVE it! Have found so much useful info as a social media manager and consultant- will continue to be a reader for sure.

Thanks again,

November 11, 2018 at 4:45 pm

So glad that you’re enjoying the content!

Congrats on your business success too!

August 26, 2018 at 2:24 pm

I have interest in fashion designing

August 27, 2018 at 11:29 am

Take a look at these posts — they have some great information on being a fashion designer:

https://www.theworkathomewoman.com/clothing-line/

https://www.theworkathomewoman.com/interview-sheena-edwards/

August 9, 2018 at 12:35 pm

I’m a student.I want earn money by doing something.I don’t have any idea about business. what can I do? please help me. (I’m a Bangladeshi girl)

August 10, 2018 at 8:58 am

The Work at Home Woman is geared toward U.S. residents.

Please check out this post for international listings: https://www.theworkathomewoman.com/worldwide-work-from-home-jobs/

Good luck on your job hunt!

August 2, 2018 at 1:37 pm

I love your ideas ideas and have just started to implement them! Holly, I would really like your opinion on the below company that I just came on board with. Free is the key word with CTFO(CBD products).

http://www.mrcllc.myctfocbd.com/

If I am off base, please let me know but your valued opinion will be appreciated.

God bless, Craig

July 22, 2018 at 1:27 pm

I want to become a tutor.

July 23, 2018 at 8:55 am

Check out this link: https://www.theworkathomewoman.com/tutoring/

July 14, 2018 at 3:58 pm

Hi!!I started to research about working on the internet and wanted ideas to get on my blog … I intend to work with ideas of jobs for women that are at home … could I get a name for the blog that attracted this female audience? Thanks ;)

July 16, 2018 at 1:14 pm

If you’re ready to start a blog, this post can get you going: https://www.theworkathomewoman.com/setup-blog/

And this post talks about how to choose a domain name: https://www.theworkathomewoman.com/choosing-domain-name-remember/

June 28, 2018 at 4:46 am

I’d recommend starting a t-shirt business. It requires minimum investment and if you can create good prints then the chances of success can increase. It’s very easy to start an online shop these days.

June 28, 2018 at 7:49 am

That’s a great idea!

We have a post on how to start a t-shirt business for free: https://www.theworkathomewoman.com/make-money-designing-tshirts/

June 13, 2018 at 6:31 pm

I am now a mother. I want to work again but I also want to fully attend my baby while growing. Thanks to this article. I now have a lot of ideas. Now, I think that I can be a better mom and earn money at the same time.

June 13, 2018 at 12:32 am

Cake business is good. I’m doing it for a while and also I arrange Cake making sessions where I teach other ladies and young girls to make cake at home and also earn.

June 14, 2018 at 7:51 am

That’s great, Ankita!

July 5, 2018 at 7:28 am

Hi ankita, This is pratiksha from here I would like to connect with you to know more about cake baking business ? I’m a new mom also so I want to do work from home. Can you please guide me

February 4, 2018 at 8:08 am

Love the list here! It’s difficult to go out to increase our household income, especially when my kids are home schooled. I tried doing crafts but I guess you need to be patient enough to gain the skills and be good enough with it. Right now I’m doing online selling on amazon and hoping for the best. https://tinyurl.com/y7pukxjz for those who are starting out with online selling.

P.s. im trying out a lot of the stuff on your list and they are really great, so thanks!

February 4, 2018 at 9:06 am

Glad you enjoyed the list of ideas, Ann.

November 26, 2018 at 4:27 pm

Hello can you share some information how you started selling on Amazon?

November 27, 2018 at 8:17 am

Check out these articles for getting started on Amazon:

https://www.theworkathomewoman.com/amazon-work-at-home-jobs/

https://www.theworkathomewoman.com/amazons-fba/

Good luck and keep us posted!

January 7, 2018 at 1:05 pm

Great List Holly! I own a women’s boutique in Connecticut and still in the struggle stage however, I am looking for ways to supplement my income in order to sustain my business. Thanks for sharing all these wonderful ideas. I am going to get started right away with the ones that I find suitable…which me luck!

January 8, 2018 at 7:32 am

Glad you enjoyed the list of ideas! Good luck!

January 25, 2019 at 4:15 pm

Hi, I really think you should start-up a women’s boutique in Dallas Texas. I think that a lot of people would love to buy your apparel.

September 7, 2017 at 10:20 pm

Great list! I work as a Survey Taker and Singer from home. I enjoy writing and look forward to starting a freelance writing career. If you have any advice for me I am open to it. I am a beginner. I write poetry, songs and enjoy topics on family and entertainment such as movies.

August 27, 2017 at 1:26 pm

I have been in Automotive Purchasing for 20 years and I truly believe there in as need for virtual Purchasing. I just don’t know how to go about it. This sit is amazing and is making me very excited to push forward.

August 28, 2017 at 8:02 am

Hmm, that’s not an area I know much about. Have you tried looking at FlexJobs? Here is some additional info on FlexJobs: https://www.theworkathomewoman.com/find-legitimate-work-at-home-jobs/

August 15, 2017 at 8:51 pm

I am a recent college graduate currently working for a bank in the Nashville, TN area. I like my job but I would like to start my own business someday doing something I love and actually have fun while doing it. I’m really into fashion and beauty. I just don’t know what to do and I need some ideas :(

August 16, 2017 at 9:08 am

Check out these posts:

https://www.theworkathomewoman.com/home-based-business-fashion/

https://www.theworkathomewoman.com/free-fashion-boutique/

https://www.theworkathomewoman.com/beauty-makeup-lovers/

https://www.theworkathomewoman.com/blogging-career-fashion-beauty/

August 10, 2017 at 11:26 am

What a great list I have read many lists like this but I have never seen Social share and chef line, ones to have a look into. Many thanks for sharing this.

August 14, 2017 at 8:44 am

Glad you enjoyed the ideas, Mark.

July 24, 2017 at 8:48 am

I am finding a difficult time in using these online ways of making money because most of them are for the people that are in USA and I am in south Africa, Please help me

July 25, 2017 at 7:14 am

June 20, 2017 at 11:24 am

What a great resource I can point my readers to! There are literally hundreds of ways to make money from home – from a home based job to running a home based business, and all else in between.

Keep writing these great posts Holly!

June 22, 2017 at 7:50 am

Thanks, Corrisa! Glad you enjoyed the list!

June 17, 2017 at 9:16 pm

Definitely worth the read – lots of great ideas here. I think that the best business women have a mix of income sources to build their empire! Good post.

June 19, 2017 at 7:13 am

Glad you enjoyed the list, Meghan!

June 1, 2017 at 7:14 am

I love doing transcription and being a virtual assistant. These are easy to learn skills that anyone can master and start making money from home.

June 1, 2017 at 9:03 am

Thanks for sharing your experience, Virginia.

May 26, 2017 at 12:31 am

I am gonna start an organisation for work from home women. Organisation like allotting work to them in Digital Marketing Side. So can you suggest an idea form your end. And the name of the organisation must be like?

February 20, 2017 at 7:51 am

This is such a great list, and while I know it is older, I can see that virtually all of it would still apply. Not just to women either!

February 20, 2017 at 8:09 am

Glad you enjoyed the list, Faith!

January 24, 2017 at 11:30 pm

Such an interesting list, thank you!

I am from Cape Town South Africa, unfortunately I had to give up my extremely stressful job up of 18 years due to ill health (caused by stress), but due to the current economic situation in SA, I am finding it extremely difficult finding work despite my experience and also my age is counting against me (58 years).

I have taken the opportunity to take one of your listings on bookkeeping and have signed up to do the free course, do you think it will be beneficial for me to do it despite being in South Africa and the course based in the US?

Thanks once again :)

January 25, 2017 at 7:12 am

The training is 100 percent online, so location is not a barrier. And running your own bookkeeping can be done from anywhere in the world. Good luck and keep us posted!

December 15, 2016 at 10:37 am

This is a great article, thank you for sharing. This list is very helpful, especially for those who are trying to begin their work from home career, it’s a great starting point.

What I realized with working from home and making money online is that the more people you genuinely help, the more money you end up making. Helping others to succeed will create you a large following of loyal customers. If you are sick of failing in this industry, frustrated with not getting any results or making sales, or having issues generating quality traffic, please contact me at: [email protected]

December 16, 2016 at 7:47 am

Hi Deb, That is so true. The more helpful you can be, the better results you’ll have. Thanks for stopping by!

October 26, 2016 at 8:34 pm

How about Cell Phone Repair, Can start a home base business on your kitchen table. Everybody you know has a cell phone. All your friends, family, neighbors on facebook, twitter, etc.

October 27, 2016 at 1:19 pm

Hey John, This company allows you to do just that: http://info.icracked.com/apply

September 4, 2016 at 11:08 pm

This is really incredible! Your experience speaks for itself! I love the selling to the the higher-end consumer. Providing a high-end consumer knowledge and power (ease of using your service that’s mobile driven) is huge.

August 18, 2016 at 5:49 am

This is awesome. It really gives me an idea of what home based work I can do. Thank you so much for posting this article.

August 13, 2016 at 6:11 pm

I would like to write cards I love poetry and laughter what companies can I work for from home with my own schedule

August 14, 2016 at 9:44 am

This post has some opportunities: https://www.theworkathomewoman.com/paid-writing-gigs/

July 22, 2016 at 10:09 am

Was just going through these different ways to make money. It’s amazing how many people complain they can’t make money online but there really is so many ways to get it done. Thanks for the eye opener. I’ve been doing it since 2002 so I know it’s possible for anyone!

July 3, 2016 at 1:35 am

With havin so much content do you ever run into any problems of plagorism or copyright violation? My site has a lot of completely unique content I’ve either created myself or outsourced but it looks like a lot oof it is popping it up all ober the internet without my permission. Do you know any solutions to help stop contejt from being stolen? I’d truly appreciate it.

July 4, 2016 at 9:05 am

Yes, I have that problem all the time. Here are some things that you can do, Rosaline: https://www.theworkathomewoman.com/what-should-you-do-when-someone-steals-your-content/

June 5, 2016 at 9:59 pm

Just letting you know the ‘craftsy’ link is broken and ‘craftStar’ link goes to a blog interview but not the ‘craftStar’ itself. Great helpful article though! Thanks :-)

June 11, 2016 at 10:15 am

Thanks — I’ll get that corrected. Glad you enjoyed the list, Ellie.

May 30, 2016 at 1:49 pm

I really appreciate all the hard work you put into this list. I never knew there were so many options. I have worked my entire life and am currently a undergrad in Business MGMT/Healthcare. In 2014, my 20 yr old son became a quadriplegic. For the first time, in many years, I am a stay at home mom. At 38, I have spent too many years being independent to feel comfortable relying on my husband. You have given me hope and a starting point. Thank you

May 31, 2016 at 8:18 am

Glad you enjoyed the list, Tara!

May 12, 2016 at 9:55 am

One more idea for woman…. register has a private home chef on http://www.miummium.com there is over 11 000 chef at home available on that website… so if you are a foodie… just become a personal chef.

May 13, 2016 at 7:46 am

Thanks for sharing, Joseph! This one is new to me, I’ll have to check it out further.

April 22, 2016 at 5:38 am

Hi Holly …. Good article thanks…. I want to start a beauty parlor but I don’t know much about it please help me … Give some suggestions….

April 22, 2016 at 11:40 am

Hi Sony, FabJob has a guide on how to become a salon owner, may be worth checking out: http://bit.ly/1qGw517 Good Luck!

April 14, 2016 at 7:23 am

Hi Holly,…. thanks for the list… am looking for some part time job, like filling forms or typing some contents… am located in India…. can you suggest me some companies name who offers this kind of jobs ??? … waiting for your valuable response.

April 14, 2016 at 11:43 am

Hi Shree, Check out this post — it’s a great place to start your work-at-home job search: https://www.theworkathomewoman.com/right-job/ Good luck!

April 14, 2016 at 11:53 am

Thanks Holly

April 14, 2016 at 11:59 am

You’re welcome, Shree =)

April 3, 2016 at 6:38 pm

Now, please make one for men. If you may. Thank you in advance, and I love to try some Ideas already.

April 5, 2016 at 10:16 am

Hi Alex, This list is good for both men and women alike. Good luck!

March 15, 2016 at 1:42 pm

I am a rep at PawTree.com/special. I have did well by selling products to dog owners. It’s easy, I just visit dog parks with samples and hand out order forms. PawTree.com/special has a special going on until March 31, you can start for just $1 at pawtree.com/special. Most direct sale companies charge much more to get started, so this is something you can start with little investment. Make sure you choose sponsor spectacular at checkout.

March 16, 2016 at 12:09 pm

Thanks for sharing, Bridgett!

March 15, 2016 at 2:51 am

Great ideas,Holly can you give me more tips about writing blogs. .i would like to do something i am good… kids and kive reading and writing. Thank you

March 15, 2016 at 12:12 pm

Glad you enjoyed the list! Here is some more information on blogging: https://www.theworkathomewoman.com/blogging/ Good luck and keep us posted!

March 14, 2016 at 2:52 pm

How do I set out to be an advisor/speaker. I want to do more for others than myself and make profits at home. Need more help please! Thanks

March 15, 2016 at 12:41 pm

Here’s a good article on the profession: http://www.forbes.com/sites/dorieclark/2013/06/10/how-to-become-a-successful-professional-speaker/#199e4267326f

March 5, 2016 at 10:44 pm

I work for a large organisation and am tired of traveling to work and not doing the things I want to do. Im not sure where to start. The things I am interested in are: Event planner book keeping mistroty shopper hand made invites Home Stager Internet researcher Meal planer expert Dog Breader Project Manager Professional Organiser Wedding planner.

March 6, 2016 at 3:07 pm

Hi Amanda, This article will give you a great place to start: https://www.theworkathomewoman.com/right-job/

February 28, 2016 at 2:54 am

Mintvine is a great way to make a little money at home is thru online surveys.. Super was do them when you want .. no commitment money goes right into a paypal account you won’t get rich but you can earn money for a date night or two ;)

February 17, 2016 at 3:19 pm

I’m interested in one that I read about posting links online.Could some one let Me kno which one it was….Thank You

February 18, 2016 at 8:51 am

Hi Stephanie, That sort of “work” is generally a scam. You buy into the program and they teach you how to scam others out of their money by “posting links online”.

This article will give you a great place to start your work-at-home job search: https://www.theworkathomewoman.com/right-job/

Good luck and keep us posted.

February 5, 2016 at 12:06 pm

thanks for the list of things to do from home. excellent suggestions i will help my mom so much

February 5, 2016 at 12:19 pm

Glad you enjoyed the ideas, Nikita!

December 31, 2015 at 1:01 am

Hi holly I need a part time job And I am an south Indian from Karantaka . .would you plz suggest me the best job . . .

December 30, 2015 at 3:18 pm

Hi,I just wanted to know that I want some online work to do from home like typing.plz help me.

December 7, 2015 at 12:48 pm

Good article!, i think 14, 23. . . is the best option for women. I am doing typing

November 25, 2015 at 1:35 pm

What an AMAZING list of different ideas. Anybody looking for an idea to make more money would be able to find something that interested them from this list. It is great that you also added the links to help ease the search for more information.

Thank you for this post!

November 28, 2015 at 8:23 am

Glad you enjoyed the list, Addi.

November 4, 2015 at 5:04 pm

I think it’s very empowering for a stay-at-home-mom (or anyone, for that matter)to know that there are more than 100 ways to make extra money from home or even create a full-time income. I say “more than 100” because, as extensive as your list is, it certainly did not cover all the possibilities.

October 5, 2015 at 1:32 pm

This is a fabulous list Holly! There really are so many opportunities out there for women to be able to do work they love from home. The hard part is having to pick only one! :)

October 5, 2015 at 2:46 pm

I keep finding new career ideas all the time! I probably should update this list to 150 WAH ideas. Glad you enjoyed it, Christina!

September 26, 2015 at 5:11 am

This is a nice and interesting post, Holly. Great work on this one. After reading this, it has broaden my perspective with regards to being a work-at-home entrepreneur. And it is good to know that this is not just applicabble to women, but also, applicable for men. Cheers!

September 28, 2015 at 8:44 am

Glad you enjoyed the list, Dave!

September 7, 2015 at 10:10 pm

Hi I am working in financial organisation and really frustrated with my work. i have no more intrest in this work now so i want to start my business in which i can use my creativity. can you please suggest some thing.

September 8, 2015 at 7:57 am

What kind of work would you like to do?

September 15, 2015 at 12:50 am

I would like to open my boutique, but I don’t have much knowlgde about this. But I am pretty sure that I can do good in this.

September 15, 2015 at 1:47 pm

Here are a couple of posts to help you on your journey:

https://www.theworkathomewoman.com/best-products-sell-home/

August 26, 2015 at 11:07 am

Hi am looking for a job

August 26, 2015 at 12:36 pm

What type of work are you looking for?

August 24, 2015 at 4:01 am

Do these these things really work. Somebody email me plz. Thanks

August 26, 2015 at 12:35 pm

Yes, these are legit occupations. What sort of work at home job are you looking for?

January 13, 2016 at 7:14 pm

I would like to do medical transcription is it as I have healthcare management experience. Please advise of how to get in the door of at home employment.

August 8, 2017 at 1:15 am

July 30, 2015 at 12:15 am

I use Swagbucks and have made over $1200 so far. Enjoy!

December 27, 2016 at 12:19 am

How do you get started ?

June 29, 2015 at 4:42 pm

I’ve been given a lot of advice. Thank you. I’m just wondering if anyone knows of reputable companies that are suitable for myself. I worked all my life but due to illness I need to work from home. My email is [email protected] . God bless you all.

June 19, 2015 at 5:36 am

Hi Holly, Thanks 4 sharing dat great knowledge.I am already baking cakes,I’d like to start home made wine.pliz advice. Thanks in advance.

June 19, 2015 at 8:47 am

You should check out the Traveling Vineyard: http://www.travelingvineyard.com/home-based-business/

May 27, 2015 at 10:29 am

If your looking to work from home; I been with this company since 2012 and we are looking to hire individuals that want work online and be paid for just doing simple tasks for the company. I am making a living doing this only for a couple hours a day. I never spent any money to start working with them; and they pay me every Tuesday, if you would like more details on how to get started e-mail me at [email protected]

June 12, 2016 at 2:13 am

I’D LIKE TO GET MORE INFO ON THEWORKATHOMEWOMAN DOING SMALL TASKS FOR COMPANIES THAT PAY EVERY TUESDAYS

June 12, 2016 at 1:16 pm

Hi Isabell, This article covers short task opportunities: https://www.theworkathomewoman.com/short-task-sites/

December 26, 2016 at 11:55 pm

I would love to know more about this!! My email [email protected]

March 21, 2015 at 1:30 pm

May I know more about Tutoring Transcriber@Medical transcriptionist.Thank you for your such a valuable vast information .

March 20, 2015 at 4:21 pm

I have been pouring over your website and wondering if there are any companies buying ungraded researched papers written by college graduates?

March 15, 2015 at 3:37 pm

Wow! Thanks for the ideas and i wish I could do all of them. You really helped me and i have an idea now. Thank you so much

March 11, 2015 at 6:34 am

I do a paid for surveys site and I make around $300 a month. It won’t make you rich but it covers my electric and water bill lol. It’s really not hard.

March 6, 2015 at 1:17 am

After trying several home based opportunities, medical transcription has been the only thing that made me money. :)

January 13, 2016 at 7:09 pm

How did you go about getting clientele? I have Healthcare management (revenue cycle). Did you just send letters out to doctor’s offices requesting.

February 6, 2015 at 11:11 am

Hello, this is very helpful actually i am looking work home for my mother so can you please help me , she need some hand work at home.she dont know about internet ,so can u help me home work , this is my mail i.d [email protected] you can revert back on me this mail i.d .

thanking you

January 23, 2015 at 3:06 am

Very impressive list! My personal favorite: 3. Affiliate Marketing, because once you set it up it can be fully automated.

December 19, 2014 at 9:42 am

This list looks so helpful. I would like to be an Internet Researcher #46. Can you suggest me how to find jobs relating to internet research……

December 19, 2014 at 12:32 pm

I’m actually writing a more in depth article about becoming an Internet Researcher — stay tuned.

December 11, 2014 at 7:52 pm

Calling all legging lovers! I’m looking for some ambitious ladies to join my team with Buskins Legendary Leggings. Buskins is a brand new, ground floor company. There’s no quotas to reach, no website or monthly fees, no crazy compensation plans to reach advancement. Sell as much or as little as you want! Keep stock on hand or sell completely online. Opportunity with us is limitless! Plus a free pair of leggings with your registration kit.

email me for more details [email protected]

October 27, 2014 at 9:05 pm

A great stay at home business opportunity is paparazzi jewelry! I have never liked selling things, because it’s usually over priced and hard to sell. However, paparazzi is so different! You sell everything for $5 plus local tax and you make a 45% profit! You can email me with any questions about paparazzi at [email protected] and you can become a consultant under me by going to http://www.paparazziaccessories.com/28325

October 22, 2014 at 12:01 pm

I have been advertising for Fortune 500 companies since July and I’m loving it. I am advertising from my home computer. I have a 5 month old baby girl and I wanted to find something I can do at home so I won’t have to go back to working a 9-5 job. Check it out if you are interested http://www.ibourl.net/dailygrind

October 14, 2014 at 1:30 am

I am personally working as blogger and i think it is good way to earn good sum and keep yourself busy.

August 19, 2014 at 3:06 pm

Wow! Thanks for these helpful tips. I now feel more confident about finding work to do at home. It is good to know that I have many options to choose from, thanks again:-)

August 6, 2014 at 3:11 am

Oh I am sure women can manage a couple task at a same time: we are in an age of ‘multi-talented superwomen’ who excel the ability of dealing with anything :) Thanks for sharing this awesome list, it will certainly begin the flight of some dreams. Loved it!

March 26, 2014 at 7:13 pm

Hmmm thanks for the great tips – I have heaps of ideas for working from home from this ebook resource and your website

January 6, 2014 at 3:37 pm

I can appreciate the struggle of so many people. Sometimes a person just needs a hand up – and a lot of time that is in the form of education. I just wanted to share a book that I released on January 3 – a few days ago. The book, “Empowered, Finding your success in life,” was written with the intent of helping others to make their lives better, both in business and life in general. For a limited time, I am offering this for free at http://tavius.biz . Simply go there, and you can download the e-book for free!

December 25, 2013 at 5:10 am

In today’s world, balancing a family and work both has become quite easy for moms who earlier found it difficult to find time for their family. There are many work from home options for moms that would fit into their crazy schedule. Get some home based ideas here : With the advent of internet and growing communication network, composed work is in huge demand. Pay per click has even made this job lucrative as building and sustaining a website is no more a big deal to manage. Setting up a catering business is perfect for the moms who love cooking. If you are fond of scrapbooking, then why not help others in decorating their web page and provide them with various creative ideas to do so just by sitting at home. Freelance writing is one of the best home based business ideas for moms who have a passion of reading and writing. Get more tips at : http://www.businessdose.com/home-based-earning-ideas-for-women/

November 15, 2013 at 8:08 am

These are great work from home ideas, thank you so much for sharing.

September 24, 2013 at 3:51 pm

I have been working as a Virtual Bankruptcy Assistant now for just over a year and am loving working from home. I love my job! #lovebeingmyownboss You can find the training at http://www.713training.com

September 26, 2013 at 1:42 pm

Interesting, never heard of that before. Thanks for sharing.

July 29, 2013 at 10:22 pm

I love to upcycle things or turn used stuff into something special. Always crafting. Is there a market for this to work from home with a full time income? How would I go about it?

July 30, 2013 at 3:01 pm

Hi Sherrie, We just featured a woman who upcycles/makes natural art and sells it on Etsy. I think you’d really enjoy the interview: https://www.theworkathomewoman.com/interview-wendy-kaehr/

July 17, 2013 at 8:44 pm

We have put together how to make money with domain if you would like to add that to the list http://droppeddomainlist.com/start-making-money-today-with-domains/

June 21, 2013 at 7:05 am

hi I am(man) 38 year old and like art(art drawing).please help me for create new job at home .(be whitout money and simple ) thanks

August 9, 2014 at 2:26 am

I work on elance and odesk making logos for websites, you need to be a little arty, but my advice is to just do 1 or 2 jobs to start with to try it out.

April 30, 2013 at 7:39 am

I really want to start my own florist from home. I know it is the career I want to have after I graduate. I want to open my own florist so I need the start up cost plus five years maintenance cost. So I will use the home business to save money.

April 30, 2013 at 10:54 am

Hi Melanie, FabJob offers a guide on how to become a florist, it may be worth checking out. http://www.FabJob.com/florist.asp?affiliate=1344 (affiliate link)

April 2, 2013 at 3:37 pm

I found a great company that focuses on green living and staying home with your kids. Take a look at http://www.momsprovide.com .

March 10, 2013 at 7:36 pm

This is great lots of great ideas for moms that need to fit work around their kids… but also great for stay at home dads too….

January 31, 2013 at 5:34 am

Wow, this is an exhaustive list for budding entrepreneurs! For those interested in being MTs, going to online medical transcription school can help you get a job once you’re done. http://www.careerstep.com/

January 24, 2013 at 5:52 pm

I love your list I think it is great that so many people can find ways to earn money from home! http://beachbodycoach.com/szeske

December 5, 2012 at 6:49 am

Would be even better if you gave links on how to get started, like how do I become a stay at home editor? Where do I find the jobs and/or clients?

December 5, 2012 at 10:35 am

Hi Suzanne, Some of the ideas include hyperlinks to additional information and resources. I’ll keeping adding and modifying, so that it become an even more comprehensive resource. Thanks for your comment!

October 7, 2012 at 9:12 am

Holly: This list must have taken some time to compile! ;) I have a travel and lifestyle design blog called AtlasAnd, so I will write about your tip #91 there.

October 8, 2012 at 1:50 pm

Hi Martin, It did take some time to create =) That’s awesome, send me the link if you decide to write the post.

October 6, 2012 at 9:29 am

Holly, thanks for putting this list together. I think it’s dead on….especially with the personal shopping/stylist which is the route I took when I stayed at home with the boys 6 ears ago. It was the perfect combo of doing what I loved, around our family schedule, and contributing to the family income.

I loved doing it so much, I now show other women how to do it too…its been an awesome journey.

October 8, 2012 at 1:51 pm

Glad you enjoyed the list Michelle! What a fun gig! Ladies, make sure to check out ThePaidStylist.com for this work at home opportunity.

May 12, 2016 at 6:05 pm

I work from home as a distributor for It Works products! I would be more than happy to help others work from and home. I have many open spots for distributors. Start up cost is $99 to get started and that includes your business kit, a box of 4 wraps, 4 small bottles of defining gel and marketing materials. There is no commitment if you decide that its not something you enjoy, but I promise you will!!

August 6, 2012 at 1:59 pm

This is a great list. Is there any way you could make a pdf version of this list? Thanks.

August 6, 2012 at 2:46 pm

Hi Adrian – Glad you enjoyed the list! I’m actually in the process of adding to it, so once I’m finished I’ll make a PDF (good idea)!

May 6, 2012 at 7:22 pm

I have a great chance for education and work from home . you know how much web designers wanted . if you are a web designer you can work as a teacher or a web designer online , if you don’t know web design this website are going to teach you then provide you with a job .. it’s the best real way to make living from home

July 2, 2016 at 4:27 pm

I would love to learn how to train as a web designer. Could someone contact .

December 16, 2011 at 3:45 pm

Great list of ideas! In this day and age, sometimes we just need to be innovative to find a way to make a living! I’m working in a new emerging industry (photo organizing) and absolutely love it!

October 1, 2012 at 12:52 pm

Thanks for the comment – I’ll have to add that to the list!

October 12, 2013 at 6:51 am

Hi Michelle Can you tell me a bit more about Photo organizing please. Thanks

September 26, 2015 at 4:55 am

Hi, Could you tell me a little more about photo organizing???

September 28, 2015 at 8:46 am

Check out these articles for more about this industry:

Photo Organization: https://www.theworkathomewoman.com/photo-organizers/

Scanning Photos: https://www.theworkathomewoman.com/scanning-photos/

Video Slide Show Creation: https://www.theworkathomewoman.com/slideshows-for-profit/

Photo Book Design: https://www.theworkathomewoman.com/photo-book-design/

April 20, 2011 at 3:43 am

You have a very comprehensive list. In fact, I myself, am a virtual assistant and blogger and I have good income working online!

April 19, 2011 at 1:21 pm

Nice post! GA is also my biggest earning. However, it’s not a much.

October 1, 2012 at 12:53 pm

I didn’t make much with Adsense either – however, I will say that it is the best paying ad network for bloggers with smaller amounts of traffic.

March 23, 2011 at 3:34 pm

Loved the list! I always get fabulous resources here!

March 23, 2011 at 10:11 am

What a great list of ideas! It sure gives me options to think about, thanks Holly!

March 23, 2011 at 12:16 pm

Hi Kimi – I’m glad you enjoyed the list!

May 2, 2016 at 9:15 am

Hi holly. I really like all your ideas. I would like to ask if you have any suggestion or ideas about handicraft making or do it yourself that will make a good profit at the same time can be useful for all ages and sexes?i think i am a handicraft person but i dont know how to use it profitably. Thank you very much. And Im waiting for your response. Sincerely

May 2, 2016 at 9:25 am

Hi Lailane,

Glad you’re enjoying the suggestions!

Are you talking about craft assembly work? Sadly, it’s not a legit way to make money. I’ve written an article about it here: https://www.theworkathomewoman.com/assembly-jobs/

If you are crafty – you can use websites like Etsy to sell your crafts online. If you’d like to explore that option, here’s some more information: https://www.theworkathomewoman.com/work-at-home-idea-arts-crafts/

Good luck on your journey and keep me posted!

June 11, 2017 at 12:04 pm

There’s a great site called your http://www.yourstartuphome.com which helps any business get started. Really helpful.

March 23, 2011 at 8:13 am

What a fantastic list, Holly!

Of all the things I’ve tried over the years, #14 is my favorite. :)

March 23, 2011 at 8:32 am

Thanks Heather! You are a great editor. I had no idea that you did it professionally.

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Homework – Top 3 Pros and Cons

Pro/Con Arguments | Discussion Questions | Take Action | Sources | More Debates

From dioramas to book reports, from algebraic word problems to research projects, whether students should be given homework, as well as the type and amount of homework, has been debated for over a century. [ 1 ]

While we are unsure who invented homework, we do know that the word “homework” dates back to ancient Rome. Pliny the Younger asked his followers to practice their speeches at home. Memorization exercises as homework continued through the Middle Ages and Enlightenment by monks and other scholars. [ 45 ]

In the 19th century, German students of the Volksschulen or “People’s Schools” were given assignments to complete outside of the school day. This concept of homework quickly spread across Europe and was brought to the United States by Horace Mann , who encountered the idea in Prussia. [ 45 ]

In the early 1900s, progressive education theorists, championed by the magazine Ladies’ Home Journal , decried homework’s negative impact on children’s physical and mental health, leading California to ban homework for students under 15 from 1901 until 1917. In the 1930s, homework was portrayed as child labor, which was newly illegal, but the prevailing argument was that kids needed time to do household chores. [ 1 ] [ 2 ] [ 45 ] [ 46 ]

Public opinion swayed again in favor of homework in the 1950s due to concerns about keeping up with the Soviet Union’s technological advances during the Cold War . And, in 1986, the US government included homework as an educational quality boosting tool. [ 3 ] [ 45 ]

A 2014 study found kindergarteners to fifth graders averaged 2.9 hours of homework per week, sixth to eighth graders 3.2 hours per teacher, and ninth to twelfth graders 3.5 hours per teacher. A 2014-2019 study found that teens spent about an hour a day on homework. [ 4 ] [ 44 ]

Beginning in 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic complicated the very idea of homework as students were schooling remotely and many were doing all school work from home. Washington Post journalist Valerie Strauss asked, “Does homework work when kids are learning all day at home?” While students were mostly back in school buildings in fall 2021, the question remains of how effective homework is as an educational tool. [ 47 ]

Is Homework Beneficial?

Pro 1 Homework improves student achievement. Studies have shown that homework improved student achievement in terms of improved grades, test results, and the likelihood to attend college. Research published in the High School Journal indicated that students who spent between 31 and 90 minutes each day on homework “scored about 40 points higher on the SAT-Mathematics subtest than their peers, who reported spending no time on homework each day, on average.” [ 6 ] Students in classes that were assigned homework outperformed 69% of students who didn’t have homework on both standardized tests and grades. A majority of studies on homework’s impact – 64% in one meta-study and 72% in another – showed that take-home assignments were effective at improving academic achievement. [ 7 ] [ 8 ] Research by the Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA) concluded that increased homework led to better GPAs and higher probability of college attendance for high school boys. In fact, boys who attended college did more than three hours of additional homework per week in high school. [ 10 ] Read More

Pro 2 Homework helps to reinforce classroom learning, while developing good study habits and life skills. Students typically retain only 50% of the information teachers provide in class, and they need to apply that information in order to truly learn it. Abby Freireich and Brian Platzer, co-founders of Teachers Who Tutor NYC, explained, “at-home assignments help students learn the material taught in class. Students require independent practice to internalize new concepts… [And] these assignments can provide valuable data for teachers about how well students understand the curriculum.” [ 11 ] [ 49 ] Elementary school students who were taught “strategies to organize and complete homework,” such as prioritizing homework activities, collecting study materials, note-taking, and following directions, showed increased grades and more positive comments on report cards. [ 17 ] Research by the City University of New York noted that “students who engage in self-regulatory processes while completing homework,” such as goal-setting, time management, and remaining focused, “are generally more motivated and are higher achievers than those who do not use these processes.” [ 18 ] Homework also helps students develop key skills that they’ll use throughout their lives: accountability, autonomy, discipline, time management, self-direction, critical thinking, and independent problem-solving. Freireich and Platzer noted that “homework helps students acquire the skills needed to plan, organize, and complete their work.” [ 12 ] [ 13 ] [ 14 ] [ 15 ] [ 49 ] Read More

Pro 3 Homework allows parents to be involved with children’s learning. Thanks to take-home assignments, parents are able to track what their children are learning at school as well as their academic strengths and weaknesses. [ 12 ] Data from a nationwide sample of elementary school students show that parental involvement in homework can improve class performance, especially among economically disadvantaged African-American and Hispanic students. [ 20 ] Research from Johns Hopkins University found that an interactive homework process known as TIPS (Teachers Involve Parents in Schoolwork) improves student achievement: “Students in the TIPS group earned significantly higher report card grades after 18 weeks (1 TIPS assignment per week) than did non-TIPS students.” [ 21 ] Homework can also help clue parents in to the existence of any learning disabilities their children may have, allowing them to get help and adjust learning strategies as needed. Duke University Professor Harris Cooper noted, “Two parents once told me they refused to believe their child had a learning disability until homework revealed it to them.” [ 12 ] Read More

Con 1 Too much homework can be harmful. A poll of California high school students found that 59% thought they had too much homework. 82% of respondents said that they were “often or always stressed by schoolwork.” High-achieving high school students said too much homework leads to sleep deprivation and other health problems such as headaches, exhaustion, weight loss, and stomach problems. [ 24 ] [ 28 ] [ 29 ] Alfie Kohn, an education and parenting expert, said, “Kids should have a chance to just be kids… it’s absurd to insist that children must be engaged in constructive activities right up until their heads hit the pillow.” [ 27 ] Emmy Kang, a mental health counselor, explained, “More than half of students say that homework is their primary source of stress, and we know what stress can do on our bodies.” [ 48 ] Excessive homework can also lead to cheating: 90% of middle school students and 67% of high school students admit to copying someone else’s homework, and 43% of college students engaged in “unauthorized collaboration” on out-of-class assignments. Even parents take shortcuts on homework: 43% of those surveyed admitted to having completed a child’s assignment for them. [ 30 ] [ 31 ] [ 32 ] Read More

Con 2 Homework exacerbates the digital divide or homework gap. Kiara Taylor, financial expert, defined the digital divide as “the gap between demographics and regions that have access to modern information and communications technology and those that don’t. Though the term now encompasses the technical and financial ability to utilize available technology—along with access (or a lack of access) to the Internet—the gap it refers to is constantly shifting with the development of technology.” For students, this is often called the homework gap. [ 50 ] [ 51 ] 30% (about 15 to 16 million) public school students either did not have an adequate internet connection or an appropriate device, or both, for distance learning. Completing homework for these students is more complicated (having to find a safe place with an internet connection, or borrowing a laptop, for example) or impossible. [ 51 ] A Hispanic Heritage Foundation study found that 96.5% of students across the country needed to use the internet for homework, and nearly half reported they were sometimes unable to complete their homework due to lack of access to the internet or a computer, which often resulted in lower grades. [ 37 ] [ 38 ] One study concluded that homework increases social inequality because it “potentially serves as a mechanism to further advantage those students who already experience some privilege in the school system while further disadvantaging those who may already be in a marginalized position.” [ 39 ] Read More

Con 3 Homework does not help younger students, and may not help high school students. We’ve known for a while that homework does not help elementary students. A 2006 study found that “homework had no association with achievement gains” when measured by standardized tests results or grades. [ 7 ] Fourth grade students who did no homework got roughly the same score on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) math exam as those who did 30 minutes of homework a night. Students who did 45 minutes or more of homework a night actually did worse. [ 41 ] Temple University professor Kathryn Hirsh-Pasek said that homework is not the most effective tool for young learners to apply new information: “They’re learning way more important skills when they’re not doing their homework.” [ 42 ] In fact, homework may not be helpful at the high school level either. Alfie Kohn, author of The Homework Myth, stated, “I interviewed high school teachers who completely stopped giving homework and there was no downside, it was all upside.” He explains, “just because the same kids who get more homework do a little better on tests, doesn’t mean the homework made that happen.” [ 52 ] Read More

Discussion Questions

1. Is homework beneficial? Consider the study data, your personal experience, and other types of information. Explain your answer(s).

2. If homework were banned, what other educational strategies would help students learn classroom material? Explain your answer(s).

3. How has homework been helpful to you personally? How has homework been unhelpful to you personally? Make carefully considered lists for both sides.

Take Action

1. Examine an argument in favor of quality homework assignments from Janine Bempechat.

2. Explore Oxford Learning’s infographic on the effects of homework on students.

3. Consider Joseph Lathan’s argument that homework promotes inequality .

4. Consider how you felt about the issue before reading this article. After reading the pros and cons on this topic, has your thinking changed? If so, how? List two to three ways. If your thoughts have not changed, list two to three ways your better understanding of the “other side of the issue” now helps you better argue your position.

5. Push for the position and policies you support by writing US national senators and representatives .

More School Debate Topics

Should K-12 Students Dissect Animals in Science Classrooms? – Proponents say dissecting real animals is a better learning experience. Opponents say the practice is bad for the environment.

Should Students Have to Wear School Uniforms? – Proponents say uniforms may increase student safety. Opponents say uniforms restrict expression.

Should Corporal Punishment Be Used in K-12 Schools? – Proponents say corporal punishment is an appropriate discipline. Opponents say it inflicts long-lasting physical and mental harm on students.

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Need a Fall Women’s Bible Study? Try One of These.

More By Megan Hill

More By Melissa Kruger

It’s the time of year when women’s ministry teams select Bible-study curriculum for the coming year.

Choosing a study that is biblically rich, theologically sound, and works for a real-life group of women can be a challenge. To help narrow down the options, we asked 20 women’s ministry leaders for their recommendations for both Bible and book studies. Their recommendations certainly don’t highlight all the good Christian books available, but the format and content of these resources have worked well in their women’s small groups.

Maybe one of them will work for yours.

Recently Published Bible Studies

(alphabetical by author)

Hope A. Blanton and Christine B. Gordon

• Galatians: At His Feet Studies
• Homework: Less than 1 hour per week

Lydia Brownback

• Luke: Good News of Great Joy
• Homework: 2–3 hours per week

Courtney Doctor and Melissa Kruger

• Remember Your Joy: A Bible Study of Salvation Stories in the Old Testament
• Homework: 2–3 hours per week
• Video: Videos will be available after The Gospel Coalition’s 2022 Women’s Conference. (Better yet, join us in person !)

Christine Hoover

• Seek First the Kingdom: God’s Invitation to Life and Joy in the Book of Matthew
• Homework: 1–2 hours per week

Sarah Ivill

• Isaiah: The Holy One of Israel
• Homework: 4–5 hours per week

Trillia J. Newbell

• A Great Cloud of Witnesses: A Study of Those Who Lived By Faith

Ruth Chou Simons

• Truthfilled: The Practice of Preaching to Yourself Through Every Season
• Homework: 1–3 hours per week

Susan Tyner

• What’s She Doing Here? The Messy Women in Jesus’s Genealogy
• God of Deliverance: A Study of Exodus 1–18

Bible Studies

• Psalms , Philippians , Romans , and so on

Dee Brestin

• A Woman of Healthy Relationships , A Woman of Contentment (Ecclesiastes), The Jesus Who Surprises (Bible overview), and so on

Courtney Doctor

• From Garden to Glory (Bible overview)

Keri Folmar

• Son of God (Mark), Grace (Ephesians), Joy! (Philippians), and so on
• Homework: 2–4 hours per week

Greg Gilbert

Nancy Guthrie

• The Promised One (Genesis), The Wisdom of God (Psalms & wisdom books), Hoping for Something Better (Hebrews), and so on

Cynthia Heald

• Becoming a Woman of Grace , Loving Your Husband , Becoming a Woman of Simplicity , and so on
• Homework: less than 1 hour per week
• Ezra and Nehemiah , 1 Peter, 2 Peter, and Jude , Revelation , and so on

Melissa B. Kruger

• In All Things (Philippians)

Kathleen B. Neilson

• Joshua , Proverbs , Colossians and Philippians

Trillia Newbell

• If God Is for Us (Romans)

George Robertson with Mary Beth McGreevy

• Deuteronomy
• Beatitudes , The Sermon on the Mount , Acts
• God of Creation (Genesis 1–11), The Sermon on the Mount , 1 Peter , and so on

Big Dream Ministries ( multi-authored)

• The Pentateuch , The Poetical Books , The Post-Exilic Books , and so on
• Homework: 3–5 hours per week

Book Studies

(books with an * do not have discussion questions or an available study guide)

Hannah Anderson,  Humble Roots: How Humility Grows and Nourishes Your Soul

Lydia Brownback,  A Woman’s Wisdom: How the Book of Proverbs Speaks to Everything

Keri Folmar,  The Good Portion: Scripture

Nancy Guthrie,  Even Better than Eden: Nine Ways the Bible’s Story Changes Everything about Your Story ; Saints and Scoundrels in the Story of Jesus ;  God Does His Best Work with Empty

Megan Hill,  Praying Together: The Priority and Privilege of Prayer in Our Homes, Communities, and Churches

Abby Hutto,  God for Us: Discovering the Heart of the Father through the Life of the Son

Betsy Childs Howard,  Seasons of Waiting: Walking by Faith when Dreams Are Delayed

Melissa B. Kruger,  The Envy of Eve: Finding Contentment in a Covetous World

Melissa B. Kruger (ed.),  Identity Theft: Reclaiming the Truth of Our Identity in Christ

Tim Lane and Paul David Tripp,  Relationships: A Mess Worth Making

Rondi Lauterbach,  Hungry: Learning to Feed Your Soul with Christ

Carolyn McCully with Nora Shank,  The Measure of Success: Uncovering the Biblical Perspective on Women, Work, and the Home *

Paul E. Miller,  A Praying Life: Connecting with God in a Distracting World *

Catherine Parks,  Real: The Surprising Secret to Deeper Relationships

John Piper and Justin Taylor (eds.),  Suffering and the Sovereignty of God

Donald S. Whitney,  Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life *

Jen Wilkin,  None Like Him: 10 Ways God Is Different from Us (and Why That’s a Good Thing)

Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth,  Lies Women Believe: And the Truth that Sets Them Free

Is the digital age making us foolish?

It doesn’t have to be this way. With intentionality and the discipline to cultivate healthier media consumption habits, we can resist the foolishness of the age and instead become wise and spiritually mature. Brett McCracken’s The Wisdom Pyramid: Feeding Your Soul in a Post-Truth World shows us the way.

To start cultivating a diet more conducive to wisdom, click below to access a FREE ebook of The Wisdom Pyramid .

Megan Hill is the managing editor for The Gospel Coalition. Her latest book is Sighing on Sunday: 40 Meditations for When Church Hurts . She is also the author of several other books . Megan lives in Massachusetts with her husband and four children, where they belong to West Springfield Covenant Community Church (PCA).You can connect with her on Instagram .

Melissa Kruger serves as vice president of discipleship programming at The Gospel Coalition. She is the author of The Envy of Eve: Finding Contentment in a Covetous World , Walking with God in the Season of Motherhood , In All Things: A Nine-Week Devotional Bible Study on Unshakeable Joy , Growing Together: Taking Mentoring Beyond Small Talk and Prayer Requests , Wherever You Go, I Want You to Know , His Grace Is Enough , Lucy and the Saturday Surprise , Parenting with Hope: Raising Teens for Christ in a Secular Age , and Ephesians: A Study of Faith and Practice . Her husband, Mike, is the president of Reformed Theological Seminary, and they have three children. She writes at Wits End , hosted by The Gospel Coalition. You can follow her on Instagram , Facebook , or Twitter.

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When Homework Was Banned

Published: November 3, 2023

In the early 1900s, Ladies' Home Journal took up a crusade against homework, enlisting doctors and parents who say it damages children's health. In 1901 California passed a law abolishing homework!

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“The Child Is Made to Study Far, Far Beyond His Physical Strength”

The long history of parents complaining about their kids’ homework..

If you find yourself stressed, annoyed, and furious about your child’s homework this fall, it might help to know that you are participating in a great American tradition. In January 1900, Edward Bok wrote a scathing editorial in Ladies’ Home Journal about homework in America, with the headline “A National Crime at the Feet of American Parents.” “The child is made to study far, far beyond his physical strength, and consequently his mental good,” Bok pronounced. The elementary and junior high school student, Bok wrote, shouldn’t even need to tote books home from school, because he should be outside with his friends between dismissal and dinner—and after that, he should be asleep. “To rob a child of the playtime which belongs to him is a rank injustice,” Bok argued. “No child under fifteen years of age should be given any home study whatever by his teachers.”

In October of 1900, Bok followed up on his polemic, writing that since it had published, the magazine had received “hundreds of letters from teachers and parents” that “conclusively showed that the facts were even much worse than had been stated,” along with letters from “physicians, almost without number” who “urged the elimination of this evil and injury from the lives of our children.” Bok suggested that parents could act. They should send notes to teachers “stating that under no circumstances whatever will the father and mother permit any home study by the child.” And according to the editor, thousands did just that.

We often think of the American past as a time when students labored for hours in candlelit rooms to meet rigorous educational standards. But as the education researcher Brian Gill and the historian Steven Schlossman have reported in a series of articles , ever since the early 20 th century, when American law began to require that all children go to school, many American parents have found homework infuriating. They’ve even complained about helping their kids with math, just like you.

In the 19 th century, school instruction revolved around memorization and recitation. Students rehearsed at home and performed at school, “saying their lessons” for the teacher; instructors might shame or physically punish children for a lack of preparedness. But only a small percentage of students got past the fourth grade, and homework contributed to the high dropout rate. Families often couldn’t afford to lose their children’s help in the afternoon and evening hours; having a child go to high school might mean having to hire an extra farmhand or clerk, and for many, this was prohibitive.

As far as historians can tell, the small group of well-to-do parents who could keep their children in school through junior high and high school in the 19 th century expected their kids to spend the evening studying and didn’t find the prospect too upsetting. There were some exceptions, to be sure. Gen. Francis A. Walker , a Civil War veteran and economist who was the president of the school board in Boston in the 1880s, described his own experience helping his kids with their math homework: “Over and over again, I have had to send my own children, in spite of their tears and remonstrances, to bed, long after the assigned tasks had ceased to have any educational value and had become the means of nervous exhaustion and agitation.” Walker got the school board to restrict the city’s schoolteachers from assigning math homework except in “exceptional cases.” But mostly, the 19 th century consensus was that if a student couldn’t handle the homework, he was free to drop out.

After laws passed in the late 19 th and early 20 th century mandated compulsory school attendance for children and teenagers, anti-homework sentiment grew. More and more parents were experiencing what it was like to have a school make demands on their children’s time, and everyone was trying to figure out what family life would look like in this new world. Parents’ resistance to homework, as articulated in articles like Bok’s, aligned with a lot of other things people believed about childhood starting in the early 20 th century: that children should be outdoors; that they shouldn’t participate in rigorous intellectual activity when they were young; and that their developing bodies were at risk of permanent damage if they were stressed by “overwork.” Anti-homework activists often cited the contemporaneous campaign to restrict child labor , wondering why it made sense for schoolchildren to work more hours in a week than they might have if they had been paid for their labor.

By 1901, the year after Bok’s articles ran in the Journal, “two-thirds of American urban school districts had restricted homework,” Peter Stearns writes in his history of parental anxiety . In testimony he gave before Congress in 1900, William Torrey Harris, the U.S. commissioner of education, said that homework was “a prolific source of abuse” that “ought to be rigidly limited so that the child does not study more than two hours per day out of school after he is 12 years old, and not any out of school before that time.” These anti-homework efforts were most effective in California, where the state legislature mandated in 1901 that no child under 15 should have any homework at all.

In 1937, Parents’ Magazine asked readers to write in with their homework-related opinions—an article that, because of the probable overlap between middle-class readers of Ladies’ Home Journal and Parents’, serves as a good way to check in on the evolution of parents’ attitudes toward home study since the turn of the century. “A majority of the writers of letters received disapproved of home study for school children,” the magazine reported. Isabel Howell Kerr, of Maryland, had moved with her family from a low-homework school to one with a bigger homework burden and reported that in their new school, the children were miserable, “went to bed with it on their minds at night,” and “did not make as good progress as before.” Ominously, Kerr wrote, her children’s new friends, who had been going to the school for longer, “seemed to have very few resources within themselves and used the movies as their regular form of recreation.”

Consensus on homework’s worth shifted during the Cold War, when many Americans, looking at the educational practices of other countries, began to opine that American children were snowflakes who needed a good dose of 19 th -century-style drill. Life magazine ran a comparative article about the lives of an American and a Russian teenager in 1958, and the difference between the two students’ activities during after-school hours was particularly stark. Photographers caught the Russian boy doing science experiments in a quiet parlor, while the American, out with his friends, danced, socialized, and smiled. Unacceptable , many who wrote in response to this piece thought; how could we expect to keep up with the Russians if our young men spent the hours between school and bed drinking sodas with girls?

More than one author writing about the history of homework notes that since the ’40s, we’ve swung back and forth on the topic in 15-year cycles: 15 years of homework rejection, 15 years of homework celebration. The late ’60s and early ’70s, a time of youth liberation, brought another anti-homework backlash. Cathy Vatterott, a professor of education and present-day homework reformer , cites a 1968 statement on homework limitation by the American Educational Research Association: “Whenever homework crowds out social experience, outdoor recreation, and creative activities, and whenever it usurps time that should be devoted to sleep, it is not meeting the basic needs of children and adolescents.”

Just in time, the 1980s ushered in a new commitment to homework. The government’s report “ A Nation at Risk ,” published in 1983, contained the line “History is not kind to idlers.” Not surprisingly, the report held that high schoolers should have far more homework than they did, to prepare them to compete with the Japanese, South Koreans, and Germans. But by the late 1990s the pendulum swung again, and we were back to the idea of homework abolition, with cover stories in Newsweek and Time lamenting homework’s effects on what early-20 th -century writers would have called “home life.” If the 15-year theory of American homework sentiment holds, we’re in a pro-homework period right now, when homework is assigned to younger and younger kids; some parents of kindergarteners are now reporting sitting with tired 5-year-olds at the end of the day to get a packet of worksheets done.

As present-day researchers on the topic have found , the answer to the question “Does homework help children learn?” is “It depends”—on the amount assigned, the age of the students, and the content of the homework. The “it depends” position has some precedent in the past. Gill and Schlossman identified a group of progressive educators who, from the 1920s through the 1950s, advocated homework reform rather than abolition. The idea was to connect home with school by crafting assignments that applied things learned in class to the rest of the world. The superintendent of New York City’s schools, William J. O’Shea, wrote in 1929 that homework could consist of reading, drawing, or visiting museums; others thought field trips to “woods, factories, museums, libraries, art galleries” could be “assigned” as homework. Other teachers thought students might write thank-you notes for their English homework or look at the family budget for their math homework. (Would I rather help my child with a multiplication worksheet or expose her to the horror that is our family budget? Tough call.)

Why can’t we seem to find a happy middle ground on homework? Brian Gill and Steven Schlossman observe that “homework has been one of the most emotionally charged topics in American education. … One side has idealized homework: The more the better. The other side has demonized homework.” The history of homework protest shows how the debate over homework has always been about a much bigger question: What is childhood for ? There’s little wonder we can’t agree.

For women, remote work is a blessing and a curse

Despite stress, depression, and overwork, women still want to work from home.

by Rani Molla

Women may be more likely to want to work from home than men. They’ve also had a harder time doing so, reporting higher rates of stress, depression , and sheer hours worked — especially if they have kids. This paradox is a result of women trying to do the best thing for their careers while also navigating an unfair role in society and at home. In other words, women need more flexible work arrangements, because women have more to do.

While the ability to work from home has been a godsend for working parents who were able to keep their children and jobs safe during the pandemic, it’s also exacerbated deeply ingrained gender inequality. Too often a crying toddler makes a cameo on a mother’s Zoom call and not a father’s. In a spare moment, women turn over the laundry while men don’t. Day-to-day scheduling, schooling, as well as decisions about their family’s health amid a global health crisis disproportionately fall to women.

And that’s only talking about women fortunate enough to be able to work from home — typically knowledge workers, whose relatively high-paying jobs have also afforded them a measure of physical safety. For many women, working from home isn’t an option at all. Women who have to work outside the home and care for children, especially without a partner at home, have to face a whole different set of challenging, and dangerous, circumstances.

Even before the pandemic, women were doing what sociologists describe as the “second shift,” where they complete an inordinate amount of household and caregiving chores after they’ve finished their paid labor. The pandemic has made things even worse, since much of the infrastructure that helps alleviate those tasks — schools, day care, elder care, cleaning services — has been off-limits. While women and men alike have worked from home, employed women are three times more likely than men to be their children’s main caregiver during this period. Additionally, telecommuting moms significantly increased the amount of housework they did while working from home ( men didn’t ).

“They literally were not having the same experience,” Alexis Krivkovich, a senior partner in McKinsey & Company’s Bay Area office and co-author of “ Women in the Workplace ,” a report about the female corporate workforce in 2020, told Recode. “The double shift turned into the double double.”

The result is that women are more likely to feel burned out than men, and that has negatively affected their experience working from home. Some 79 percent of men said they have had a positive work-from-home experience during the pandemic, compared with just 37 percent of women, according to McKinsey . In turn, one in four women and one in three mothers said they were thinking about downshifting their careers or stepping out of the workforce entirely. “They couldn’t juggle the added responsibility that was coming on the household front at the same time they were trying to maintain the job front,” Krivkovich said.

Indeed, women have been leaving the workforce at much higher rates than men — a move that could affect their careers and earning power if and when they return. Some fear that with the rise of remote work, these issues will continue, even after the pandemic’s most acute effects subside.

Why women are having a worse time

Despite massive strides in education and workforce participation, caregiving and household work are still considered women’s duties. That message is reinforced by a combination of cultural norms and economic structures.

A lot of American work culture is based on a “traditional,” 1950s ideal: Men work outside the house, women stay at home with the kids. But this was never the reality for many working-class families, or families of color, across American history. And today, it’s economically necessary for both parents to do paid work for a living, even in middle-class households.

The burden of domestic labor, however, is not being shared equally among heterosexual couples.

“What we see is this drastic change in women’s behavior by entering paid work,” Caitlyn Collins, an assistant professor of sociology at Washington University in St. Louis, said of women’s movement into the workforce since the mid-1900s. “But we have not seen a similar drastic change in men’s uptake of domestic labor.”

Many antiquated ideas of women’s place in society persist. Women are more likely to be held responsible for household chores and child care, while men get to prioritize their work — despite the fact that both men and women are working.

During the pandemic, mothers have been twice as likely as fathers in a dual-career couple to do an extra five hours of domestic chores per day, according to McKinsey , which looked at the issue from June to August of 2020. Yale research shows that even in cases where both parents worked from home, women have done more household and child care work .

“A lot of women, we grow up in this environment, so we internalize these kind of norms,” said Emma Zang, a Yale assistant professor in sociology who co-authored the study. “So if you have to sacrifice a little bit from family for work, then women may feel more stressed, more frustrated compared to men, because they view that taking care of family is more of their responsibility.”

Even at senior levels, the situation is inequitable. An unpublished McKinsey survey found that while two-thirds of men in top management positions had a partner who stayed at home or who didn’t work full time, two-thirds of women in those positions had a partner who was working full time. In other words, executive women are less likely to have domestic help from their spouse.

There’s also evidence that, since the pandemic began, US attitudes about gender roles have become more conservative. While people are now more likely to say women should make money than they were pre-pandemic, they’re also more likely to think women should parent young children and stay at home, according to research published in the American Sociological Association’s journal .

In addition to these cultural norms, women must also deal with economic precedents.

Employers don’t compensate women as highly as men — even in high-skill fields . If women make less than men, it’s easier for a couple to decide that the woman’s job is less important. That can lead to the woman cutting down or relinquishing her career to take care of domestic duties. Frequently it means taking on domestic duties in addition to paid labor.

“Many of the moms that we talked to, for example, were already earning less than their husbands or partners before the pandemic,” Jessica Calarco, an associate professor of sociology at Indiana University, told Recode. “And so when the pandemic hit, it seemed practical for them to be the ones to care for their children at home.”

Even when domestic tasks are done as paid labor, they’re dominated by women — and the pay is paltry .

“The reason we don’t pay caregivers well is because we don’t value caregiving, and think of it as an unskilled task, because it’s associated with femininity,” Collins said. “Secondly, we don’t think of it as skilled labor like construction. There is a belief in US society that caregiving is something you don’t have to learn how to do.”

As Calarco put it, “The labor that women are doing as caregivers has been undervalued in a way that systematically benefits men in the workplace, and allows men to better compete in their careers.”

In other words, both cultural and structural systems are stacked against women. And though remote work can in some ways seem detrimental to women, women ultimately view its flexibility as a positive development and a way to achieve equality at work.

Flexible work can be good for women

Even before the pandemic, women were clamoring for remote work, according to data from McKinsey. Generally they think its pros — giving them the ability to perform domestic tasks they do anyway and allowing them to sidestep an office-centric model more likely to benefit men — outweigh its cons. And as more people in general work remotely, lingering misgivings about remote work will likely dissolve.

The second shift existed before the pandemic, and it will exist after it, too. Remote work is an acquiescence to what is a reality for many women: doing more.

“If women feel disproportionately responsible for the household activities and for parenting, working remotely makes life a whole lot more flexible,” Jerry Jacobs, a sociology professor at the University of Pennsylvania, said.

Child care and other domestic work have been more obviously demanding during the pandemic, but they’ve always been demanding. Remote work just makes an untenable situation more possible.

“Remote work is central to allowing people with caregiving responsibilities the flexibility and control over their schedules that they need to provide that care,” Collins said.

It’s also important to remember that the office has never been particularly hospitable to women. That’s in part because office culture rewarded long hours as well as hours after work fraternizing with bosses while a partner helped out at home. It’s a situation that usually benefited men, not women.

“We need to reimagine that,” Krivkovich said. “Most women are not living that reality.”

Women were left out of conversations in the physical office, demeaned , or made to feel like they didn’t belong. Women in senior-level positions, especially Black women, are frequently the only person of their sex or race in the room, which can result in pressure to work more or feelings of otherness.

“Particularly women of color really want remote work, because it allows them to avoid some of the microaggressions that they would experience on a daily basis,” said Tara Van Bommel, director and statistician at Catalyst, a nonprofit advocating for women in the workplace.

That’s not to mention dangers like sexual harassment, which can be more acute in a physical setting.

Mothers, especially, have faced stigma in the office.

“Mothers are treated differently in the workplace than fathers,” Gayle Kaufman, a professor of sociology at Davidson College, said. “For fathers, my research suggests that they’re not even seen as fathers.”

When women become mothers, they’re expected to cut back on paid work, and it adversely affects perceptions of their career prospects. When men have kids, it’s a different story.

“If it affects them, it’s going to affect them in a good way, because they’re going to want to provide for their family,” Kaufman said, describing how men are perceived.

All in all, the office could be a bit of a boys’ club. With this in mind, women’s experience of working from home can be better than working in the office.

“We find that remote work access diminishes burnout across three different types of burnout. And it does that for everyone, not just for women,” Van Bommel said. Employees with access to remote work had lower rates of burnout in regard to work, their personal life, and Covid-19, according to her research with Catalyst.

Remote work is, at least, more likely to keep women in the workforce.

Catalyst also found that working from home could help keep women with kids in the workforce. Women with child care responsibilities who could work remotely were 32 percent less likely to say they’re going to leave their job in the next year compared to those who couldn’t work from home. A 2013 Catalyst study of people in MBA programs found that when women didn’t have access to flexible work arrangements, they were more than twice as likely as men to downsize their career aspirations.

Some fear that remote working could hinder women’s careers since bosses might equate face time with actual work, or that it could dampen women’s likelihood of promotion since working from a distance could make them seem less involved. That’s less likely to be the case as more and more people continue working remotely.

“Working from home is going to become more common, and people will be less judgmental towards men or women who work from home,” Zang said. “If you’re less likely to be judged, then we would suppose that they will be less likely to face career consequences if they want to work from home.”

All in all, it’s certainly possible that remote work could be a good thing for women. However, it might take some effort to get it there.

“Remote work absolutely can work for women,” Krivkovich said. “What we need is to make sure that the support that allows working women to equally focus on work as their male peers is there.”

How do we make working from home more fair to women?

It’s not that remote work itself is inequitable to women. Rather, the situation in which we’re performing remote work is unjust. To ameliorate it, experts say there are a number of things the government and employers can do:

• Paid parental leave . Giving men and women paid parental leave would make it so that both sexes would learn how to care for their children, so that the burden doesn’t fall as unfairly on women. It’s also important that the amount paid parental leave compensates parents is near to all of the wages they would lose out on, to make sure both parents take it. Men, like women, have to learn how to care for children. “My research shows once they’re spending time with their kids at an early age, right off the bat, they want to be involved,” Kaufman said. “That affects how they approach their life, including work, so they start making decisions about work based on their family lives, just as mothers have done.”
• Subsidized child care. Child care, especially for young children, exists in a patchwork fashion in the US. Affordable and accessible child care is necessary to keep women from doing a disproportionate amount of it themselves while they work.
• Compensate women equally. If women were paid as much as men, their work would be less likely to play second fiddle to men’s.
• Focus on productivity, not hours logged. To make sure women aren’t punished for remote work, employers must measure work by the work itself — not how long they spend doing it. “We’re still measuring productivity in terms of inputs, not outputs, meaning we’re overly fixated on ‘can you get in a car and drive and sit at this desk where I can watch you work’ as opposed to focusing on great output of work,” Krivkovich said. “What you see with women, in part because of the pressures they feel around all the other responsibilities they hold outside of the workplace, is that breaking that assumption is just hugely valuable to them.”
• Promote people who work from home equally. Make sure there’s not a two-tier system that preferences those who can show up in the office more. As Van Bommel put it, “Tracking who’s getting advancement opportunities, who’s getting promotions, sponsorship, stretch assignments, to ensure that there’s equity regardless of people’s location, is really critical to countering that bias towards face time.”
• Be clear about remote work expectations. If working from home is going to work for women, it’s important that there are clear boundaries around how and when employees are expected to communicate, lest the flexibility of remote work simply result in more work. “I think if it’s clear that you’re not supposed to work at night, not supposed to work on weekends, any more than you were before,” Jacobs said, “that’s going to disproportionately benefit women.”

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The Best At-Home Workouts to Help You Stay Healthy and Fit, According to Personal Trainers

You don't need much space or equipment to get moving.

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You don't need a fancy gym membership or expensive exercise equipment to get you in amazing shape. The best workouts can oftentimes be done right in your home and use your bodyweight to work practically every muscle in the body. Whether you set up an exercise mat and resistance bands in the corner of your bedroom or have a larger area to break a sweat, you don't need much space or equipment to get moving.

For people who have a home gym, working out can be simple, but for those of us used to training in a studio, we have to get a little creative. "If you're home without any equipment, your body is your own machine! Work it," says corrective exercise specialist Tatiana Lampa , ACSM CPT, NASM CES and founder of the Training with T App .

Certified Personal Trainer Rachael DeVaux , RD, CPT, PES , suggests grabbing anything that resembles dumbbells like: laundry detergent, bags of produce, or milk jugs, for your own makeshift gym. "Investing in some resistance bands from Amazon can offer a huge variety of different exercises as well," she adds.

Tip: If you're not used to working out at home, Elise Young, CPT, FMS, of Elise's Body Shop , says it's important to designate a spot in the house that feels like a good fit for some movement. "This is a stressful time and we must adjust to the place we are currently in. Lay out a mat or towel and make that your spot."

Below, we've rounded up several of our trainers' favorite at-home work out movements to try and incorporate into your routine. DeVaux suggests choosing six exercises, breaking them up into two circuits, and completing each exercise for 12-14 reps, three rounds through each circuit. Before starting any exercise regimen, always be sure to consult your physician or healthcare practitioner.

Legs and Glutes Workouts

Try air squats, side step squats, sumo squats, jump squats, and even weighted squats. You can even try holding a large bottle of detergent to get some added resistance with your squats, just make sure the lid is on tight.

Front lunges, back lunges, and even side-to-side lunges are an excellent exercise for targeting the large muscles of the lower body. For an advanced movement, try jump lunges to get your heart rate up.

Glute Bridge

This is a great bodyweight exercise to help warm-up the glutes and several muscles prior to incorporating more range of motion and any weights. You can enhance a glute bridge with resistance bands, and really make sure that you engage your core in addition to your glutes. Start with a regular glute bridge and work your way up to the single-leg bridge, which is very effective because it targets your hamstrings, glutes, and core.

Look for a durable box or sturdy bench to bang out some low-impact step ups. This move is great for balance, stabilization, and building strength. Hold some weights or detergent bottles on either side of the body for extra resistance.

Perfect this movement with your bodyweight and then grab a weight for extra resistance, engaging the glutes the entire time. Change things up by focusing on timing; lower down on a slow three-count, then squeeze the glutes as you return back up to standing position on a one-count.

Turoff says this effective and simple exercise activates your glutes, hamstrings, and quads. Try a 1:1 approach by working for 30 seconds and resting for 30 seconds, then repeating 3-4 times until you feel the burn.

Abs and Arms Workouts

A fantastic full-body workout, push-ups work almost every muscle with a huge emphasis on upper body and core strength. Even if you can't do a regular one, consider dropping to your knees or doing them against a countertop to make the transition easier. Try DeVaux's push-up progression here .

" Couches and chairs are a great alternative to a bench and allow for a ton of different movements," says Young. This makes for the perfect solution when doing dips to target the tricep muscles.

Probably the most effective core workout, planks really do benefit the entire body and require a ton of stabilization throughout your core. Try planks on your forearms, and work up building strength in a side plank if possible.

Shoulder Taps

While you're holding a strong plank, consider incorporating shoulder taps to build stability and strength. Shoulder taps work you transverse abdominals and obliques as well.

Grab a weight or detergent bottle for added resistance, and pick your feet up off the floor for an even harder challenge.

Full Body Workouts

This high-intensity, plyometric exercise is perfect for getting your heart rate up and is a fantastic finisher to any workout. Try doing burpees tabata style: push for 20 seconds, then rest for 10 seconds. Repeat four to eight times for a full-body endurance workout!

Mountain Climbers

Build strength, endurance, and cardiovascular stamina with mountain climbers. Try them at different paces; go fast if you want to get your heart rate up, or slow down and engage your core for some awesome ab work.

Superman Hold

Turoff loves this full-body move as an effective way to build strength in the lower back, something that is often neglected when exercising. Try to hold for 15-30 seconds and keep working your way up to a minute.

It doesn't take much experience or space to start jumping rope. This total-body workout boosts both cardio and strength. Plus, a jump rope is an affordable and compact piece of exercise equipment.

Stefani (she/her) is a registered dietitian, a NASM-certified personal trainer and the director of the Good Housekeeping Institute Nutrition Lab, where she handles all nutrition-related content, testing and evaluation. She holds a bachelor’s degree in nutritional sciences from Pennsylvania State University and a master’s degree in clinical nutrition from NYU. She is also Good Housekeeping’s on-staff fitness and exercise expert. Stefani is dedicated to providing readers with evidence-based content to encourage informed food choices and healthy living. She is an avid CrossFitter and a passionate home cook who loves spending time with her big fit Greek family.

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The No-Homework Women's Bible Study: Group Hug IV Paperback – November 12, 2014

Group Hug IV is a great way to continue the adventure that began for your women's Bible study group with Group Hug I , II , and III ! Embark on the next chapter of spiritual exploration and fellowship with Group Hug IV , the captivating continuation of the beloved series that began with Group Hug I , II , and III . Designed for women's Bible study groups seeking depth and connection in personal relationships, Group Hug IV dives into challenging topics that invite personal and communal growth.

Explore Deep Spiritual Themes

Group Hug IV tackles profound subjects such as submitting to God's will, navigating anger and selfishness, bearing fruit as a Christian, discerning God's voice, addressing white lies, overcoming fear, and navigating life's peaks and valleys. Each session is crafted to encourage deep reflection and meaningful discussion.

Discussion-Based Fellowship

Built on a foundation of discussion and community, Group Hug IV asks the tough questions that foster spiritual self-exploration and growth. Engage with scripture, gain insights from commentary, and participate in thought-provoking dialogue that challenges and enriches your faith journey.

Perfect for Ongoing Groups

Whether your group is continuing from previous Group Hug studies or starting fresh, Group Hug IV offers a welcoming space for women to support each other, deepen their understanding of God's Word, and grow together in faith.

Start Your Adventure Today

Join the countless women who have found joy and strength in the Group Hug series. From deepening your relationship with God to fostering meaningful friendships, Group Hug IV promises a transformative experience that will enrich your spiritual life and empower your journey of faith.

Transform Your Group Dynamics

Experience the power of community and the wisdom of scripture with The No Homework Women's Bible Study: Group Hug IV . Each session brings you closer to God and to one another, making every step of your journey profound and purposeful.

Explore More

Expand your journey with Group Hug VI through Group Hug VIII , delve into the festive spirit with Group Hug Holidays , or enrich your marriage with Group Hug Marriage . For a deeper dive into the popular Group Hug discussion format, explore Are We the Terminal Generation by Christine Tate, a thought-provoking exploration of end-time prophecy in the engaging Group Hug style. For those navigating the challenges of divorce, A Christian's Devotional for Surviving Divorce offers solace and spiritual guidance. Capture God's faithfulness with My Prayer Journal: Remembering God's Answers , a tool to strengthen your faith by tracking His responses to your prayers.

Begin your adventure with Group Hug IV today and discover the joy of spiritual exploration and fellowship!

• Book 4 of 7 The No-Homework Women's Bible Study - Group Hug
• Print length 104 pages
• Language English
• Publication date November 12, 2014
• Dimensions 6 x 0.24 x 9 inches
• ISBN-10 1495378683
• ISBN-13 978-1495378683
• See all details

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About the author, product details.

• Publisher ‏ : ‎ CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform (November 12, 2014)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Paperback ‏ : ‎ 104 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1495378683
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1495378683
• Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 5.4 ounces
• Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6 x 0.24 x 9 inches
• #453 in Adult Christian Education (Books)
• #6,249 in Motivational Self-Help (Books)
• #8,276 in Christian Spiritual Growth (Books)

About the author

Christine tate.

Christine Tate, originally a Midwest native, grew up in the northwest suburbs of Chicago. The only child of a successful floor trader and an Indiana farm girl, she was strongly influenced by conservative, “Bible Belt” Christian theology. She started college at the age of fifteen and graduated from USC in Los Angeles with honors at nineteen earning a degree in Cinema-Television. After various career experiences and many years living on the West Coast, she met and married her best friend and soulmate. From there, she embarked on the travels and adventures that come with being a military spouse. Over the years, she has taught Sunday School, has a passion for gardening, adores matcha tea lattes, and generally enjoys all things creative in nature. Christine and her husband have one daughter and live in Virginia Beach, VA. She homeschooled her daughter who is now in college working toward a degree in Psychology. Christine spends much of her time writing and is the producer of the annual Virginia Beach Christian Authors Festival.

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