Work at Home Mom

Let’s look more closely at the computer equipment question for the work at home mom. This is a critical business investment, and can be intimidating for the new worker at home. Specifically, let’s consider in this post whether a desktop computer or a laptop is the right choice for a work at home mom.

Well, of course, the type of work you will be doing is fundamental in making this determination. How often will you be on the computer? How big of a role will it play in your work at home? These types of questions will impact how you weigh the variables between the two types.

And it doesn’t actually take long to compare those variables. We addressed the cost comparison in the most recent post on Computer Equipment for the New Work at Home Mom. The desktop computer is typically less expensive and you can get more powerful functionality for the money.

For most home business applications, though, the capacity of a laptop will be sufficient and it does offer the advantages of being portable, taking up less desk space, and often being quieter to run (which may be something to note if your work space is in the main living area of your home).

I began my work at home era with a desktop computer, primarily because it was considerably less expensive than laptop technology back in the day (I’ll be giving away my age pretty soon here if I’m not careful ). And it served me just fine. When it came time to update my computer systems a couple of years ago, I did opt for a laptop, mostly because I wanted the many benefits of portability. There’s nothing I like better than getting a little bit of computer work done while waiting to pick up the kids after some activity or when riding in the car for long trips and my husband is driving. I like the quieter motor, too.

One other thing to consider is user comfort. The type on a laptop screen is relatively small print, and the distance from the typer to the screen cannot be adjusted. The keyboard also has a different feel on a laptop than with the separate keyboard of a desktop. Some people prefer the laptop options anyway, but it is something to consider. I prefer the screen and keyboard options of a desktop, and so I actually have the best of both worlds — a separate keyboard and adjustable screen that I hook into the laptop when working at my desk and simply disconnect when taking the laptop elsewhere.

I’d encourage you to spend some time thinking about the best options for you. Most work at home moms spend a fair amount of time on/with their computers, so it helps to like one other!