You’re ready to ditch your office job and start working from home. Now what? Working remotely offers numerous benefits, but it can seem pretty intimidating when you are just starting out. There are a lot of things that must be taken into consideration. Finding success as a remote worker is a lot of … well … work. As more and more companies begin offering remote positions, the dream of working from home is becoming a reality for more people than ever before. If you are sick of making a daily commute and want to start working from the comfort of home, there are plenty of opportunities out there. Here are a few tips to help you get started.
Figure Out Exactly What You Want to Do
From answering phone calls and emails to building websites and writing content, there are a lot of options when it comes to working remotely. Businesses are hiring remote workers for all sorts of positions. To ensure that your new job is one you end up loving, though, you need to figure out exactly what you want to do. If you hate your current retail job because you don’t like dealing with customers, for example, you probably won’t want to work from home answering customer service calls. Think about your interests and what you’re good at. If you’ve always had a knack for spelling and grammar, becoming a copywriter or content writer could be a good option.
If you enjoy working as an assistant, virtual assisting could be a good option. Spend some time reviewing remote job listings on Indeed or another job website to get a feel for what’s out there. Also, consider how you want to work. Do you want to work full-time as a remote employee for a company? Would you rather freelance? Are you looking for something you can do part-time in addition to your regular job? All of these things are important to figure out before you start applying for remote work.
Set Your Space Up for Success
We’d all love to earn huge incomes while lounging on the couch or lying in bed. In most cases, though, that’s not how it works. A lot of remote jobs involve spending most of your time working in front of your computer. Relaxing on the couch with your laptop may sound like a great option—but doing so is not a good way to set yourself up for success. As a remote worker, you are much more likely to be productive if you have a dedicated office space. Your back will thank you, too.
Convert your spare bedroom into an office or dedicate a corner of your dining room or living room into a work area. Whatever you do, make sure you have a desk, a computer and printer with plenty of inkjet cartridges, and anything else you will need to do your job. If you will need to take or make calls, invest in a good headset. Make sure you have a fast internet connection. Create a home office that makes you feel productive and ready to take on a new job.
Figure Out a Schedule
One of the great things about working remotely is that it is usually more flexible than a traditional job. Instead of being stuck in the office from 9 to 5 every day, you are often able to set your own hours or take days off as you please. As long as your deadlines are met, many remote employers don’t particularly care what days or hours you work. This is especially true for freelancers.
When you work at a traditional job, your schedule is created for you. Working remotely, on the other hand, means that you need to create your own schedule. This requires more discipline than you may think. With no one standing over your shoulder telling you that you have to stay until 5, and no boss to scold you if you play hooky on a random Tuesday, it’s easy to fall into the habit of blowing off work.
Avoid future problems by coming up with a schedule for yourself and sticking to it. Determine what days and hours you will work. When you need to take time off, plan for it just like you would plan to take time off from a regular job. Make sure your family understands your schedule and respects that, even though you are at home, you are unavailable during certain hours because you are working. You can always adjust your schedule as you get used to working from home, but it’s important to start out with some sort of structure.
Avoid Distractions
Distractions are a huge problem for many remote workers. Whether it’s a friend or family member who thinks you are available at all times because you aren’t technically at work, a new episode from your favorite YouTuber, or something interesting going on in your neighborhood, there are always plenty of things to draw your attention away from your work. Even a cat that won’t stay off your keyboard can be a huge distraction!
Learning to stay focused on the task at hand isn’t easy. With no one to reprimand you for getting off track, it’s easy to waste hours mindlessly scrolling through Facebook or staring out the window. These distractions can cause you to fall behind on your work, though, and make working from home a lot more stressful than it should be.There are all sorts of tools out there to help you stay focused. From teaching you how to meditate to improve focus to blocking you from using certain apps or websites during the work day, there are options for just about every situation. Try a few for yourself to discover which ones are right for you.
Conclusion
Working remotely is a great way to earn a living without having to spend all day at an office or another job. It can be challenging, though, especially if you fail to start off on the right foot. By following the tips above, you can set yourself up for success and enjoy working from home.
