by Rose | Feb 23, 2023 | Freelancing, Working From Home
Are you constantly looking for programs, resources and information that will help you perform better at your job? I always try to find ways to make my job easier so that I can be more productive in my work. There is no one available to train me at my job, right? I have to be proactive about learning new skills and information that are important to the industry I freelance with. In this article I will share those resources with you so that you can be more productive and land more jobs.
Upwork
I can’t say enough good things about Upwork because it has been the best place for me to get projects that pay the most. No more turking away on Amazon Turk or doing crowdsourcing tasks for .25/each. Upwork matches you with clients and lets you submit proposals through their system. If you do good work on your projects and the client gives you a great rating, then it will be more likely for other clients to choose you.
Note that there have been several changes to Upwork since I used it last. The biggest downside for me was the large fee that they take from the payment. Essentially, that means the freelancer needs to charge more since the system is taking some of the money out. They’ve also started listing some features as Premium features and requesting that you pay to have access to those. Or you may even run out of proposals to submit since you can only submit so many per day/week.
Overall, I would say that Upwork is a great application for freelancers to use to find work or even post jobs on if you need help with work or a large project. I highly recommend that you use it to find more projects and expand your job network.
Browser Add On: Workona
This add on is amazing if you receive a ton of emails and use a lot of different browser windows at one time. If you are a freelancer, you surely get tons of email. This add on enables you to to create a task lisk and link the appropriate email(s) to the task. You can also give it a description and a due date. No more digging through your inbox to find the email relevant to that task. You can save yourself time by saving it in your Workona task list.
Watch this one minute video from Workona about their tab management program:
The other feature that I use most from Workona is their Workspace manager. This enables you to have four different “Workspaces” that you can easily switch between with a click. For example, you could have a Workspace set up for client management and a different Workspace set up for paperwork and reports. Workona also gives you the ability to pause open tabs (but keep them open) so they aren’t slowing down your PC with their Tab Suspender. Workona is not a Chrome specific add on and their website boasts that you can use it on Edge and Firefox. I highly recommend that you at least give it a try because I guarantee that it will make your work easier. You can sign up for free, but they also have affordable pricing plans if you need more than what the free version offers.
QuickBooks Self Employed
With freelancing comes taxes and taxes just seem a bit frustrating for many of us. I know that I’m not alone when I say that taxes can be confusing and it’s hard to determine what you can and can’t claim as a deduction. QuickBooks for Self Employed helps you keep track of your expenses, including mileage, dining and hotel stays if you take trips for work. You will need to connect your accounts if you want to import and organize your transactions, but I use this software and I’ve never had any security issues.
In addition, you can create invoices and reports that will be useful for your business and keeping track of everything all in one place. A downside though, is if you want to pay your taxes directly from the application you can’t without upgrading. I think this is a problem with many applications like this now is that they want you to continue upgrading to access the features that you really need. Quickbooks is not a free program, but if you do a lot of business then it might be worth the cost. If you are like me and you just want the process and data to be easier to work with, then make sure the cost is worth the time you save by using it.
FreeLancers Union
You might already be part of the Freelancers Union, but if you aren’t then it is worth checking out. This website exist just to provide resources and help, including some discounts, to freelancers.
You should really check out their insurance section too if it is available in your area. Sadly, it was not available where I live so I am unable to provide a review on how that went. They do have some great resources and discounts so I highly recommend that you check it out. It’s free to join and you are sure to find an invaluable resource or even learn something new.
Invoice Generator
This tool is a FREE invoice generator that you can use online without having to download any software and you can download your invoice without having to pay a fee.
Simply fill in the details and download, it’s that simple. There is plenty of space for you to add line items separately on the invoice if needed and even a notes section for other comments and information.
Toggl For Timekeeping
Toggl is a great app to use while you’re working and you can easily start and stop the timer within your browser window for accurate time keeping. You can also run reports and color code your projects.
Use Toggl for free for one user and a basic account. If you want access to some of the other features then you will have to take a look at their pricing options. An added bonus; Toggl integrates with many other platforms and systems.
Canva
I absolutely love Canva because it is (I think) so user friendly that almost anyone could use it. And if you aren’t sure of how to use it, it’s not hard to learn or just use one of their free templates! You can use Canva to design many things including Blog Posts, Web Design Mock Ups, and much more.
They’ve recently added some new features to help users create events for planning content for different dates. You could use this feature yourself by creating an event/day to plan some content for work.
There are tons of great resources out there for freelancers and working from home in general. It’s important to keep in mind that new programs and applications are always being released as technology advances. Make sure to keep checking out new programs or updates in the programs/platforms you currently use. Often times these updates and new applications continue to make our work easier and more productive.
What programs do you use to make your work from home job easier? Let me know in the comments!
by Rose | Feb 21, 2023 | Working From Home
The work from home industry certainly started booming during the pandemic. People that didn’t even think it was possible to work from home got sent home to work. Now that the pandemic is over some people are returning to the workplace and some are having to make the hard decision of if they want to work in public. Maybe you want to continue working from home, but your job won’t allow it. This topic and many more are what is trending in the work from home news industry this week.
1. Like working from home? Some companies say enough is enough.
Some of America’s most prominent companies want to turn back the clock on working from home and require employees to spend more time in the workplace. Read more here. (By Megan Cerullo with Moneywatch)
2. What’s The Future Of Remote Work In 2023?
When we think of remote work, chances are we’re taken back to March 2020, when the workforce all around the world suddenly seemed to shift overnight. Emails saying that “We’ll be switching to ‘work from home’ policies until further notice” flooded people’s inboxes, and everyone had to adapt. Not just in the workplace but in schools, too.
Fast forward nearly three years: Did that “further notice” ever come to an end? What’s the future of remote work in 2023, and what kind of work environment do employees and companies expect in 2023? Read more here. (By Simon Bacher, Cofounder of Ling).
3. Remote & Hybrid Work Up 84%
Digital Workplace leader, Akumina, recently conducted a world-wide survey targeting working professionals to better understand the gravity of the remote work approach. Though many believed companies were reverting back to in-person models, Akumina’s survey proved remote and hybrid work increased by 30% since this time last year. Read the full article here. (By Samantha Kenney, Akumina Inc.)
4. 11 Surprising Statistics on Remote Work for 2023
In 2020, the world came to a halt. We suddenly realized that many of the jobs we normally do in the office could be done just as efficiently (if not more) from the comfort of our homes.
Two years later, how is remote work faring? Has the enthusiasm for remote work tapered off just like the pandemic? Find out more in this list of the latest statistics on remote work by Raisa Yogiaman.
5. Working From Home Increases Productivity
Tech developments paved the way for many employees and business owners to work from home for years, and the pandemic prompted a sharp increase in remote work. Working at home is now the norm for many Americans, but is this working arrangement productive? You can read the rest of this article here. (By Shayna Waltower)
These recent news stories give us remote workers all something to think about. The future of remote work, benefits or working at home and other statistics that you probably didn’t know. Post any news articles that you have related to working from home in the comments below!
by Rose | Feb 7, 2023 | Working From Home
The term “work-life balance” has become popular in recent years. It’s often used to describe the ideal situation of spending time with your family, friends, and loved ones while still focusing on your career. But what does this mean? Is it possible? And if so, how can you achieve it? In this article, we’ll discuss some of the myths surrounding work-life balance and provide tips on how you can achieve a healthy balance between work and play at home or in life!
Is Work-life Balance a Myth?
You can have a work-life balance, but you have to find the schedule that works best for you. The best thing to do is prioritize your time based on what’s most essential and make sure you have enough hours in the day to accomplish those things. It’s best to use your time management skills and set certain hours and time limits for each task you want to accomplish.
It’s true that some people can get by without any outside commitments, but for most people in the workforce today, this isn’t the case. Most of us have family, friends, appointments, pets, and other personal commitments that take up some of our time.
Mental Health & Wellbeing
Work-life balance has been linked to lower stress levels and better quality of life for employees. Studies have shown that working more than 40 hours per week or taking less vacation time than you should be taking can lead to increased stress levels, depression symptoms, and higher rates of absenteeism among workers with mental health conditions like anxiety disorders or depression.
Family
Family should always come first when it comes down to being present at home with them. Some people take this too far and spend all of their time playing around instead of working. We all love having our family around, but sometimes it can be noisy and distracting, making it hard for us to focus on our work.
Others are the opposite and instead spend much more time working than they do with their family. It is so easy to fall into the trap of working as much as you can because you are already at home. Remember that your family, friends, pets, and others need your attention too.
You Can’t be Productive If You’re In Pain or Tired
If you’re physically healthy and comfortable in your body, you can be quite productive. If not, then it could be harder for you to be productive. And if that’s true for anyone who works as much as we do (which is most people), then there are a few things that fall under the “personal development” category.
You need time for exercise: The first step in being productive is ensuring your body is rested and healthy. This means getting enough sleep every night and eating carefully throughout the day. In addition, if you are sitting most of the day, it is important to get up and move around throughout your work day. Moving around for even ten minutes is better than not moving around at all.
You also shouldn’t forget about relaxation: Yes, we live very busy lives, and sometimes downtime just isn’t possible. However, if relaxing helps us mentally prepare ourselves and get in the right mindset for another week of work, then a little relaxation could make all difference between success and failure.
You need to take time for yourself by reading, listening to music, jogging, gardening, or whatever it is you like to do. Start making it a practice to take some time for yourself, even if it’s only 10 or 15 minutes, and make sure that you focus on yourself.
It’s Possible to be Happy & Productive
Being both happy and productive can be difficult and requires some planning. If you want to be at work at a specific time, then plan your other morning tasks ahead of time. If you want to want to be done working by lunchtime, then set aside some time to buckle down on the most important tasks of the day first.
You also need to be realistic about how much time you have each day–and how many hours are required to get things done (or at least moving forward). You might think that because there are only 24 hours in a day, allocating 10 minutes here or there won’t make a difference; but this isn’t true when those 10 minutes add up over time!
Like I said previously, it’s best to set up different times and set yourself a time limit for each task. For example; “I’m only going to spend 30 minutes in email” or “I’m only going to spend 10 minutes on this phone call”. Setting these kinds of limits for yourself can help you get your tasks done faster and prevent you from feeling that work-from-home burnout.
Conclusion
If you’re overwhelmed and stressed out, that’s not a good way to live your life. You need to take care of yourself to be the best version of yourself at home, whether you are working or just spending time with your family. It’s important that you have a balance between your work and your home life so that you don’t get overwhelmed with work tasks or chores. Take time to relax and enjoy yourself and your friends and family.
