Text by: Tanya Munshi
Image by: Kowitz
Image: Work from Home
A lot of people I know have always raised an eyebrow when ever I told them that I work ‘remotely’, in simpler terms, ‘work from home’. Usually I get the feedback that as a home maker, I maybe doing some data entry job to earn pocket money. In fact, from certain clients too, I have got this feeling that even though I am a thorough professional; I was never taken to very seriously. Some clients thought, I had all the time in the world to work and so they kept tossing work at me. Finally, at the end of two years, I could pick and choose with whom to work with and for how long. That's what I tell you, break the mindset and get cracking with your work from home.
How and where to begin?
Several friends approached me to offer tips or references on how to go about working online. I started it out through contacts from my older companies and colleagues whom I have worked with. Apart from building contacts and references through friends and colleagues; do your own research by looking up Google and of course, post your updated resume in job portals. This is where, networking helps a lot. You have got to hone your people skills and network well, otherwise why should anyone even remember you? Also, the most important part of your work from home profile – is the follow up, you have to let your potential client know that you are keen to work, but not desperate enough to work at an underpaid job.
Do they pay?
Initial starting pay may not be according to your expectations, but it’s always good to start somewhere. Gradually, as you work and your clients get a hang of your style, you can ask for a raise. If you plan on freelancing, you can also charge in terms of hours, however, you have to cross check with fellow work from home people or freelancers as to what the current rate is. But of course, if you’ve had years of work experience backing you, then it should not be a problem getting a decent pay package.
The points above are all about what you can handle externally, here are some tips to make life simpler to work while being at home.
Schedule your day – always ensure that you are able to put in your fixed number of hours at work every day. You have got to be serious about your work. If you miss a weekday due to any reason, make it a point to keep your client informed and cover it up by working on it over a weekend.
Household chores – as women, we're always expected to handle home and work with ease. We know how tough it can get sometimes, especially when the house helper doesn’t turn up or sudden arrival of guests. See if you can cook all your meals in the morning, before the maid arrives (according to the Indian context). Or, you can even choose to cook during the lunch time and take a break.
Be mentally prepared – always be mentally prepared that things can go wrong, like power failure, sudden arrival of guests. Remember, that exigencies at home will be higher. This will help you stay calm.
Utilize your time – During power failures, or no internet connection, I make it a point to finish the cooking, so that by the time the power returns, I can resume my work. So utilitize your time the best way possible.
Invest if required – Since I lived in a small town for a couple of years, I had to suffer six hours of power cuts almost every other day. I then invested in an inverter that helped me to work on my computer while there were power cuts. I also got myself a laptop that if and when I travelled with my husband, I was able to keep a check on my work and attend to something in case it was required.
Keep contacts handy – keep the numbers of your internet service provider, the electrical board, etc handy. At times of power failure or no connectivity you have to inform them urgently. Remember, the sooner you call, the quicker your problems will be solved.
Dress to work – before you sit down to work, finish your bath, have your breakfast and dress up well (makeup optional), so that you ready yourself mentally and physically for office work.
Check your health – I always make it a point to practice yoga every morning. A dash of lime and warm water does the trick along with 4 almonds and a garlic flake soaked overnight. Garlic will keep acidity at bay, almonds act as a health tonic while warm lime water will flush your body of toxins. Since I tend to work for several hours on my computer, I ensure that I practice yoga daily. When ever I get the chance, I go out for long walks in the evening. Last but not the least, sit with a bottle of water where you work. Keep drinking water as often as you can. Remember, working from home has its own perks – like you have an access to a microwave or a refrigerator. You can keep fresh fruits in the refrigerator and have them as in between snacks.
Baby care – one of the primary reasons for to work remotely from home is that whether you have kids or plan to have kids in the near future, you can adjust the time and be there for your little one. If you keep a nanny, you will be around to keep an eye on her as well.
Be honest – honesty is the best policy, when you work remotely. Remember, your client is entrusting valuable data, time and money into you. So don’t play around with it. Be serious with the work and you will be happily rewarded.
Equip yourself – get Yahoo, MSN, Google Talk or Skype installed. See what is convenient for you and your client. Register yourself with a PayPal account, in case of foreign clients.
How and where to begin?
Several friends approached me to offer tips or references on how to go about working online. I started it out through contacts from my older companies and colleagues whom I have worked with. Apart from building contacts and references through friends and colleagues; do your own research by looking up Google and of course, post your updated resume in job portals. This is where, networking helps a lot. You have got to hone your people skills and network well, otherwise why should anyone even remember you? Also, the most important part of your work from home profile – is the follow up, you have to let your potential client know that you are keen to work, but not desperate enough to work at an underpaid job.
Do they pay?
Initial starting pay may not be according to your expectations, but it’s always good to start somewhere. Gradually, as you work and your clients get a hang of your style, you can ask for a raise. If you plan on freelancing, you can also charge in terms of hours, however, you have to cross check with fellow work from home people or freelancers as to what the current rate is. But of course, if you’ve had years of work experience backing you, then it should not be a problem getting a decent pay package.
The points above are all about what you can handle externally, here are some tips to make life simpler to work while being at home.
Schedule your day – always ensure that you are able to put in your fixed number of hours at work every day. You have got to be serious about your work. If you miss a weekday due to any reason, make it a point to keep your client informed and cover it up by working on it over a weekend.
Household chores – as women, we're always expected to handle home and work with ease. We know how tough it can get sometimes, especially when the house helper doesn’t turn up or sudden arrival of guests. See if you can cook all your meals in the morning, before the maid arrives (according to the Indian context). Or, you can even choose to cook during the lunch time and take a break.
Be mentally prepared – always be mentally prepared that things can go wrong, like power failure, sudden arrival of guests. Remember, that exigencies at home will be higher. This will help you stay calm.
Utilize your time – During power failures, or no internet connection, I make it a point to finish the cooking, so that by the time the power returns, I can resume my work. So utilitize your time the best way possible.
Invest if required – Since I lived in a small town for a couple of years, I had to suffer six hours of power cuts almost every other day. I then invested in an inverter that helped me to work on my computer while there were power cuts. I also got myself a laptop that if and when I travelled with my husband, I was able to keep a check on my work and attend to something in case it was required.
Keep contacts handy – keep the numbers of your internet service provider, the electrical board, etc handy. At times of power failure or no connectivity you have to inform them urgently. Remember, the sooner you call, the quicker your problems will be solved.
Dress to work – before you sit down to work, finish your bath, have your breakfast and dress up well (makeup optional), so that you ready yourself mentally and physically for office work.
Check your health – I always make it a point to practice yoga every morning. A dash of lime and warm water does the trick along with 4 almonds and a garlic flake soaked overnight. Garlic will keep acidity at bay, almonds act as a health tonic while warm lime water will flush your body of toxins. Since I tend to work for several hours on my computer, I ensure that I practice yoga daily. When ever I get the chance, I go out for long walks in the evening. Last but not the least, sit with a bottle of water where you work. Keep drinking water as often as you can. Remember, working from home has its own perks – like you have an access to a microwave or a refrigerator. You can keep fresh fruits in the refrigerator and have them as in between snacks.
Baby care – one of the primary reasons for to work remotely from home is that whether you have kids or plan to have kids in the near future, you can adjust the time and be there for your little one. If you keep a nanny, you will be around to keep an eye on her as well.
Be honest – honesty is the best policy, when you work remotely. Remember, your client is entrusting valuable data, time and money into you. So don’t play around with it. Be serious with the work and you will be happily rewarded.
Equip yourself – get Yahoo, MSN, Google Talk or Skype installed. See what is convenient for you and your client. Register yourself with a PayPal account, in case of foreign clients.
No comments:
Post a Comment