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The Pros And Cons Of Working Remotely

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8085092769_f449f0bff2_zOne of my friends recently moved to another state because her husband got a new job there. She hasn’t found a new job there yet, so her current company is allowing her to work remotely for them. Working from home is great in some ways- you set your own hours, you don’t have to leave the house and deal with a commute, and you honestly have much more free time. However, it is MUCH easier to get distracted, get behind, and spend your evenings and weekends playing catch up. Check out this post by Ieva at therandomp blog for the pros and cons of working remotely, and decide whether or not it’s right for you:

Con- you can feel misinformed, out of the loop, and miss out on communications if you are not diligent.

Con- there is less contact with coworkers and clients- you can’t judge reactions by body language.

Pro- you can do things whenever you want.

Pro- way more independence and freedom

Con- hard to organize other people and projects from far away.

Photo Credit: dave.see 

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The Weekend Is The Key To A More Productive Monday

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5825408292_ac6caefb9b_zWhen working from home, there is a constant battle between productivity and distraction going on. However, with preparation on Sunday, you can make Monday way easier and much less work. These weekend productivity tips by Shannon Rosenberg at Buzzfeed are great for any professional, but are perfect for work from homers:

-Write your Monday morning to-do list

-Make a list of weekly goals for everything you want to accomplish

-Empty all garbage cans in the house (and office) and take them out

-Go shopping for the whole week, prepare some healthy (distraction free) snacks.

-Take a walk

-Set an alarm to remind yourself when to go to sleep

Photo Credit: Ebelien 

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Career Ideas For Work-From-Homers

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I love working from home, and the flexibility it gives me. It allows me to stay home with my nephew and family, travel whenever and wherever I want (as long as there is internet!), and sleep until 2 pm. Honestly, I love being able to go anywhere and work. Last year, I went to Kentucky, Michigan, Cedar Point in Ohio, and Las Vegas without taking a single day off. It’s pretty awesome! If you think that’s the life for you, check out this post by Jillian Knox Finley at My Domaine for a list of jobs that allow you to work remotely:

-Web research evaluator

-Freelance content writer

-Tax accountant

-Online teacher/tutor

-Computer programmer

-Web designer

-Graphic designer

-Travel agent

Photo Credit: Moyann Brenn 

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Cutting Down On Paperwork Clutter

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One of the biggest clutter offenders in my home is paper clutter. Mail kind of just piles up, along with magazines, bills, statements, and just plain old junk. It’s made even worse by the fact that I work from home, so work stuff is mixed in with personal paperwork. Does this sound like you? Well, just check out this article by Angela at Setting My Intention for tips on taming the mess:

-Save any sensitive documents that contain personal info, and shred or burn them

-Set up an organization system, like a filing cabinet, and go through it periodically

-Throw out magazines once you read them, and cut down on subscriptions

Photo Credit: Lindsey Turner 

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Bringing In Extra Income At Home

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Working from home is great, because you are also able to do other jobs at the same time and bring in even more money. There are all kinds of side jobs that are available to work-from-homers, that you can do in addition to your current one. Check out this post by Elizabeth at Frugal Momeh for ways to generate “multiple streams of income”:

-Figure out what you’re good at, and find a way to market it. Are you a good writer? Do animals love you? Are you a great negotiator, or a fast typer? Almost all of these skills can be translated into income.

-Start a consulting business- give expert advice to others

-Start blogging- this will take some time, but if you are good, you may even surpass your main income!

-Get into affiliate marketing, and make money from customers that you refer.

Photo Credit: SEO Planter 

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Amazing Tips To Increase Your Productivity

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Workers of all professions occasionally get the blahs. Maybe you just started the day on the wrong side of the bed, you feel uninspired or just unfocused. It happens. But with creative professionals, these days are extra bad, happen more often if you don’t know how to combat it, and can have a more serious negative impact on your work. That’s why it’s important for anyone who works from home, works in an artistic field, or has some other non-traditional job to keep a strict daily routine. If you find yourself in a bit of a productivity slump, check out these tips from Meredith Lepore at Levo for things you can do to give yourself a little boost:

-Make lists, but get creative: vary the format, start in the center of the page and branch outward, create thought bubbles and venn diagrams to stimulate your brain and help you think outside the box.

-Smell flowers when you wake up- seeing bright colors in the morning lifts your energy.

-Take a walk in the park- strolling through a nature setting shows a 20% improvement in attention and focus tests.

Photo Credit: Jackie Ick 

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Staying Organized When Working From Home

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When working from home, it’s twice as important to have an organizational system in place. At a traditional job, you usually have a designated office or other work space to keep all your work-related materials. At home though, it can be extremely easy to let your work life and home life blend together. Amid the chaos of spouses, kids, pets, friends, get-togethers, and other household activities, it can be extremely easy to lose track of important things if you do not have a specific place for them. Don’t let that happen to you! Check out this post by Organized Creatives for some great tips on staying professional and put-together, even when working from home:

-Make a to-do list. Prioritize everything from most important to least important. Ask yourself- does it have to be done today? Will it make me money? Will it help you reach a goal?

-Buy a recycle bin and put it next to your desk. At the end of the day, do a sweep of your workspace and get rid of anything non-essential. Keep a shredder handy for sensitive documents.

Photo Credit: Becky Wetherington 

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Staying Focused And Productive When Working From Home

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The best thing, yet somehow also the worst thing, about working from home is the total freedom and flexibility. It’s great for people who need to make their own schedules: parents, college students, or people that have a lifestyle that requires lots of travel (military spouses, for example). However, the fact that you never have to leave your home to work can make it hard to actually make yourself work. For tips on being more productive, and remaining focused, check out this post by Christina Tiplea at Embracing Simple Blog:

-Set aside specific times to do chores. Or, create a rule that you will do no housework during working hours.

-Listen to music to keep yourself going at a good pace. Maybe invest in a good pair of noise canceling headphones.

-Create a dedicated workspace. Don’t work in your bed, don’t watch Netflix in your workspace.

-Set boundaries- create a schedule for yourself and stick to it. Let friends/kids know that you are working during that time, and that you aren’t available for chats.

Photo Credit: Mark Hunter 

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