 If you have been following this website, you know that I am a productivity addict. Currently, I am an avid user of Asana, Pomodoro Method, and planners both digital and physical copies. We are approaching the third month of the year. However, it's never too late to start planning your goals for the month, quarter or year. For me, I find that each month is a fantastic time to evaluate goals. I am involved with online groups and slack communities that encourage remote professionals to goal set each month. I can tell you that many people are benefiting from this activity. In this post, I will share with you one of the ways I am becoming more organized and ready for the year. I am using the Slay Your Goals Planner by Nadalie Bardo.  Okay, so I received access to this fabulous planner a month ago. You guys know I am very protective of the information I share with you. You can be sure any products and services I share I have tried them for a period beforehand. The Slay Your Goals Planner is unbelievable and has improved the way I set my goals. It is the most meticulous planner I have ever used, and I have tried many! The planner takes you through intense goal planning sessions. However, the method is not overwhelming like other planners and programs. Each step of the planning process is beneficial and intentional. My Experience: Currently, I use Asana and the Happy Planner for all projects and tasks. I utilize these tools for both business and personal life activity. As some of you know, I teach productivity courses so I was worried about how this planner would fit into my current systems. I was mainly concerned about steps overlapping. Well, the Slay Your Goals Planner worked well with my process. I am convinced that it would work with any system. I plan to continue to use my Happy Planner for day-to-day planning. I will use the Slay Your Goals Planner along with Asana to focus on priorities and long-term goal planning. I will also use Asana and the Slay Goals Planner to determine how my days should be structured. The Slay Goal Planner will not interrupt the current system you use. Instead, it can improve your process! The planner divides into the following sections:
 This planner begins with helping you with the process of determining your intentions. Afterwards, you will go into your goal planning. This planner is like having a coach in your ear guiding you. There is no reason why you wouldn't be able to goal plan efficiently unless you don't try. If you commit to this planner, you will pull out all the information you need to create a great game plan for the year. Pro Tip: You can use the planner in various ways. For example, you can use it digitally. You can utilize it with the iPad Pro after adding it to your OneNote account with the apple pencil. If you don't have the iPad Pro, don't worry you can type directly into the planner using Adobe. Lastly, you can print out the planner for use. I use the Happy Planner hole puncher and rings to bind it together. Here is a picture of it. Final Thoughts I love this planner! It has been an excellent tool for me this year. Trust me you will feel like a total boss after using it. If you are interested, you can use my affiliate link. It is never too late to start planning your best year yet. If you are still struggling with productivity, mindset and goal setting why not try it. See what the Slay Your Goals Planner can do for you this year. If you decide to test out the planner, please let me know what you think of it. As you know, the theme for GuideWAH is elevating together. Let's have a productive year! If this content has been helpful, please consider making a tax-deductible donation to RE-Academy. Even a small donation of $1.00 can help their mission. They are a 501(c)(3) Nonprofit Organization whose purpose is to help empower people from underserved communities to achieve economic self-sufficiency by providing a network of support, professional coaching, development tools and a confidence boost to help them thrive in work and life. You can learn more here. Other Resources What is the Pomodoro Technique and How Can it Help Productivity?
Learn how working in 25 minute sessions can help with productivity How to Be Productive While Working Remotely + Checklist Some tips that will help you be as productive as possible when working at home with a checklist. How to Reduce Distractions When You Work Remotely List of steps to reduce possible distractions while you work from home.
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 If you are new to the world of working remotely or are not experienced working in co-working spaces, there is a good chance you aren’t familiar with the Pomodoro Technique. Since 2011, I have been working remotely, and I heard about the Pomodoro Technique but didn’t give it much thought. Goodness, that was a huge mistake. If you are anything like me, you probably created goals to improve your productivity this year. Even if you are good at being productive with your time it doesn’t hurt to see if you can develop it further. If you are struggling, you should consider the Pomodoro Technique. Yes, I have been using this method, and I can say with confidence that it works well for me and it can help you too. The Pomodoro Technique might sound complicated. However, it is straightforward. Here is why remote business owners and workers around the world are using this method and are experiencing excellent results. Defining the Pomodoro method This impressive technique involves setting a timer or using a Pomodoro app for 25-minute work sessions. When the timer expires, you take a five-minute break. If you want to continue working, please don’t, instead, take a break. You can go for a walk, call a friend or grab a drink. Just make sure you break away from your tasks. After you have done this cycle of 25 minutes work sessions with five-minute breaks four different times, you can increase the time off to 10, 15, 20 or 25 minutes. You can continue the work sessions until you complete the task. Pro tip:
It holds you accountable for getting results One of my tips is to write down what you achieved during your 25-minute work sessions. This step gives you a visual reminder of what was accomplished or not. It is an excellent way to hold yourself accountable and can be what you need to remain motivated. Trust me you will be amazed at the amount of work you can accomplish. Using this method can increase productivity No matter how many assignments you need to accomplish, it can be challenging to remain productive. One of the ideas behind the Pomodoro Technique is that it doesn't matter what you are undertaking, you can focus on a task and be productive for 25 minutes at a time. Productivity can be crucial to accomplishing a massive task that seems overwhelming or a job that you have been putting off. Decreases the impact of distractions We all have to deal with distractions especially when working remotely. Even if the disturbances are small, they can prove to be destructive for a task that you are trying to complete. The Pomodoro Technique can help you deal with these distractions effectively. Pro tip: Write down any interruptions that occur when you are in the middle of a 25-minute session. By writing these things down and not just trying to ignore them, it helps you to get them off your mind temporarily and decreases the impact that these distractions can have on you. Other tips:
I am excited to share this productivity method with you. It has seriously changed my life, and it can do the same for you. Have you ever use the Pomodoro Technique? If so, what are your thoughts? If you haven’t, why not, find a fellow remote worker and try this out! Share your thoughts. About Rita Rita is a freelance writer, nonprofit founder, professor and flex work enthusiast who enjoys the freedom and flexibility of working remotely. After starting remote work in 2011, she has continued to work remotely and currently enjoys the flexibility. Today, Rita continues to embrace the remote work lifestyle and encourages others to do what they love on their own terms. Be sure to follow the Guide to Working at Home where we share advice, jobs, tips for remote workers, freelancers, business owners to find flexible work and opportunities. If this content has been helpful, please consider making a tax-deductible donation to our friends at RE-Academy. Even a small donation of $1.00 can help their mission. They are a 501(c)(3) Nonprofit Organization whose purpose is to help empower people from underserved communities to achieve economic self-sufficiency by providing a network of support, professional coaching, development tools and a confidence boost to help them thrive in work and life. You can learn more here. Other Resources Ideas and tips for discovering opportunities in higher education for professionals.
How to Be Productive While Working Remotely + Checklist Some tips that will help you be as productive as possible when working at home with a checklist. How to Reduce Distractions When You Work Remotely List of steps to reduce possible distractions while you work from home. Fancy Hands: Affordable Way to Hire Virtual Assistants to Increase Productivity  Working remotely and from home can provide great work-life balance and an opportunity to be productive on your terms. However, when you work from home with children, it can be challenging at times. Distractions and interruptions can have an impact on your work performance. With a little forethought and planning, working at home with your little ones will be an awarding experience. Here are some tactics you can try: Maximize your time. Depending on the age of your child, scheduling may be difficult. Map out time and do your best to stay on track. Nap time for your child does not necessarily mean downtime for you. Make a list of daily tasks that need to get accomplished and outline out times when you can complete your goals. When you work from home or remotely, establishing a routine is best, but if you can't, a to-do list can be beneficial. If you are tech savvy, I suggest planning out your commitments in Asana. Create your office space/office. Designate a work area in your home. Your work area should be a place on the quiet side where you can organize your work, thoughts and have few interruptions. If the office has a door, even better! Your family will come to understand that when you are in your "office," you are working! The ultimate goal is to create an interruption-free zone. Set reasonable expectations for both you and your child. It may be unrealistic to expect your child to sit quietly for business hours. While coloring and screen entertainment have their place, they cannot be required to take the place of adult supervision and attention. You may need to adjust your work schedule to be in sync with the needs of your little one. Flexibility is key. You will need to understand that during the day, things may happen and you may fall behind in your work. Sometimes, you will need to stay up late to finish projects. You may find yourself tired during the day and need to squeeze in a power nap. If you have to work outside of your regular business hours, I advise trying to compensate by taking a few hours off the next day to make up for it. Communicate with your child. If your child is old enough, explain to them, in terms they can understand, that you are working. They may have difficulty understanding what work requires and what it means. However, when your children become older, they will have an opportunity to see hard work first hand from you. Final Thoughts Working from home with children is by no means easy. Even if it seems crazy at first, over time through experience, reflection, and improvement, you can make it work! Are you currently working from home with children? Is so, what steps are you taking to be productive with work and still care for your little ones? About Rita Rita is a freelance writer, consultant, professor and flex work enthusiast who enjoys the freedom and flexibility of working remotely. After starting remote work in 2011, she has continued to work remotely and currently enjoys the flexibility. Today, Rita continues to embrace the remote work lifestyle and encourages others to do what they love on their own terms. Be sure to follow the Guide to Working at Home where we share advice, jobs, tips for remote workers, freelancers, business owners to find flexible work and opportunities. If this content has been helpful, please consider making a tax-deductible donation to our friends at RE-Academy. Even a small donation of $1.00 can help their mission. They are a 501(c)(3) Nonprofit Organization whose purpose is to help empower people from underserved communities to achieve economic self-sufficiency by providing a network of support, professional coaching, development tools and a confidence boost to help them thrive in work and life. You can learn more here. Other Resources Ideas and tips for discovering opportunities in higher education for professionals.
How to Be Productive While Working Remotely + Checklist Some tips that will help you be as productive as possible when working at home with a checklist. How to Reduce Distractions When You Work Remotely List of steps to reduce possible distractions while you work from home. Fancy Hands: Affordable Way to Hire Virtual Assistants to Increase Productivity  Discovering ways to save or even earn additional cash can be daunting. Whether you are looking to save money for your emergency fund or make a few more dollars to add to your financial goals, there are a few apps that can assist. Reaching your goals can seem impossible until you map out a system and strategy that lets you save and even earn additional funds while you are at it. The options we will cover today are various types of mobile apps that can help you save automatically and even earn a few extra buck by referring your friends. There are plenty of apps out there, but these three apps are ones that I used and has helped me reach my goals. I examined and utilized these applications for my purposes before creating my final recommendation list. Here they are! Qapital I love this app for a few different reasons. Qapital has impressive features that allow you to set rule(s) to automate your savings. For instance, I have the app set up so that every time I spend money, the app will round the spare change and save it to my assigned goal. Right now I have a goal called “moving expenses” and "association fee fund." I also have a second rule that allows me to save a certain amount each month to help me reach my goals faster. The application is insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. To start saving with Qapital, you will need to connect an existing checking account to the app. They called this your funding account for the different goals you will create. Qapital also lets you automatically transfer funds into your account when you spend less than you budgeted for a particular expense or when you spend money on something you identified as a “guilty pleasure.” Or you can contribute a lump sum to your fund on a regular basis. The idea is that your money is moved automatically, so you’ll save up for your goals without having to remind yourself constantly. Once you meet your goals, you have a few options. You can request that Qapital transfer the funds back to your funding account. This process typically takes two business days; You can also obtain the Qapital debit card at no cost and use your money for the different goals you created by moving it to your spending account on Qapital. This method is automatic with no wait time. After saving money in my laptop replacement fund, I used the Qapital card to buy a new computer. The one great thing about Qapital is that there are no fees. You can expect to earn .1% on your account. Qapital will even give you five dollars to test it out. Try it out here. If you like the service, you can refer your friends and you both will get 5 dollars. Acorns Do you want to save and maybe earn extra money? Well, check out Acorns. Like Qapital, Acorns can round up purchases linked to your credit and debit cards, but the difference is that it will also invest for you. Yes, this means your money will be invested in a portfolio based on your goals and income level. Pretty awesome right? You can select options that range from conservative to aggressive. Since I am saving for the long term, I went with a more traditional choice. However, this service is not free like Qapital. You will need to pay a fee of $1 a month if your balance is under $5,000 and afterward you will be charged a fee of .25% of your total balance. However, if you are a college student and have a school email account, you can use the service for free. You can also make purchases with Acorns’ partners using the app, and these companies will invest in you by contributing a predetermined percentage of your purchase into your account. Remember Acorn is an investing account. You will see your funds change. It will go up and down. Keep in mind that it can take several days to withdraw your funds since you will likely have shares that would need to be sold first. Check out this app here and get 5 dollars to start with. If you refer someone, you both will get 5 dollars. Digit I have to admit Digit is my favorite on the list. Unlike the prior two apps, Digit goes above and beyond to help you save. It studies your habits by paying attention to your income and spending, and it will keep your spare change in a savings account for you. It calculates what you can save because of its analysis process. You should expect savings from your account often with this app. If there is a day where the Digit app doesn’t collect for you, it will tell you the reason. How awesome is that? For example, it informed me that it was waiting for a few bills to clear before proceeding to save for me. Digit is FDIC insured. I love this app, but I do have a few suggestions. The amount saved from your funding account will vary, so you will need to keep an eye on your balance to avoid an overdraft. I also suggest setting up a minimum balance. For example, if your account is below $250 you can stop digit from saving from your checking account. You can earn a 1% saving bonus paid every three months. Also, there is a 100-day free trial period when you first start your account. The cost is 2.99 per month after your trial period. You can start here. If you refer a friend, you will receive 5 dollars. Final Thoughts If you are wondering if I still use these applications, the answer is yes. I use all three, and they are still fabulous. Each one has its advantages. You may decide to test out one or all three of them. If you do, please let us know your thoughts. I hope this information has been helpful for you. If you are using other applications, let us know. Other ReviewsEbates: Save Money While Shopping Online with Ebates SetTV: How to get 500 for $20/month and dump your cable provider with SetTV Fancy Hands: Affordable Way to Hire Virtual Assistants to Increase Productivity Flexjobs: A Stress-Free Way to Find Flexible Job Opportunities Looking for Remote Work?Guide WAH's Newsletter:
Do you want to know about new leads and tips first? Signup now for our newsletter. Our readers enjoy learning about resources, job leads and online events such as career fairs first. Guide WAH's Weekly Podcast: You asked and now we provides tricks and tips on finding flexible remote opportunities. Have questions?  Working from home means you have two parts of your life in one – the business and private life. That means that designing a good office can help you separate those two spaces so you can entirely devote yourself to your business during working hours. Designing a home office is challenging because most home offices are a smaller size. Due to that, you have to find the perfect match between functionality and practicality. Organize your office space so that every part of the design has a purpose. Reserve one entire wall for shelves and storage so you can have everything you need in one place. The wall with your desk has to be clean from shelves, or you will create clutter on the desk. A desk should be your focal point. Everything revolves around the desk. That means that you should bring closer to the desk things you often use, like bags or camera, depending on your business. Other things, things you don’t use, move to the furthest wall in the office. Simplicity should be your inspiration.  Furniture should be a light color, preferably white with clean lines. Avoid bulky furniture, or it will eat your office alive. If you don’t have clients coming in your office, remove extra chairs or coffee tables and focus entirely on your workspace. Having a small office is a good thing because it forces you to organize the entire space. Use light colors on the walls of white, light yellow or light gray and avoid dark colors like red, black or purple. Dark colors will make your office seem small and intimidating which will eventually affect your concentration. It doesn’t matter whether you have an office in your home or you have to travel to it, the main thing an office has to have is a pleasant work atmosphere. A home office beats an office in one building because you can design your home office just the way you like it.  That is one big perk of having an office in your home, and you should use that perk entirely. Choose your wall color, your furniture and give a little bit of yourself in a design. You can do that with decorations or photos on the wall. A home office should feel like home. About Mark: Mark is a foosball player who has a blog about foosball. He makes everything about foosball on his blog, including foosball history, records, rules, opinions, and reviews of foosball tables and parts you need to play foosball for ages. He is proud of the variety of foosball tables he reviewed, like, for example, Sportcraft foosball table brand. Other Resources How to Be Productive While Working Remotely + Checklist
Some tips that will help you be as productive as possible when working at home with a checklist. How to Reduce Distractions When You Work Remotely List of steps to reduce possible distractions while you work from home. 
As a business owner, freelancer or blogger, it is vital that you conduct a reset at some point in the year to evaluate how your business is performing. This step is imperative to your future success and will keep you accountable. Examine if you are setting goals that are SMART (specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and time-based) for your business. As business owners, we need to set goals that are SMART instead of a list of wants or wishes. Create goals that you will put in time and effort to achieve that are measurable. To be clear, I am not saying that you can’t dream big. In fact, you should. However, you need to create SMART goals that you can map out the pathway to achieve. Here are my suggestions for your consideration when creating SMART goals for your business: What Happened Last Year? It is time for you to get extremely honest with yourself and your business performance. It is a common business practice to evaluate your past achievements, disappointments and come up with predictions for the future. The reason why this is vital for businesses is that you can determine what worked and didn’t. This way you can create plans to toss out what isn’t going right, expand on what is working and develop solutions to last year’s problems. In other words, you should look at your wins and losses for the year. For your wins, it is important to note what went well for you and your business. Can you repeat this success? Maybe at a higher level? If so, you need to create your SMART goals to get you to the next level in your business. For your losses, it is equally essential to look at ways you can improve. Doing this will help you see which tasks to keep, clear or possible outsourcing to virtual assistants such as Fancy Hands. Let's face it, we might be great at many things, but there are few things that other people might be better suited to complete. It is important to realize this before it starts costing you excessive time and money. You may also determine that certain things may not fit your business and may need to do away with them. What do You Want to Happen Next Year? This step is where many business owners start dreaming away. Dreaming big is okay. However, when it comes to sustainable business operations, you need to create SMART goals. Ask yourself what your short-term and long-term goals are to put everything in perspective. Here are some things to think about: Money and Expenses Many of us want millions out the gate but if we are trying to create SMART goals we have to be honest and realistic. Going from making hundredths a month to a millionaire typically doesn’t happen quickly. For most business owners, it takes consistency, professional development and time to increase your income. I encourage you to create a SMART goal for your expectations for earnings each year. For your business expenses go line by line and look at your costs. Ask yourself is it assisting you with getting to the next level in your business. If not, well maybe it is time to consider other options. Hours and Time Keep track of your time and hours as you work and precisely what you are achieving in the process. The number of productive hours and time you put in your business will often tell you about your success or disappointments. Determine if you are giving your business quality productive hours. You may need to outsource some task so that you can focus on the money-making responsibilities that need your attention. Personal Goals The reason why you have or want a home-based business is likely to be for personal reasons. Therefore, it is only right to consider your own goals as well. It might be health or family related. Or maybe you want to be more involved in the community or do more with a hobby you have. Including your personal goals will keep you grounded and realistic. This way you will be happier and fulfilled in your journey. What can you do to get there? Now it is time to create an action plan. I love action plans because if done correctly they can serve as your guide to help you reach those SMART goals. So, go ahead and outline the steps you need to take to achieve your SMART goals. Now it is common to run into roadblocks in this process. It is nothing that we can’t overcome but let's talk about some common ones. Time Do you have it? If not, what can you remove from your plate to increase the time you have? For me, it was hiring Fancy Hands to provide virtual assistants to help with social media, research, shopping, emails and many other small tasks for my business. Money Being in business cost money. Do you have the means to help you achieve your goals? If not, how can you minimize your cost or gain capital for your business? Training Do you have the skills to do what you need to do to meet your goals. If not, how can you obtain training, Always look for a free way to learn what you need to know. For example, when we started the podcast, I had no idea where to start. I taught myself everything I know from searching on google and YouTube. Remember there may be free resources out there. I encourage you to use them first to keep expenses down. Following these steps will assist you in the process of creating SMART goals for your home-based business this year. Did you learn something new? Do you have something to add to this list? Share your goals, and maybe we can help each other. About Rita Rita is a freelance writer, consultant, professor and flex work enthusiast who enjoys the freedom and flexibility of working remotely. After starting remote work in 2011, she has continued to work remotely and currently enjoys the flexibility. Today, Rita continues to embrace the remote work lifestyle and encourages others to do what they love on their own terms. Be sure to follow the Guide to Working at Home where we share advice, jobs, tips for remote workers, freelancers, business owners to find flexible work and opportunities. Other Resources
Ideas and tips for discovering opportunities in higher education for professionals.
How to Be Productive While Working Remotely + Checklist Some tips that will help you be as productive as possible when working at home with a checklist. How to Reduce Distractions When You Work Remotely List of steps to reduce possible distractions while you work from home. Fancy Hands: Affordable Way to Hire Virtual Assistants to Increase Productivity  Education is one of the most satisfying professions. Successful educators often express their fulfillment as they prepare and guide the next generation of youth with knowledge and necessary life skills. As a teacher when you first begin the process of seeking a remote work lifestyle, it can be a daunting process. As an education professional with expertise in the K-12 sector, you may believe that remote positions do not exist for your skill set. Well, I have great news for you. Thanks to progression in technology, opportunities exist that allow you to take your love of education and combine it with a full-time, part-time or freelance remote work lifestyle. Yes, this means that you will not have to travel to work in the AM for that dreadful commute. When you teach at home conducting those nightly classroom prep sessions will be tolerable. Fortunately, there are many opportunities for current and former teachers to earn income online while putting their teaching experience to great use. If you are interested to see what you can do with your skill set as an education professional in the K-12 sector, check out the following information. It might help you achieve your goal of working remotely in the field you love. Online Schools: K-12 Higher education receives the most credit for exploring online learning and its potential. However, K-12 schools are now embracing online education. Today, we have a few different virtual K-12 schools using an online learning format. These changes mean there are opportunities for K-12 Educators, Staff, and Administrators to work remotely. With the correct remote setup, teachers can provide instructional guidance and deliver engaging classes in a virtual setting. Here are a few schools to keep on your radar: K-12 Connection Academy Kaplan Edmentum Bridgeway Academy Edgenuity Of course, there are more schools out there. Be sure to do your research and ensure the school you are applying for is legit. Check with your local schools to see if they are starting to conduct virtual classes. Tutoring and College Prep There are many ways to tutor online. Online tutoring websites frequently offer flexible hours, and in many cases, you can determine your workload. Whether you are looking for a full-time tutoring position or want to earn a little cash on the side as a tutor in your area of expertise, online tutoring is a popular option for education professionals to transition into remote work. However, you will need to pick a company that offers tutoring opportunities in your expertise and one that has the customer base of students for you to teach. Here are a few tutoring services to keep on your radar: Connection Academy Aim For A Chegg Tutor.com Tutorvista Revolution Prep Teaching English to international students Teaching English to international students is another way to use your skills and work remotely. You can provide instruction in conversational or business English and help students achieve their goals of mastering the language. The requirements for teaching English to students will vary depending on the company. Some companies may require certifications, teaching experience, being a native speaker and a college degree. To do well in this position you need to be comfortable on webcam and engaging. Most of these companies are assisting students from China, South Korea and Japan. Here are a few English tutoring services to keep on your radar: VIPKID Cambly Qkids Englshunt Instructional designing options If you are interested in change for your career, you could check into becoming an Instructional Designer. In this role, you would be creating the coursework for a specific subject. You could design the next English course for an online school or possibly develop an employee training program. It is an exciting way to use your teaching skills if you are looking for a different career. Here are a few companies to keep on your radar: Study.com StraighterLine Shmoop Test preparation and scoring options Test preparation opportunities are similar to tutoring. In this situation, you would be teaching classes aimed at assisting students in their preparation for standardized testing. You could help students meet their life goals. Test scoring is a remote opportunity that allows you to grade written, spoken answers and essays from programs like GRE and TOEFL. Here are a few test preparation and scoring services to keep on your radar: Kaplan Pearson Writing Opportunities There are freelance writing opportunities for people with a teaching background. If you are searching for a way to earn income with your teaching skills in an unconventional way check out the following companies. Here are a few companies to keep on your radar: Teachers Pay Teachers Magoosh Measured Progress eNotes Final Thoughts Turning to online opportunities to supplement or even replace your income from teaching is something that many teachers are doing, whether they are looking for opportunities for summer break, retirement, or even a full-time career and lifestyle change. I hope this post helps you begin your research. If you are looking for remote opportunities in higher education click here. About Rita Rita is a freelance writer, consultant, professor and flex work enthusiast who enjoys the freedom and flexibility of working remotely. After starting remote work in 2011, she has continued to work remotely and currently enjoys the flexibility. Today, Rita continues to embrace the remote work lifestyle and encourages others to do what they love on their own terms. Be sure to follow the Guide to Working at Home where we share advice, jobs, tips for remote workers, freelancers, business owners to find flexible work and opportunities. Looking for Remote Work?Guide WAH's Newsletter: Do you want to know about new leads and tips first? Signup now for our newsletter. Our readers enjoy learning about resources, job leads and online events such as career fairs first. Guide WAH's Weekly Podcast: You asked and now we provides tricks and tips on finding flexible remote opportunities. Have questions? Other Resources Locating Remote Opportunities for Higher Education Educators, Staff and Administrators
Ideas and tips for discovering opportunities in higher education for professionals. How to Be Productive While Working Remotely + Checklist Some tips that will help you be as productive as possible when working at home with a checklist. 6 Steps to Rock an Online Job Fair Great steps that will help you prepare the right way for your next virtual career fair. How to Reduce Distractions When You Work Remotely List of steps to reduce possible distractions while you work from home. 
There is a common perception that the end of the year should be downtime for job seekers. However, the job market doesn’t take the holidays off. Therefore, you should keep your search going. Make the lack of applicants an advantage for you and your remote job search.
Your competition might choose to take a break during the holiday season. You should enjoy the holidays as well, but I encourage you to schedule some time to move your remote job search efforts ahead. Here are five strategies you can use to get a head start on your competition going into the new year: Create an action plan The holidays are often hectic. You may be entertaining guests or traveling. Take a look at your schedule and create time for remote job search activities. Can you pencil in some time to invest in your remote job search? If so, do it! Conduct a skill gap analysis Go to your favorite job board and examine job descriptions and requirements. These areas frequently contain useful information that can assist you in drafting job search documents such as your resume and cover letter. You can also use this information and time to see if there are any gaps in your skill set. If there are gaps, you should develop a plan on how you can improve this skill. For example, if many positions for a Social Media Specialist require that you know SEO and you don't have this ability, it might be time to learn it. In most cases, you will need to research your options to learn a skill. For this example, there is a free Google course on SEO. Be social Remember this is a cheerful and joyful time. You can foster and maintain critical relationships. Hiring professionals are still searching, and some are under pressure to fill roles before the year ends. Be social and manage your contacts during the holidays. You can use this time as a means to form connections and maintain relationships with your network. Invite key contacts out for a cup of coffee to catch up. Send holiday messages to people you worked with in the past and your more recent interviews. You can use this as a time to express your interest in working with them in the future while wishing them a fantastic holiday season. Pro Tip: Not everyone celebrates the same holiday. If you are unsure, happy holidays is the better option to ensure you don't offend anyone. Turn your social connection into opportunities There will be holiday parties, open houses and yes even virtual parties. I encourage you to check professional associations, Facebook groups, LinkedIn groups, Slack communities for holiday mixers and attend a few events. Before visiting any social gathering, craft and practice your elevator pitch. You want to be sure to tailor it to the audience. Pro Tip: If you are not a member of the Freelancers Union, you should check it out. It is free and has a ton of vital resources. They also host fabulous social events in many cities including a holiday happy hour event. Take advantage of holiday sales for your remote job search Why not capitalize on the holiday sales to help you with your remote job search efforts. You might consider redoing your home office where your interviews will take place, buy a new computer, office furniture or even have your resume evaluated. If your friends and family are asking you for gift ideas, maybe consider things to help you move your remote job search forward into the new year. Many of you asked me about Flexjobs and if the service is worth the pay. Flexjobs has an incredible database of scam free remote job opportunities evaluated by their team. The site compares to no other, and right now they are offering 30% off subscriptions. If you don't like the service, you can cancel. I have been a member for years just to see the opportunities out there. To take advantage of the savings, you must enter the promo code save30. You can see my review here. Here are some additional tips
Final thoughts Try to incorporate these suggestions into your plans during the holiday season, and you will have a great start over people who decide to take time off. I hope you have an incredible holiday season and we look forward to hearing your success stories. About Rita Rita is a freelance writer, consultant, professor and flex work enthusiast who enjoys the freedom and flexibility of working remotely. After starting remote work in 2011, she has continued to work remotely and currently enjoys the flexibility. Today, Rita continues to embrace the remote work lifestyle and encourages others to do what they love on their own terms. Be sure to follow the Guide to Working at Home where we share advice, jobs, tips for remote workers, freelancers, business owners to find flexible work and opportunities. Looking for Remote Work?
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How to Be Productive While Working Remotely + Checklist
Some tips that will help you be as productive as possible when working at home with a checklist. 6 Steps to Rock an Online Job Fair Great steps that will help you prepare the right way for your next virtual career fair. How to Reduce Distractions When You Work Remotely List of steps to reduce possible distractions while you work from home.  Whether your family observes Christmas, Kwanzaa, Hanukkah or another holiday, many view this time as a stressful moment of the year. During this season, families seek ways to bring in supplementary funds for gifts, food, decor, entertainment, travel and for utility bills increases during the winter months. It is no question that this time of year calls for additional money for most families. Despite your situation, I am here to demonstrate ideas for you to make extra cash. Let's reduce some of the stress for you this year. Here are ways you can make extra money from home: 1. Work remotely as a customer service rep either by phone, email or chat support. This type of job is the most in-demand for those looking for work from home seasonally. I recommend checking out Apple, AMEX, Nordstrom, Amazon, and 1-800-Flowers just to name a few. In this role, you would be looking for temporary seasonal support work by phone, chat or email to assist companies during the most significant shopping and travel time of the year. Depending on the company these positions are generally between $9 to $17 per hour. Many of these jobs come with great perks such as discounts on items and services. 2. Earn money back with Ebates. I am an avid user of Ebates. This service isn’t a job. However, you can earn cashback on purchases you are going to make for the holidays. You can check out my Ebates review here and signup here to start earning money back. 3. Make a few extra bucks with crowdsourcing sites. During the holiday season, businesses will need help. People frequently travel during this time. You can make extra cash by helping professionals on websites such as Fancy Hands, TaskRabbit, and Mechanical Turk. Also, you can set yourself up on Fiverr and offer a service that matches your skillset. With this alternative, you don't have a strict schedule to follow. You can take work as you are available. 4. Pick up groceries or fast food for clients. Sign up with Instacart, Postmates or UberEats to earn extra cash by picking up food for customers. This option can offer $20 per hour and more dependent on where you reside. 5. Drive with Amazon, Lyft or Uber. You can earn extra money by transporting people around with Lyft/Uber or by delivering packages with Amazon. 6. Start a home-based business in direct sales. Direct sales is a fabulous way to earn extra money, especially during the holiday season. You will need to find a business with products you love. Check out my post on Direct Sales as an Income Opportunity + Business Evaluation Checklist to help you get started. 7. Offer dog sitting services for families. One of my previous Business Communication students created a full-time dog sitting business, but this could be a promising side gig. Dog sitting is an additional way to make extra cash for the holidays. You can host pets at your home if you have space or sign up for a dog walking service to help people take care of their fluffy family members. You can check out companies such as Rover and Dog Vacay. 8. Rent out extra space. If you have an extra room, basement or space, you can earn extra cash by renting to travelers during the holiday season. Websites such as Airbnb has made this process easy for you. Final Thoughts This list only provides a small number of things you can do to earn extra cash before the holidays. Our goal is to show you that with research and creativity you can make more money to meet your goals for the holiday season. About Rita Rita is a freelance writer, consultant, professor and flex work enthusiast who enjoys the freedom and flexibility of working remotely. After starting remote work in 2011, she has continued to work remotely and currently enjoys the flexibility. Today, Rita continues to embrace the remote work lifestyle and encourages others to do what they love on their own terms. Be sure to follow the Guide to Working at Home where we share advice, jobs, tips for remote workers, freelancers, business owners to find flexible work and opportunities. Looking for Remote Work?Guide WAH's Newsletter: Do you want to know about new leads and tips first? Signup now for our newsletter. Our readers enjoy learning about resources, job leads and online events such as career fairs first. Guide WAH's Weekly Podcast: You asked and now we provides tricks and tips on finding flexible remote opportunities. Have questions? Other Resources How to Be Productive While Working Remotely + Checklist
Some tips that will help you be as productive as possible when working at home with a checklist. 6 Steps to Rock an Online Job Fair Great steps that will help you prepare the right way for your next virtual career fair. How to Reduce Distractions When You Work Remotely List of steps to reduce possible distractions while you work from home.  If you desire to work remotely and maintain this status the key will be to limit distractions so you can be productive consistently. When you work from home or remotely various distractions will call for your attention such as the dishes, people, or other chores. You might be tempted to watch tv or browse the internet. Entertaining distractions may prevent you from being productive with your workday. One of the crucial decisions I made since choosing to work from home and remotely is arranging workspaces in different areas of my home. Having three workspaces gives me options and helps me avoid distracting parts of my house. Once you have your workspaces set up, you also have to be careful with technology. We live in a time where internet and technology can aid us with productivity, but these same tools can be time costly distractions if we are not careful. The goal of this post is to help you limit distractions and achieve optimal productivity. 1) Wear headphones Nothing communicates that you are busy better than a set of headphones. I wear my headphones even when I am not listening to music. My family thinks I am "in the zone" when they notice the headphones. Headphones are the perfect tool to convey to others that you are busy and not to interrupt unless there is an emergency. Also, some studies suggest that music with bass can increase your productivity. 2) Create a Communication System It is up to you to create a communication system that works for your family. If you have business to do and need quiet time, let everyone know that you won't be available for the amount of time you need to finish the project. For some, it will be as simple as creating a door sign. In my house, we do things a bit different. I let everyone know that I will not be available for the hours I need to complete a job. Additionally, I shut and lock the door, and if I am in a space without a door, I put up a divider to create privacy. 3) Create a family calendar Some families are very busy, and sometimes you can't communicate to everyone in person. Having a family calendar can help with the communication process. For this option, you would need to create a family calendar and make sure your family members have access to the schedule. This step will help them know when you are busy and can't be interrupted. Imagine if your spouse gets home from an event, and you are already in an important meeting. Your spouse would know this with a shared open calendar, and they wouldn't interrupt during that time. 4) Other Distractions We only covered a few possible resolutions. It is essential that you acknowledge what pulls you off a task to reduce distractions. When you know the things that reduce your productivity, you can create an action plan to avoid those activities during your workday. This step may mean hiring child care, locking your door, placing up a divider, following a schedule, avoiding facebook, twitter, and personal emails, etc. Final Thoughts These are just a few simple tips to help you work from home efficiently. Erasing all distractions from your day is difficult. Try these tips to see if you notice improvements. Ultimately, discovering the things that keep you from being productive and learning how to minimize the distraction is critical. Additionally, if you would like to improve your efficiency more, you need to look at your current tasks and find ways to automate or even possibly outsource. You might find my post on hiring affordable virtual assistants helpful. For automation, you might find tools such as Buffer and IFTTT beneficial depending on your line of work. If you are looking for more ideas, be sure to sign up for our newsletter. It contains more helpful tips concerning working remotely, fresh job leads and business ideas. About Rita Rita is a freelance writer, consultant, professor and flex work enthusiast who enjoys the freedom and flexibility of working remotely. After starting remote work in 2011, she has continued to work remotely and currently enjoys the flexibility. Today, Rita continues to embrace the remote work lifestyle and encourages others to do what they love on their own terms. Be sure to follow the Guide to Working at Home where we share advice, jobs, tips for remote workers, freelancers, business owners to find flexible work and opportunities. Other Resources How to Be Productive While Working Remotely + Checklist Some tips that will help you be as productive as possible when working at home with a checklist. 6 Steps to Rock an Online Job Fair Great steps that will help you prepare the right way for your next virtual career fair. Looking for Remote Work?Guide WAH's Newsletter:
Do you want to know about new leads and tips first? Signup for our newsletter. Our readers enjoy learning about resources, job leads and online events such as career fairs first. Companies That Hire Remote Workers: Here is a list of companies that are virtual and have embraced the remote working lifestyle. Flexjobs: Find telecommuting jobs, part-time employment and freelance work to fit your schedule and lifestyle. Flexjobs gives you access to thousands of flexible job listings in over 50 career categories. You don’t need to sift through hundreds of listings a day in hopes of finding something offering work from home that isn’t a scam. They’ve done the work for you. Employment Options: Employment Options is a certified National Social Security Administration (SSA) Employment resource. They have helped 1000’s of clients successfully return to work for over 20 years. They also have virtual job fairs and webinar training open to everyone. Contena Contena is a powerful tool built for freelance content writers who want to find the best-paid opportunities in the market and position themselves as a business owner. Contena helps writers spend more time working with clients instead of searching for new opportunities. |
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