With the help of technology, working from home has become easier than ever. Often all you need is a laptop and a good internet connection to do your job. Whether you’re employed and have the ability to work from home, freelance or run your own business, there are plenty of benefits of working remotely. Plus there are loads of career options, not just the ten listed in this article.
The Benefits Of Working From Home
Working from home seems to have a marmite reputation – you love it or hate it. Some people think that they’ll get nothing done, whereas others believe that they’ll be more productive. You’ll never actually know until you try though. Here are just a few benefits of working from home:
1. Save On Travel Costs And Time
A bit of an obvious one, but you can’t neglect this benefit, as it’s a big one for most people. Saving time by missing out a daily commute is a massive benefit for many people working from home. The added bonus being the saving of money too.
2. Flexible Hours
Working from home means you can adhere to your own schedule. Whether this is working around school times, caring for a family member or any other commitment. There may be certain times you have to be available, but generally, you are free to work whenever’s best for you. This also means you can plan your day around when you’re most productive; not an early bird? Fine, start work later and finish later.
3. You Have A Healthier Work/Life Balance
No travel time translates into more time at home. Your mornings and evenings are that little bit longer, which is great for spending more time with your family. It also frees you up to do things like the school run. As you’re at home all day, you can also take on more of a share of the home responsibilities. Simple things like doing the shopping in your lunch break, being home for parcels etc. mean you don’t have to budget time for this outside of work.
4. Working From Home Tends To Be Less Stressful
As with any work, there will always be pressure, but these pressures tend to be less when you work from home. You don’t have to rush out for your daily commute, worrying about getting to work on time. Just getting rid of these additional pressures can help you to be less stressed overall.
5. You’ll Be More Productive
Believe it or not, research has shown that people feel they are just as effective, or more effective when they work from home. The key to this, according to 43% of people is simply being left alone. It is also said that being in a more relaxed environment helps people to work better and longer.
Ten Jobs You Can Do From Home
There’s a whole range of jobs where it’s possible to work from home. These range from freelance to being physically employed by someone. Here are just ten options you could consider:
1. Bookkeeping
This is one you will need to be qualified for, but once qualified you can easily work remotely (in fact the qualifications can be gained from home too). This role involves looking after another business’ “books”, their financial records. So expect to be involved with chasing clients for payments, invoicing, VAT returns and more.
2. Data Entry
Data entry can be an extremely steady source of income, if not the most exciting. Generally, you will be paid for the number of entries you make, rather than per hour, so it’s not time-dependent. Therefore, if other commitments appear you can easily put your work down and come back to it later.
3. Accountancy
Another one you will need to be qualified for is setting up an accountancy business. Once qualified though, this works well for those that want to work from home. Although it takes quite some time to train, being a self-employed accountant often pays well.
4. Transcription
Transcriptionists listen to audio files and type out what they hear. Often no experience is necessary, but you may be asked to take a writing test to see how accurate you are. This is often quite a varied job as you what you are transcribing can change from day to day.
5. Social Media Manager
In this role, you will manage a company’s social media presence. This could be Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, or any other platform you can think of; it could even be a combination of several. Often you will also be required to set out the social marketing objectives. All you need is a computer with internet and social media know-how, and you can be on your way.
6. Virtual Assistant
This is essentially the new-age P.A. As a V.A. you will provide support to other people remotely. This can include organising their calendar, check and answer their emails, organise their work and more. Anything you can do with an internet connection for your client or employer so that they can get on with their main job, you will be asked to do.
7. Digital Marketing Manager
Digital marketing is a vital part of any business nowadays and is a great remote job. Digital marketers could focus on SEO, PPC, affiliate marketing and more. There’s plenty of flexibility in this role, so you can specialise or offer a combination. You could take an online marketing course from home to develop the skills you need for this career, or your first step could be taking a Digital Marketer Apprenticeship.
8. Writer/Editor
If you have a good grasp of written language and a creative flair, offering writing and editing could be the remote job for you. This is often a freelance role when done remotely, but some companies will hire remote workers for this. Writing could be for blog posts, copy for a website, or even ebooks. If you can find a good niche, even better. For instance, technical writing tends to be a well-paid niche. The only issue with this career is that you need to build up your portfolio first.
9. Virtual Public Relations
Some small and medium businesses don’t have the budget for an in-house marketing manager. Therefore, at certain times they can be on the lookout for a freelance PR, for a short term contract. This could be when they are promoting a new product or event. Alternatively, it could be managing a crisis. Some companies will hire a Public Relations representative for longer contracts.
10. Business Analyst
As a business analyst, you identify opportunities for the business you are working in. You will then help in the design or modifications of the IT system, gather research and analyse the needs of the business. Although at times you may need to be involved with face to face meetings, the majority of this role can easily be done from home. You can take your first step on this career ladder by taking an apprenticeship.
There are many opportunities to work from home now, whether you do it by yourself, or are employed by a company. With just a computer and an internet connection, you can complete many tasks, and there are several benefits of working from home. Just be aware of any legal requirements, insurance or qualifications you may need for your work.
Check out our courses that could help you start a career working from home.
