Jon Norris | Working From Home
Working from home is one of the greatest perks of freelancing. No horrible commute, no noisy office, no stale Tesco sandwiches for lunch – just you, your laptop and your underwear. Once you’ve got your home office all set up, it’s time to start tweaking your working habits to ensure maximum happiness and productivity.
Sarah Evans | Getting a Job,Resources
When you work in a regular job what’s expected of you, from your working hours to your job role, is clearly laid out when you’re hired. Freelancing is completely different though as even with the best planning, you never know what you’ll be doing from one week (or even one day) to the next.
Jon Norris | Working From Home
One of the few drawbacks of working from home is that you’re often stuck with whatever food you have in the house for lunch – you won’t find any sandwich vans visiting like you would at an office. If you’re anything like me you probably are also not very good at grocery shopping, so after a morning’s hard work you’ll venture to the kitchen and groan at your choices upon opening the cupboard.
Jon Norris | Lifestyle & Time out,News
This may take you by surprise a bit, given the massive popularity of smartphones amongst today’s savvy professionals. New research has found that smartphones are valued less by freelancers and contractors than social networks, online organisational tools such as Dropbox, and even coffee.
We’ve covered coworking plenty on Freelance Advisor. Be it at dedicated coworking spaces or weekly Jelly meetings, we think coworking is a fantastic way for freelancers and contractors to get out there, enjoy the company of like-minded individuals, get some work done, and do some no-pressure networking. It would seem out enthusiasm is shared by many coworkers, as evidenced by the results of a survey by Deskmag.
Rachel Papworth | Resources,Working From Home
Working from home is one of the things many freelancers love about our working model. No morning or evening commute. Eating healthy, home-cooked meals instead of expensive, shop-bought lunches. Not spending Saturday mornings queueing at the sorting office for parcels that arrived while you were out.
National Freelancers Day is drawing near. We’re preparing by baking cakes in the shapes of our favourite freelancers, recording mixtapes of the best songs to freelance to and ritualistically burning effigies of our least favourite clients.
One of the most attractive aspects of freelancing is that despite working from home, working online offers you many opportunities to land projects from clients across the globe. With English serving as the global business language of choice, for the native English speaking freelancer there should be no barriers to attracting a diverse and international clientèle.
Most freelancers would agree that a broadband connection is the one thing that they couldn’t do without. No internet access means no web-based research, no social networking, no staying in touch with colleagues: no job. So what should home workers and freelancers look for in a broadband package?
Rachel Soothill | Working From Home
The new edition of the Collins English Dictionary has been released and leading the new additions is the word Mumpreneur, the definition of which is: “a woman who combines running a business with looking after her children.”
A virtual assistant carries out the same role as a traditional administration assistant; however the person fulfilling the role no longer has to be physically present in the office (or home, if you’re a working from home type).
Picture the scene – there’s a big important meeting, many miles away, you’re tired and it’s snowing. Do you get out of your nice warm bed four hours early and travel to the site, or simply stroll downstairs, log onto your PC and send in your virtual self via robot?
Jon Norris | Lifestyle & Time out
Here comes another study which will cause the freelancers of the world roll their eyes wryly as the rest of the world slowly figures out what us homeworkers have been preaching all along.
Jon Norris | News,Working From Home
British Gas has been fined £2.5 million by Ofgem for failing to deal with customer complaints – especially those of small businesses – correctly. The utilities company, which supplies around half of UK homes, was deemed to have prematurely closed cases when customers still said they were unresolved.
Jon Norris | Lifestyle & Time out
Coffee is wonderful stuff. Brewed from the seeds of coffee trees grown primarily in South America, this awesome caffeinated drink is responsible for a large amount of the productivity in the developed world – and the best friend of many homeworking freelancers.
Rachel Soothill | Guides,Working From Home
Working from home with minimal social interaction is an unfortunate, but common scenario for many of us freelance writers. Some might see this as the perk of the job while others might find it has hindering effects on creativity. If you fall under the latter then it is imperative that you take heed of the advice I am about to impart…
Jon Norris | Guides,Lifestyle & Time out
One of the toughest parts of being a freelancer (apart from getting those pesky invoices in on time) can be separating your personal and business lives. If you’re a Sole Trader (rather than a Limited Company) this can be especially hard, as you may use your personal email address and phone number. There’s nothing more annoying than getting a call from a client when you’re trying to relax on a sunny Sunday.
Jon Norris | Resources,Working From Home
Now the summer is here (or so we’re led to believe), its time to escape the dusty home office and take your work out onto the patio. Nothing is better than working outside on a sunny day, lemonade in hand. To make the most of the summer months, you could do a lot worse than pick up a few accessories for your garden office.
Jon Norris | News,Working From Home
As part of the Government’s Energy Bill, a new measure is due to come into force next year called The Green Deal aimed at getting small- and medium-sized businesses to improve their energy efficiency through a series of “green loans”. The loans can be spent on things like insulation, energy-efficient lighting, and presumably alternative energy sources such as solar panels.
With widespread public sector strikes on the horizon there is concern from business groups that there could be severe financial consequences for small businesses, including freelancers and contractors. It has been revealed that various unions are planning coordinated strikes in protest to Government cuts, pension reforms and wage freezes within the public sector.
Selina Murray | Guides,Lifestyle & Time out
It’s become a bit of a standing joke hasn’t it? There you are, standing up a ladder, drinking a beer, waving a power tool around, and some interfering person appears and gets very upset at you about you breaching health and safety procedures, and when you’re out of the office it can be even more annoying.
Selina Murray | Events,Lifestyle & Time out
Attention Freelancers!
If you’re within travelling distance of London here’s a good excuse to get out of bed early on Monday and be part of a world record attempt.
Jon Norris | News,Working From Home
The Government, in their infinite wisdom, has suggested that to avoid the national travel melee that will erupt during the 2012 Olympic Games, office workers are allowed to work from home. The Government’s ineptitudes aside, the advice has loosed some interesting figures about working from home and the advantages it can bring.
Selina Murray | Working From Home
As a freelancer you’re probably quite used to working alone. Just like Clint Eastwood. Or Lady Gaga. If you’re not in an office you can dress like her too, if you want to. And have the time. It must be tricky being Gaga in the shower when the doorbell rings. She can’t possibly get dressed that way in a hurry.
Rachel Soothill | Guides,Working From Home
Working from home is one of the advantages of being a freelancer. However, with the perks there can be lots of distractions to watch out for, such as the television, family members, cats walking across keyboards and the numerous tea breaks. While distractions aren’t a problem from time-to-time, it is important not to let them occur on a regular basis otherwise they will start to have an impact on your work.
David Sumner | Working From Home
It’s not hard to see why the freelancing bug has caught on for so many. Being able to work from home and work to your own schedule (with no boss telling you what to do) sounds like heaven to most of us. However, if you are going to succeed in the world of freelancing then you must be able to balance the freedom and flexibility with discipline and ground rules.
Mel Dixon | Lifestyle & Time out,Working From Home
When you’re working from home, you need strong self-discipline and an ability to manage time effectively. One of the best time management devices comes courtesy of an old-fashioned clock. Sure, we all have the time on our computers, but it’s not the same as having a proper clock face hanging high up on the wall above your desk.
If you run your own freelance business, you’ll probably appreciate the freedom that this can give you, as well as the specific challenges it can bring. You may be an old hand at it and completely comfortable managing your own schedule and financial affairs. On the other hand, perhaps you’re new to freelancing and feel a little daunted by all the things to consider.
Jon Norris | Guides,Lifestyle & Time out
Forget Christmas, forget Easter, today is the big one. Shrove Tuesday, or as it is known colloquially, Pancake Day. Today we, as a nation, celebrate the day on which St. George stole flour, milk, eggs and lemon juice from a Swiss castle…or something. In a recent survey of freelancers, 100% of them said they love pancakes, and working from home means we can enjoy pancakes all day long.
Sebastian Powell | Working From Home
Working from home is great. The feeling of freedom and flexibility it provides is absolutely priceless and I wouldn’t give it up for anything in the world. There is however one problem. Working from home means I regularly have to put up a fight against a big hairy beast. I have a nickname for the beast. I call it Distraction.
Mel Dixon | Lifestyle & Time out
It seems difficult to believe but according to a survey by Nectar Business almost 10 per cent of female homeworkers get through a full working day in their pyjamas. It’s one of the perks of the job, surely?
OpenSpace is co-operatively run co-working office facility in Manchester. It offers comparatively cheap, flexible office space in a creative, friendly atmosphere. The co-operative was formed in 2007 when a group of like-minded freelancers and small businesses discovered that they were all facing similar issues
Mel Dixon | Lifestyle & Time out,Working From Home
Recently, I read about a concept called “social jetlag”. Scientists coined the term as a way of describing the effects of returning to work after Christmas. Personally, I haven’t experienced traditional jetlag because I refuse to board a plane, but it seemed to me an exaggeration to twin post-Christmas blues with the physical effects of flying to the other side of the world and adapting to a completely different body clock.
The nature of homeworking has been thrust into the limelight thanks to the heavy snowfall forcing many workers to perform their duties from home. The BBC recently run a piece entitled ‘Is Working from Home a Skive?’ How dare they! What do they think people like me are doing, watching Jeremy Kyle only to occasionally pull myself away to bash a sentence together?
Jon Norris | Lifestyle & Time out,Working From Home
Have you been outside recently? Cold, isn’t it. Apparently we’re seeing the coldest November since 1985, and various parts of England are now blanketed with snow. Incidentally, if you’ve not seen it, some clever clogs has put together a crowd-sourced map of UK snowfall using Twitter. Make sure to geo-tag your tweets and include the hashtag #uksnow to be included!
Michael Rose | Technology,Working From Home
The Lexmark Pinnacle Pro 901 wifi printer is an absolute delight to use — it solves so many problems it feels like an Angel has descended into my home office. It’s also a bit of a monster.
Its dark brooding looks help hide some of its bulk, the footprint is large so I had to place it on the bottom of the bookshelf rather than having it hanging ominously in mid-air. But the size is understandable as there seems to be nothing this machine cannot do.
Isn’t the internet wonderful? You can go shopping without ever leaving your house, you can speak to people the other side of the world, and, most importantly, you can get loads of useful stuff for free!
In part two of our Time Management special, Andy continues his conversation with business coach and author of Time Management for Dummies, Clare Evans. They cover the following topics -
Setting time-based boundaries…
Podcast 28: Ten top tips for great time management (part 2) [ 28:38 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download
Jon Norris | Working From Home
Everybody knows about working from home – you get to have a lie-in, don’t have to trudge to the train station in the rain, you can even work in your underwear if you so choose (just remember to keep a shirt on in case of any incoming Skype calls).
For the home office worker distractions are rife. With no clients looking over your shoulder and only your own discretion between you and an unwarranted break, discipline is key.
Are you the freelancer with an unfathomable desire to watch daytime television? Are you having trouble keeping your eye on the task in hand?
Michael Rose | Lifestyle & Time out,Working From Home
If you’re interested in starting your own business, working from home or building a business empire from scratch then Enterprise Nation is a great source of information and inspiration.
I’ve recently stumbled across their TV channel on Vimeo and it’s fantastic. EN founder Emma Jones have been a Freelance Advisor contributor for a couple of years now and it’s great to see her ‘live’ in front of the camera talking about the stuff she loves.
One to watch!
Michael Rose | Working From Home
Virgin Media recently announced that it would start publishing its average broadband speeds for all of its internet packages. This is great news for home-workers and hopefully the beginning of a trend towards greater honesty among Internet Service Providers.
What is your IPS ‘up to?’ – follow our quick guide to checking your connection and comparing what you pay vs what you currently get.
Clare Evans | Working From Home
You’ve decided to go down the freelance route and now you’re working from home. Balancing work within the home environment can often be difficult. You may be working around children and family while focusing on your business. There are all the distractions of being at home but needing to be in work mode.
Freelance productivity expert Clare Evans explains how to create a balance between ensuring work gets done and enjoying the flexibility of working from home.
Michael Rose | Working From Home
Great to see the Guardian covering the Rise of Homeworking:
The rise of home working | Money | The Guardian
Of course, we’ve know about the steady rise of home-working and the joys of working from home for some time now. For more on home-working don’t forget our Working-From-Home section is where to find all the latest posts.
If you’re like me – a freelancer who occasionally works from home and who happens to live in an old, listed or converted flat – you’re no stranger to fluctuating wireless signals, and the headache they can cause when you’re trying to work.
Thick concrete walls, organic (horsehair) insulation and poor telephone infrastructure make working from home in these types of flats something of a struggle. It makes matters worse when the one room in your flat where you get the most work done just happens to be out of range from your wireless router. So, when you run a business that relies heavily on a stable internet connection, what’s a freelancer to do?
I have always been interested in running a project/small business outside of my 9 to 5 full-time job. Something that I can grow in my spare time and that has the potential to grow and then become my main source of income! Talking with friends, I was given a copy of Emma Jone‘s Working 5 to 9 – How to start a successful business in your spare time — Great timing!
Michael Rose | Getting a Job,News
Despite cuts across the board, overall, UK business is seeing a positive change thanks to the new Government. Tax breaks, including extended relief on the increase in Capital Gains Tax and National Insurance have been introduced and support for SMEs has been very positive.
To mark the importance of SMEs, The Startups Awards 2010 have added a Home Business of the Year category to their annual awards.
Joycellyn Akuffo | Working From Home
Do you like bashing the snooze button as many times as you like? Do you hate those gossipy water cooler conversations? While there are lots of side-benefits from working from home there are some real benefits too. Joycellyn Akuffo editor of MothersWhoWork.co.uk lists her Top Ten reasons why working from home is so appealing to so many.
Michael Rose | Technology,Working From Home
If you occasionally work from home then getting a decent broadband connection can really help you get your work done effectively.
Thanks to modern-day technology, working from home is no longer a second-rate way of staying in touch with clients and colleagues and broadband has become a vital lifeline for many home workers, allowing them to email or browse the web in comfort while also being able to send and receive large files with ease.
If you’re not up to speed with Broadband at home Chris Marling of Broadband Genie gives you a a few things to consider.
Leif Kendall | Getting a Job,Training
John Williams believes that work doesn’t have be a chore. After itching for something more than the corporate 9 to 5, John went independent and discovered the joys of being paid for things he would happily do for free. John’s interests and work eventually led him to coach other aspiring players.
Freelance copywriter Leif Kendall takes a look at the advice on offer.
David Howell | Technology,Working From Home
If the underneath of your desk looks like a bird’s net of tangled cables, power bricks, and distribution sockets, now is the time to tame your wires and create a tidy environment in your home office.
Here are a few quick ways to tame those cables…
Michael Rose | Working From Home
Who needs an office? Well, the Prime Minister I guess. Your accountant, perhaps. The CEO of a corporation with multiple divisions for sure. But if you’re an agile company producing web-content, applications or software do you really need to have all your troops all lined up ready for battle at 9am every morning five days a week?
Freelance Advisor has always tried to promote home working as a flexible, sustainable and more productive option for 21st century working and this week Seth Godin, Hive Logic and Chris Ashworth all made excellent points about the failings of the traditional office.
Are you wondering how to grow your business and develop it in a way so it’s not wholly reliant on you? Have you considered outsourcing/franchising/productising as a way to achieve that growth? Emma Jones outlines the options with tips for each strategy.
Judy Heminsley | Lifestyle & Time out
Co-working offers freelancers both flexibility of where to work and also the chance to meet with like-minded co-workers and collaborators. Working from home expert Judy Heminsley recommends the Jelly approach.
Michael Rose | Working From Home
Whiteboard are great for brainstorming, making quick notes, adding important phone numbers or targets… but they’re not cheap.
Whiteyboard is a brilliant ‘stick-on’ solution and, starting at $10, won’t break the bank. If you’ve got a spare space on your wall and want a quick, cheap whiteboard solution then this looks like a really smart solution.
Emma Jones | Getting a Job,Working From Home
There are over 5 million people doing it and today a book is launched to help many more follow in their footsteps. We’re talking about ‘Working 5 to 9’ which involves holding down a day job and building a business at nights and weekends. The book’s author, Freelance Advisor Emma Jones, offers 8 steps showing how you can do the same.
Anthony Hewson | Lifestyle & Time out
Relationships are more important for a freelancer than for any other individual.
That’s a pretty bold statement and I’m bracing myself for a wave of incredulity articulated by examples of people going through any sort of emotional or physical trauma. Ok, leaving that probably overwhelming group aside… here’s why
Emma Jones | Working From Home
Working from Home. If you need to work from home unexpectedly then these online tools and services will help you get the job done. Freelance Advisor Emma Jones shares her tips for staying connected with co-workers and clients.
Anthony Hewson | Working From Home
You gave up working for someone else for a reason. More than one in all likelihood, but one stood bold and proud: freedom.
Such a noble word; such a bright and sparkling principle; such a statement of hope and promise.
Such a lie
As part of our #GreenOffice series we’re looking at neat tips and technology for keeping costs down and running an efficient eco-friendly office.
While most new PCs come with a decent keyboard and mouse these days (Dell’s keyboards are still a personal favourite of mine) the Solargizer package has all you’d expect from a keyboard (you know, keys with numbers and letters on them, all in the right places) but adds a nice little ‘solar powered’ feature for anyone concerned about chewing up batteries.
Judy Heminsley | Lifestyle & Time out
When freelancing or starting a small business and looking to keep costs down working from home is the obvious solution.
There’s also a downside, though, and that’s the risk of becoming lonely and isolated, with its knock-on effect on self-confidence and motivation.
Continuing our #WorkingFromHome series Judy Heminsley shares her hard-won tips for overcoming the gloom of isolation and how to get motivated in the mid-afternoon slump…
Judy Heminsley | Lifestyle & Time out
When I talk about home working to someone who is office-based, they reply, ‘I could never work from home. I’d spend all day in my pyjamas watching daytime TV.’ What they mean is that they’re afraid that away from the eyes of bosses and colleagues they’d never get anything done, that they would procrastinate.
The trouble with procrastination is that it drains energy from us every time we think about that dreaded task and then stuff it to the back of our minds again. Far more energy than it would take to complete.
So why do you procrastinate?
Yesterday Brighton’s Media Jobs and Skills fair was a huge success we talked to hundreds of potential freelancers from the recently redundant and looking to start a new career to students wanting to go straight into freelance — avoiding the traditional desk job altogether. It was really inspiring to see so many people interested in freelancing and we had over 100 new freelancers sign up for our ‘Go Freelance’ guide during the event.
The day was rounded off perfectly by academic, BBC filmmaker and Guardian journalist Dr Alek’s Krotoski talking to an audience of students and staff at the Sussex University Enterprise Thursday’s event — and the good Doctor was very happy to extol the virtues of Working for Yourself and Working from Home.
Read on for a video clip of Dr Krotoski and the perils of pyjamas.
Andy White | Podcast,Working From Home
Andy speaks to Judy Heminsley, author of Work from Home.
Emma Jones | Working From Home
If you’re new to home business in 2010, or considering starting out in freelancing, working for yourself or working from home, these 10 golden rules from Enterprise Nation founder Emma Jones are are great place to start.
Michael Rose | Working From Home
Working from home is a great idea. Here’s why. Brilliant cartoon from Johnny Contractor: http://www.johnnycontractor.com/
Michael Rose | Working From Home
As Britain shivers though the coldest night this Winter, with local government offices reporting road grit supplies are dangerously low and the MetOffice predicting more snow on the way, we’re wondering how everyone is doing out there. Are you able to make it into the office? Are you working from home? Or are you just glad you’re a freelancer with everything you need in your home office?
We’d love to know how you’re working throughout this week.
David Howell | Technology,Working From Home
Having your own home office, or a small rented place to do you work is fantastic. It sets you up for the day, helping you create a distraction-free space and a professional venue to meet your clients.
As your business grows, however, unless you are lucky enough to be able to afford new premises then space may get tight, and, if you like gadgets and gizmos then it won’t be long before you’ve got wires all over the place, dangling from your desk and tying themselves in knots.
There are two simple solutions… go wireless… or, when you need power, hide the wires.
Emma Jones | Lifestyle & Time out,Working From Home
Recent research has show that home workers and freelancers are more productive than their 9-5, desk-bound colleagues.
Freelance Advisor and Home Business expert Emma Jones takes a quick, efficient look at how you can make the most of your time in the home office.
Emma Jones | Getting a Job,News
In best-selling book ‘The Long Tail’ author Chris Anderson says the future of business does not lie in blockbuster hits but in niche products. Home businesses up and down the land are testimony to this. Emma Jones looks at why niche is good and showcases a few shining examples.
Leo Babauta | Lifestyle & Time out
Purpose Your Day: Most Important Task (MIT)
Leo Babauta, creator of the highly successful Zen Habits blog shares a few tips on prioritising your freelance tasks and streamlining your workflow.
Getting things done… zen style.
More than five million people are working from home after finishing their day job, according to new research published this week.
The survey, commissioned by the world’s biggest office products company Staples, and carried out by Enterprise Nation, the UK’s largest website for home based business, confirms that the ‘5 to 9’ trend is spreading across the country.
Emma Jones | Getting a Job,Working From Home
Never has this piece of advice been more relevant. You went in to business to do the things you most enjoy. When you enjoy something, you’re good at it and that, in turn, attracts loyal customers. Keep hold of those customers by sticking to your knitting and find other experts to take on the tasks [...]
Jim Hatley | Technology,Working From Home
If you’re freelancing from home on a regular basis a well-lit, well kitted-out office is essential – not just a luxury. Freelance Advisor’s resident gadget guru Jim Hatley takes a look at some home office must-haves. Home office heaven: Screens, scanners, DAB and desk-lamps Last year I have covered a few bits of kit to [...]
Leo Babauta | Lifestyle & Time out
Leo Babauta of Zen Habits rises at 4:30 a.m every day. And he’s clearly insane! But before we roll over and pull the covers over our heads… lets hear some of the benefits and, if it sounds good to you, how you can make it a lasting, productive habit.
Leo Babauta | Lifestyle & Time out
As a freelancer with multiple clients, multiple deadlines and multiple todo lists it can be hard to know what to focus on next – so rather than choose we often end up doing two, or more, things at once. As part of a series of posts on Getting Things Done for Freelancers Leo Babauta of [...]
Jo Blood | Lifestyle & Time out,Working From Home
It’s no fun being average… but at least your desk and workstation have been designed with you in mind. If you’re above-average height you will know that it’s not quite so easy. Posture professional Jo Blood gives tall guys and gals a few hints on how to make their working environment work for them. Tall [...]
The top 5 home-business occupations in 2009 Whether it is a second income to make ends meet, a result of reduncancy or a decision to make a fresh start as a freelancer, the home business and startup sector looks like it will continue to grow in 2009. Freelance Advisor and home business startup supremo Emma [...]
Freelance Advisor and author of ‘Spare Room Start Up’ Emma Jones give us a timely reminder of the things we could be doing in the run up to Christmas. What can freelancers do when things get quiet over the holiday season and what plans can we make for 2009. When the phones hush and emails [...]
Dianne Bown-Wilson | Lifestyle & Time out
In part one of this series consultant, coach and trainer Dianne Bown-Wilson explored the advantages of portfolio working. Today she helps us identify the tools we’ll need to put it into practice. Portfolio career: How to Designing a Portfolio Career comes down to achieving an appropriate and desirable balance in your life between need and [...]
Dianne Bown-Wilson | Getting a Job
If you’ve recently retired or are thinking ahead to your remaining working years now could be a good time to consider developing a portfolio career. In this two part series consultant, coach, trainer and writer Dianne Bown-Wilson tells us why it is a good idea and how to go about it… Portfolio careers: the perfect [...]
Emma Jones | Working From Home
Freelance Advisor and author of ‘Spare Room Start Up’ Emma Jones offers us the first in a new series of pieces for our Working from Home section. Here she takes a looks at what freelancers with a home office can do to create a professional image for clients and a great first impression for customers [...]
Resident gadget guru and reviewer for The Times Jim Hatley shares some invaluable advice on disaster recovery for freelancers. If you have a home office and don’t have an IT helpdesk… Who you gonna call? If your entire operating system went belly-up on the first day of an important contract, how would you deal with [...]
