10 Tips for the Work-at-Home Author during Virus Outbreak

Since the COVID-19 outbreak, almost everyone has to work from home. Being forced to do this can be hard for many people, especially when you have kids or siblings that are constantly interrupting. Working outside of the lockdown is easier because of the surplus of jobs and the controlled environment, but this doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t make a lot of money during this virus outbreak. Here are ten helpful tips to help you work at home.

1.       Create a Suitable Environment

You can’t get any work done without a dedicated working space. It may seem easy to work at home because you get to stay in bed and wear what you want, but it is better to create a makeshift office or appropriate place that you can use. You can convert a spare room into an office or even use the kitchen table. When you work in a created space rather than anywhere you like, this improves productivity. Don’t end up sleeping on the job!

2.       Prepare Your Resume

Since a lot of authors would be working from home during this period, you need to prepare a resume to put you ahead of the competition. It is this resume that you would use to get high paying writing jobs while you are at home. It is better to get the resume professionally done from a service like CraftResumes. This would portray your seriousness as a writer and keep you busy during this outbreak.

3.       Decide Your Working Hours

Don’t work at any time because you are working from home. Create a schedule which you would strictly follow every day. This would prevent procrastination and missing deadlines. It is best to create a schedule that coincides with your previous working hours, before the pandemic. When you know your opening and closing time, you will plan everything better and get things done quickly and easily without dragging it out.

4.       Actively Look for Jobs

It is best not to rely on your existing job sources during this virus outbreak. This is because not everyone would be giving out high paying jobs. There are a lot of sites where you can actively look for jobs by submitting your resume to different clients. This is the main reason why the resume is important. You can check out some of the bestsites to look for jobs and try your luck.

5.       Plan in Advance

Even if you have decided on your working hours, it is still important to plan your work. At the beginning of the week, you should have a plan for the jobs you want to do and what you want to achieve during the week. This would help you become more productive. Have a specific to-do list at the beginning of the week or the day and ensure you tick off all the items on the list without overtimes. It is important to work in short sessions when staying at home.

6.       Stay Connected

Drowning yourself in work is possible when you are stuck at home all day. Although you are locked at home, you should find time to socialize and connect with your friends, coworkers, and family members. With the help of social media, this has been made possible. It is important to remember the social media effects on writing while you stay connected. One can easily get confused when writing because of too much social media time, and the internet can act as a distraction.

7.       Come Up With a Start and End Ritual

Before you start working and at the end of your day, you should have a ritual that keeps you focused. You can decide to meditate or workout before and after working as this would increase your concentration and meditation. There are even some yoga poses for writers and creative artists. Having a habit before and after your work instills self-discipline which you need while working at home.

8.       Make Out Time to Exercise

Staying home all day will do you no good. Every day, you can go outside for fresh air for a few minutes or take a walk. You can also start an outdoor habit like gardening so that you won’t be cooped up inside. Studies have shown the huge effect exercise has on creativity. Simply taking a walk every day would boost your creativity and focus on your work.

9.       Be Open to Change

Everything won’t go smoothly once you start working from home. For example, you might have to adjust your schedule a few times and adapt to new habits. Don’t grumble about it but instead, be open to experimenting and adapting to change.

10.   Don’t Beat Yourself Up

There’s no way you would get as much work as you want when you’re at home. There will be distractions and interruptions from every side, especially if you don’t stay alone. Be kind to yourself while you work, even if you don’t complete the items on your to-do list or stick to your schedule. Stay motivated! With practice, you will master the art of working from home.

Jennifer Browflowski writes about career search, coaching and consulting and teaches jobseekers how to get the best out of resumes. She works for CraftResumes.