Working from home and earning a full-time salary was an opportunity I enjoyed since 2008. Since then, people have been asking me how I did it, although there were also some skeptics who were quick to judge me and the work I did online.
Those who were cynical about me working online thought that the Internet did not bring any good to anyone, that it was a haven for immorality and laziness, and that it would have been better if I found a real job in big companies and corporations. It was hard living and working under their judgmental eyes but I persevered. Working online was something I enjoyed, not only because of the vast knowledge the Internet has given me but also because of the earning opportunities that in my own point of view were much better than when I worked in a daily office job.
Fast forward to 2020 and the idea of working from home has become even more popular. In fact, it may already be the new norm. As more and more people are losing their day jobs because of the COVID-19 pandemic, many more are shifting careers and finding ways to earn online.
Are you one of the many who are looking for ways to earn at the comfort of home despite the fact that COVID-19 is wreaking havoc around the world? Here are some tips on how to start working from home and earning a decent living with just your computer and Internet connection.
Get A Stable Internet Connection
Since you would be working from home and using the Internet as your main source of income, it is highly recommended that you get an Internet plan that is stable and provides fast connection. This should be first in your list if you are planning to take working from home seriously. Wireless connection may work, but they can oftentimes be unreliable. Therefore, make sure that you get a wired connection from your preferred Internet provider.
Know Your Passion
Start with the thing you love the most. What is it that you really love doing and have always wanted to do? What are your skills? Your talents? Your qualifications? In my case, I have always loved reading and writing, so I ended up working online as a content writer and copy editor.
When searching for earning opportunities online, do not just jump on any opportunity just because they give promises of high income. Take on some work because you love doing it and not just because of the money that may come out of it. You see, no matter how easy a particular job is, if you have no passion for it, you will never succeed. If you love what you are doing, however, no matter how hard the job is, you will always find it pleasurable and self-satisfying. From there, you will slowly succeed and maximize your earning potential. Remember, work will never feel like work if you enjoy doing it.
Take It One Step At A Time
Do not rush things. Take time to learn the secrets of making money online. Read helpful materials on the Internet’s earning potentials, watch vlogs and informational videos, listen to podcasts, and see which earning opportunities will work best for you. It may take some time before you will truly land your dream job online and earn a decent income from your efforts, but do not despair. Great opportunities await for those who persevere.
Condition Yourself to Working at Home
Let’s face it – not all people can stand staying at home all of the time. If you have decided that working from home is your new normal, you must be prepared to spend most of your waking time at home even after COVID-19. Most full-time online jobs offer flexible working hours, but it does not mean that you can go out of the house any time you like. There will be deadlines to meet, online meetings to attend, or trainings to complete. All these can take up much of your time. If you are good at managing your time, though, you may still have some time to go out with friends, but this should not be something you look forward to if you are just starting out with online work, especially if you would be working full-time. Just like traditional office work, working from home and online takes a lot of dedication and passion.
Apply to Opportunities Online
There are countless opportunities you can find online. Some of them offer better compensation than others and some offer better life-work balance. It is up to you to weigh whether one opportunity fits you better than all the others you find. Competition across all industries are tough, though, so expect some rejections along the way. Don’t be discouraged, however. It is always hard to break through when it is your first time, but when you are used to it, you will find that all your efforts are worth it.
Use Your Skills and Talents to Gain Income
If you are well-equipped with a particular skill that allow you to be your own boss, why not use them to your advantage instead of applying to jobs online? Are you great at cooking and baking? Do you have products to sell? There are avenues online that allow people to sell products and services. So if you have been baking for a living offline or creating crafts that some people use for their own benefit, you can use these skills to still earn income even if you are confined at the comforts of your home. Many people are now selling their home-made pastries and recipes through social media sites and they are earning quite a decent income from this venture. Some sell beauty products and supplements and other things that people usually buy in malls.
Think about this: online selling and e-commerce may possibly take the place of traditional malls altogether in the future. Who knows what will happen next? The COVID-19 crisis is showing us that working from home may be the next best thing in this ever-changing world. To continue living comfortably, we need to be able to adapt to every change that may happen along the way.
To reiterate, there are countless opportunities for those who want to start working from home and most of these do not require high capital. You just have to be creative and to know yourself well to decide which ones will work best for you in these changing times.