Rookie Mistakes to Avoid

Since the pandemic the work from home landscape has changed dramatically. Waiting lists popped up on favourite work from home sites. Scams became more commonplace as well. In many ways the pandemic has been, and still is, a stimulus that’s evolving the entire concept of work. 

Before the pandemic online, fully remote opportunities were scarce and waiting lists hardly existed. Nowadays remote opportunities are sprouting nearly everywhere, but we don’t know the quality of the opportunity. Is it a scam? A waste of time? Is it a lucrative side-income? We just don’t know, as there is not enough information available out there. This is where Digital Nomad steps in! Reviewing work from home opportunities to help you avoid worms in the woodwork. 

Here are some common rookie mistakes a first-timer (and some of us veterans) make:

• Working in your bed. That’s a big no-no. Even through there are jobs who fully allow for this (transcription, micro jobs) working in your bed, although comfortable, will not help you to be productive. Have a dedicated workspace, even if it’s at your kitchen table. 
• Poor posture. This is a big one. Poor posture when working (or in general) can lead to serious pain issues! Backpain, tension headache and not to mention the lack of oxygen when you are slouching negatively impacts work performance and psyche. I made this poor posture mistake during a transcription stint (and a time of high stress levels) and wound up giving myself a marvellous tension headache that had me seeking help in the ER. As a person with low pain tolerance experiencing a tension headache was excruciating. 
• High stress levels. Money crunches, family responsibility and plain old life can give us a lot of stress. Stress in the work from home situation is doubly toxic. Not only does it negatively impact your health, it saps your motivation and directly impacts your earnings. Learning to manage stress and stressful situations are paramount to having a happy, healthy remote work life. 
• Working all the time. This can lead to burnout, stress related health issues and feeling unfulfilled. Even workaholics needs a break every now and then! 
• Procrastinating. Remote work requires a certain level of dedication and discipline. Procrastination will work against your goals and can be avoided by having a routine or schedule according to which you work. Setting working hours for yourself not only helps to cut down on stress, but it helps to prevent burnout from overworking. 
• “Me Time” is dead. Yes, you are spending more time at home, but you are not spending time on yourself. Self neglect, no matter how small, will eventually wear you down and drain your motivation to work. It is easy to fall into the overworking trap, but it’s important to spend time doing the things you love. Whether its yoga, art, reading, movies or walking the dog, just take some time for yourself. 
• Relying on one income stream. Remote work can be transient in nature, therefore relying on one income stream when working from home is a deadly mistake. Take your time to look into passive income streams. It will come in handy if or when your current remote gig runs out. 

Remote work is a rewarding venture which empowers freelancers to become more entrepreneurial and independent.