What people don’t appreciate about freelancing as a telecommuter is that your home becomes a de facto office. So, your mindset must adjust accordingly.
This is a gig economy. It’s freelancing, not salary work, since you are paid per assignment.
As a telecommuter, your work ethic, time management skills, and environment dictates show much money you’ll make.
Also, you’ll make more money as a telecommuter according to your skills, education, and certifications.
This is especially true if your job prizes your skills so much it allows you to telecommute.
Basic Pay
The base salary of a telecommuter is less than $20,000 while the average is about $79,000. Still, some telecommuters can make as much as $157,000.
The tendency is that if you must look for online gigs then you’ll make less until you acquire loyal clients that pay regularly. Like how I started.
Unless you get advice, telecommuters learn on their own. The hard way. When it comes to telecommuting, mistakes are costly.
I have tips that I have learned as a telecommuter that can help you optimize your pay. First, let me tell you about my learning experiences as a telecommuter.
I have been telecommuting as a freelance writer for well over a decade now.
While many people think it would be great to work from home, it requires a lot of sacrifice and discipline.
Learning as a Telecommuter
I love music. When I was younger, I owned hundreds of CDs and music cassettes. However, now I get paid to write. This means I must focus.
You know how when you listen to music, you get transported back in time to your youth? Or, you want to dance or sing along?
I can’t afford to do that. It’s too distracting.
Telecommuters have to work 8 hours a day and 5 to 6 days a week, at the very least, to make appreciable pay. Because I constantly source my gigs via online classified ads, I usually work 12-hour days.
If I listen to music, I can’t focus on my work. I can listen to instrumental music as I work, otherwise I focus on lyrics.
It’s lonely work. I have to focus on my skills and thoughts as I work.
It took me time to realize that I had to take breaks or fatigue would affect work quality. Sometimes the laptop would stare at me.
Tips to Optimize Telecommuting Pay
Things to keep in mind as a telecommuter:
- Always work for several clients at once
- Never take it for granted that a regular gig could end anytime
- Know your limits and never accept more work than you can handle
- Have a dedicated work area at home away from distractions
- Continually network with peers to increase the odds of acquiring new work opportunities
- Exercise and take care of yourself! This is a sedentary lifestyle and you can easily wind up spending your earnings on medical bills
- Reward yourself after incremental goals to stay motivated
- Organize your workstation to maintain focus
- Set various invoice reminders so you don’t miss paydays
- Be mindful of different time zones when it comes to clients, assignments, and invoice deadlines
- Create a work schedule and stick to it
Rise of the Telecommuter
Almost 4 million people telecommute at least half of their working schedule.
There were only 1.8 telecommuters in 2005. Some telecommuters make at least $4,000 more than on-site workers.
Telecommuting is not easy. But if you have the realistic work ethic, its profitable.
Read More
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Allen Francis was an academic advisor, librarian, and college adjunct for many years with no money, no financial literacy, and no responsibility when he had money. To him, the phrase “personal finance,” contains the power that anyone has to grow their own wealth. Allen is an advocate of best personal financial practices including focusing on your needs instead of your wants, asking for help when you need it, saving and investing in your own small business.