The COVID crisis has seen a fast shift in the way that life happens, everything from simple daily tasks like shopping, and going out to meet friends for a drink, all the way through to how we work. Some people will be missing the bustle of the office and cannot wait to get back to their social hub; however, if you are part of the millions of Americans who have discovered a new zest for life working at home, and you don’t have any intention of ever going back to the office – this article is most definitely for you!
Why Work from Home?
Before the pandemic hit, there was a small underground movement of people who were declaring that working from home was the future for those that can and that working remotely has many health benefits over working in an office.
The movement was always small, and most management at large companies didn’t particularly agree (despite usually having work from home benefits themselves), but as more and more pictures popped up on Instagram of millennials working from their hammocks in Bali, more and more of us began to wonder if it was really possible.
Then the pandemic hit.
Suddenly the ‘what ifs’ became the ‘happening now’. Almost overnight, any companies that could make a huge concerted effort to move their teams to work remotely. Services like Microsoft Teams and Zoom grew in popularity (and saw their profits skyrocket almost overnight), and before we knew what had happened, the world of the remote worker was suddenly the world of the average worker. Many of us have absolutely loved the change in pace.
The time not spent commuting has been spent making breakfast with the family, walking the dog, enjoying our own homes a bit more, and working on the garden. That idyllic lifestyle of working to live rather than living to work has been a huge eye-opener for most of us.
As the world begins to open up again after the coronavirus pandemic, many employers are beginning to demand their workforce back into the office, so what can you do about it, and how can you avoid it?
Work for Yourself
While there may be no way to avoid it today or even tomorrow, there is absolutely no reason why working for yourself could not be a possibility.
In the world of the internet, working for yourself has actually never been so easy, and with that in mind, here are the top seven jobs to do from home to start your journey to financial, location, and life independence.
Virtual Assistant
As the world of work moves online, the need for virtual assistants will increase too. Virtual assistants are just like regular assistants, except they work remotely and do not work from an office at all.
Sometimes they may meet up with clients in person, and sometimes they may only have one client. Still, most virtual assistants have several clients, either big companies or small companies, and work from the luxury of their own sofa (or hammock) to organize and do the work of an ordinary assistant, just virtually.
The Virtual Assistant career path is one of the biggest career paths favored by the ‘digital nomads’ of today because it usually offers location independence (pandemic dependent) to those who make a career out of it, making it a very popular option for travelers across the world.
Amazon Seller
Becoming an Amazon seller is a really popular option these days! Amazon even makes it easy for you by giving you loads of helpful resources to get started.
If you’re interested in becoming an Amazon seller and having a really hands-off approach to work, then becoming a wholesale reseller and using the Fulfilled By Amazon option is probably the best option out there. This means you will hold no stock at your premises, and Amazon will handle the sale, any returns, and any customer service issues that may arise.
Be warned, selling on Amazon only works if you have the know-how of how to build a profitable business. It’s highly worth investing in some advice, marketing agencies such as Nuanced Media are your best bet, they understand how to take you from ideation right through to selling mastery and how to build your selling business so that it is profitable, giving you more time to be you as the money rolls in!
Graphic Designer
Are you good at art? Are you good at design? Can you turn that into digital art and digital design? If you answered yes to any of those questions, then why not consider becoming a graphic designer?
The need for graphic design is just going to increase and increase. As more and more products are crying out for that ‘something different’ for their packaging and a new social media platform seems to pop up every day, good graphic designers are in high demand.
It’s not quite as way as picking up a drawing tablet and scribbling a few designs though, it’s worth doing a few classes and doing some work for free or very low pay just to build your portfolio up, but don’t work for free forever, you’ll be doing the industry a bad turn if you do!
Copywriter
Are you a wonton wordsmith with a way with words? Can you ignite passion and inspiration just by the touch of pen to paper (or fingers to keys)? If so, copywriting could be a great option for you.
Copywriters, like graphic designers, are needed for everything from blog articles on all kinds of websites, social media posts, and other marketing needs, right up to the information paragraph on a shampoo bottle.
Good copywriters can make a living form their sofa and their laptop if they are willing to work hard. It’s not always easy coming up with new ways to write about the same topic, but once you’ve got the hang of it copywriting could provide a nice little income source, or even a side hustle if you don’t want to do it full time.
Seamstress/Tailor
This option is a bit left field, but it is a really good option for those who are handy with a sewing machine!
Believe it or not, a love of a well-tailored suit or a nicely fitting dress is coming back, and as the world opens up again, more and more people will be looking to get out of their houses and show off their apparel at social functions.
The skills of seamstresses or tailors seem like a dying breed, but if you can do clothing alterations and even custom pieces, it could be a very lucrative side hustle. If you could couple this with extra services, like wedding dress alterations, bridesmaids’ outfits, and more, you really could find yourself with more work than you ever realized was possible!
Animator
It seems like these days anyone can pick up a camera and call themselves a videographer. With video editing software becoming cheaper by the day and easier to use to boot, the income potential for videographers has really shrunk, but animators are a whole different story.
Animation is a huge skill in its own right, and it could take many months and years of learning to really get good at it. Still, simple animations can be learned in a few weeks of focused practice, and many companies are looking for animators to work with on a freelance basis.
Markets across the world know that video and animation content perform much better across social media than its static counterparts, and animators are in great demand. From eye-catching Instagram posts to animated YouTube videos on touch topics like science, and even creating end screens and intros for videographers and brands, being an animator is a really useful skill.
YouTube Star
Now we know what you are thinking looking at this, ‘how can anyone make money being a YouTube star?’ but the answer is: quite easily. While YouTube monetization strategies rely on 1000+ subscribers and over 4000+hrs of watch time, there are lots of ways to make money on YouTube.
If you build your channel right, follow the information and the strategy properly, making money from YouTube is simple. If you can get monetized, ad revenue is around $13 per 1000 views. Still, viewers to your channel are much more likely to buy info products, merchandise, and even membership to exclusive members-only groups if they can see and trust your face on YouTube.
All you need to get started is a thoroughly thought out plan for your niche, a smartphone, and preferably a microphone and some lights (or at least a nice big sunny window). Consistency is the key, so learn how to build your channel and start to make money off of this incredible platform.
Working for yourself is the dream for many people, but many remote working opportunities are not quite as risky, and many works for yourself jobs can be started as side hustlers.
So, what is stopping you?