Tips for Staying Productive While Working From Home

For many, the idea of working from home sounds like the dream job. You wake up when you want, work in your underwear and watch reruns of Friends in the background while checking Twitter between productivity sessions. These are the kinds of things I did for the first couple of weeks when I started, and it soon became clear that I wasn’t productive enough or motivated to do the work.

In this article, I’ll give you some tips on how you can start your career from home while staying productive, motivated and healthy, because the truth is, working with the TV on is very distracting and wearing nothing but underwear all day really gets depressing!

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With any regular job, you wake up (usually in the morning), get dressed, have your breakfast then off you go to work for the day. This routine prepares you for what work you do throughout the day. I however, would wake up around 10:00am, open my laptop while slouched on my couch half dressed and start work. After about a week of working like this, my workflow deteriorated and not much work would get done.

Remote work should be treated like any other job. I don’t mean you have to wear your best suit, but wake up at a reasonable hour and wear something respectable. It’s also very important to never skip breakfast and as you’re working from home, you could have whatever you like!

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At the end of a day’s work, no matter how much I got done, I would feel like I hadn’t accomplished much. I didn’t give myself goals to aim for and this allowed me to do the bare minimum and simply call it a day.

Before starting work, try writing down a checklist of what tasks you want to get done in that day. Each task doesn’t even have to be a big or complex one, it essentially gives you a clear path to work on throughout the day. Plus, if you manage to complete a full checklist before you check out, you can sit back and relax feeling very smug about yourself.

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Working on your couch doesn’t get you in the right frame of mind for work. There are too many distractions like television and, in my case, family members.

Instead, head on down to Ikea and grab yourself a desk and all the essentials of a professional work environment. Get set up in a room where there won’t be any distractions. Working like this really makes you more productive. However, it also gets boring, and being isolated drives me crazy so it’s a good idea to vary where you work once in a while. Working remotely means you have more freedom than a regular job, so you could spend your day at the local coffee shop and take advantage of their free WIFI (as long as you buy a coffee every twenty minutes). You might even want to hire out a personal workspace with ShareDesk. If all else fails, libraries are the perfect place to get stuck into your work (and yes, they still exist).

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Sitting at your desk for hours at a time can get really frustrating. You become less focused and your work slows down. Avoid this by doing what you would do at any other job and take a break.

I tend to give myself 30 minutes break for every 4 hours I work. During this time I have my lunch and do an activity that doesn’t involve a screen of some sort.

Another good point to make is that you could stick to a set amount of hours to work in a day. This would help you organize your time better and to make sure you don’t over work yourself. I prefer to work in 4 hour blocks and try not to work more than 16 hours in a day.

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When you mix your work life and personal life together, there aren’t many reasons why you should leave the house. In order to stop myself from going insane, I would go for a run each morning a dedicate some time per week to spend time with friends, go shopping or whatever was on the cards. Although there is a blurred line between professional and personal life when working remote, it is possible and important to keep them separate.

What Works for You?

To conclude, I want to say that this article was not intended to put your off the idea of working from home because once you get the ball rolling, remote work is great! You have so much more freedom than working at a regular job, you just need to make sure you’re paying the bills by staying productive.

These are just a few things I do to stay productive and healthy when working from home. I’d like to hear what it’s like for you at home and what you do to stay on top of work. Leave a comment below!

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Tips for Staying Productive While Working From Home

Simple Tips For Avoiding Working For Lower-Quality Clients

Lower-quality clients suck. All they focus on is how little they can pay. They make unreasonable demands for the amount of work they want you to do and how fast they want it done. And they’ll inevitably ask you for the type design that you just don’t enjoy creating.

Does this sound familiar? Then chances are you have suffered from working for clients like these. We all have at some point, especially when starting out.

So how do you avoid working for lower-quality clients? You attract higher-quality ones. How? There aren’t any tricks involved. It’s simply adjusting your attitude and approach towards clients. You stand your ground and don’t compromise on what you’re worth and who you’re willing to work with. By doing so, you’ll be well on your way to attracting higher-quality clients that you actually want to work with.

Don’t Be Desperate – Make Them Need You

The number one way to get lower-quality clients is to appear desperate. As a freelancer or business, when you scrape at the bottom of the barrel, that’s what you’ll get. You’re desperate, so you’ll take the first client you can get. Chances are, they’ll be low-quality:

• Focused on low price.


• Unreasonably demanding the quantity of work and time to deliver it.


• Wanting designs that you don’t really like to create.

Avoid desperation towards clients at all costs. Don’t be desperate – instead, make the clients need you.

When you turn the tables, you get to be selective. And when you’re picky with who you work for, you end up working with higher-quality clients who:

• Pay you what you’re actually worth.


• Agree to the quantity of work and time it’ll take to deliver it.


• Desire the type of designs you actually want to create.

When you talk to other designers who went from low to high-quality clients, they’ll said tell you the same thing: that not needing clients was the single biggest factor to attracting higher-quality clients.

Once they stopped being desperate for clients, they stopped taking on clients they didn’t want. And during email and phone conversations with clients, they would give off the impression that they didn’t need the client.

Key phrases like “if this isn’t what you’re looking for, then I’m probably not the right fit for you” or “you’re better off looking elsewhere” or “lower-cost designers would be better suited for you” were used. The clients were impressed and realized they were talking to a legit designer, not some rent-a-designer, and that made the client desire them more.

Don’t be desperate. Make the client need you. Don’t listen to the “what if I can’t get any clients” voice in your head, stand your ground, and don’t settle. Sooner than later you’ll start getting the clients that want you for you.

Don’t Reduce Rates – But Do Offer a Lower-Cost Trial

Similar to above, don’t cave in to reducing rates. When you stand your ground price-wise, the client will realize that you must be worth it – lesser designers would’ve been more desperate and worked for whatever price they could get.

When pitching to clients, don’t tell them that you can reduce rates. Say what rate you work for and leave it at that. Let the client decide if they can afford that or not – otherwise, you’ll get the lower-quality clients that chase the lowest price and nothing else.

When talking to clients, if they say that the price is too high, use wording like “I’m probably too expensive for you, so you’re better off looking for cheaper designers elsewhere”. Not only will you not settle for lesser pay, but you might actually provoke the client in a friendly way into paying you. They’ll think, hey, I’m good enough of a client, what does this designer mean I can’t afford it? And they just might end up paying you.

That’s good and all, but very few clients will pay full price for unproven talent. So if needed, you could offer a lower-cost trial. If the client is unsure, tell them that you’re willing to do the first task or project or whatever at a lower rate. Then if the client is happy with the work, they agree to pay full price for subsequent work. This way, you reduce the risk for the client while still standing your ground price-wise and attracting higher-quality clients.

It’s similar to products and services that offer a trial. You never tried the product or service before, so unless you got a personal recommendation, it’s unlikely you’ll pay full price to try it. But a risk-free, lower-cost or no-cost trial you will try. Then, assuming you love it, you’ll gladly continue using it at full price. The company can sell higher-cost premium products and services this way without compromising on cost and thus quality.

Focus Your Message on Benefits Clients Really Want

If you don’t make it clear how you can help, then you won’t be able to attract higher-quality clients who are specifically looking for that solution. So you need to crystal-clearly focus your message on the benefits that clients really want.

For example:

• When you simply say that you design websites, you’ll attract amateur clients who are looking for someone to design their website.


• But when you say that you’ll impress the client’s customers that are in this key demographic (and the client has had trouble reaching) and make them more likely to convert by buying/joining or whatnot, you’ll attract the high-quality clients specifically looking for that.

See the difference?

Focus your message on the benefits the higher-quality clients would want:

1. Decide who your ideal clients are.


2. Find out what problems they have that really need solving.


3. Clearly say that you can help with that in your conversations.

By focusing your message on the benefits, you’ll increase the chances of those higher-quality clients paying you to do work for them.

Attract Higher-Quality Clients

When you stand your ground in not needing clients and not reducing rates, and when your message focuses on the benefits clients really want, you’ll be well on your way to attracting higher-quality clients. When you do, you’ll be able to work with clients you actually like, and you’ll get to create designs you actually enjoy making. It’s benefits for you all around: you’re happier, you make more, and your life is easier.

How else have you been able to attract higher-quality clients?

All images from chuckchee’s Portfolio on Shutterstock.

The post Simple Tips For Avoiding Working For Lower-Quality Clients appeared first on Speckyboy Web Design Magazine.

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Simple Tips For Avoiding Working For Lower-Quality Clients

Is Working Freelance Really Worth It?

Are you tired of working for clients you don’t like? Want control of your time, location, and projects you work on? Then perhaps you should consider freelancing.

Freelancing is basically being self-employed and not committed to any one company or firm. You’ve heard those seemingly perfect freelance stories. Some designer quits his jobs and starts freelancing – and now he’s making more money than he was while at a firm. All the while traveling the world and working for himself. Not to mention he gets to choose what kind of work he does.

However, there is no such thing as perfect – and freelancing is no exception. While the above paragraph might make being a freelancer out to be an ideal gig, it has its drawbacks. And some of these can be deal breakers for you.

So should you freelance? Let’s weight the pros and cons:

Pros of Freelancing

Image Source: Working People via Shutterstock.

1. Choose When You Work

When you don’t have to come into an office each day, you can really be in control of your time. You get to choose when you work. You’re working for yourself, after all. Are you a morning person that wants to stop working at lunchtime? That’s cool. Or are you a night owl that loves to sleep in? Go for it. As long as you get the work done, that’s all that matters. When you freelance, you get to choose when you work. Or at least be more flexible with your schedule (with the few exceptions that involve time-sensitive clients).

2. Choose Where You Work

Since you’re not reporting to a stationary office every day, you can choose where you do your freelancing work. Whether it’s at home, at various cafes throughout the cities, or traveling—or even moving—to different cities, it doesn’t matter. Like with being in control of your time, as long as you get the work done then it doesn’t matter where you’re located. When you freelance, you get to choose where you work. Or again, at least be more flexible with your location (if you have location-sensitive clients).

3. Choose What You Work On

The biggest drawback of working for a company or firm is you usually don’t get to choose what projects you work on. You design based on what clients are brought to you. But when you are a freelancer, you find your own clients. Thus, you get to choose what you work on. Notice the pattern? Freelancing is about choice – freedom.

4. Potentially Make More Money

If you have the drive in you, you can stand to make more money freelancing. You’re not throttled by working for someone else. You can take on more clients or more projects than if you were working for a company or firm. And more quality work equals making more money.

5. Fire Bad Clients

Similar to #3, if you get stuck with a bad client while working for someone else, you either suck it up or quit your job. And there goes all of your work and income. But with freelancing, each client is a separate source of income. So if you come across a bad client, you can freely fire them. Why waste your precious days working on something that’s annoying you? Drop that client like a bad habit.

Cons of Freelancing

Image Source: Hardworking People via Shutterstock.

1. Incoming Work Isn’t Guaranteed

At a company or firm, assuming it doesn’t go out of business, you’re pretty much guaranteed work. You come in, there is always work for you to do, and you’ll never be at a shortage. As a freelancer, since you’re finding your own work, it’s never guaranteed. Sometimes opportunities can be plentiful, and other times there could be less.

2. Inconsistent Monthly Income

With inconsistent incoming work comes inconsistent monthly income. Some months you can be rolling in a steady stream of quality work. Other months your clients might not need you, or you don’t find enough work. And your income suffers as a result.

3. Potentially Make Less Money

A continuation of #2. If you aren’t finding quality clients, you could potentially make less money than if you were at a company or firm. Ditto if you’re lazy. If you aren’t a self-motivating type and need someone else to kick you in the butt, then with freelancing you could potentially be making less money than at a company or firm.

4. You Have to Find New Work On Your Own

With freelancing, you don’t just spend time creating, you also need to spend time finding new clients and work. At a company or firm, the incoming work is taken care of for you. You just need to design and that’s it. (However, if you absolutely hate finding clients but still want to freelance, one remedy is partnering with someone that can find work for you – a designer manager of sorts.)

5. You Have to Do Your Own Accounting

Similar to #4. At a company or firm, you don’t need to worry about accounting. You design, you get paid, you pay yearly taxes, and that’s it. Not so with freelancing – since you are your own company, you need to handle your own accounting. (Again, if you hate accounting then you can use software to make it easier or hire/outsource to someone that can do it.)

So, Should You Freelance?

So is freelancing ultimately worth it? Yes. Yes it is. You won’t get a wishy-washy “it depends” answer here. If you’re considering it, then you should freelance.

Of course, you have to be driven, confident, and independent. You should be willing to take matters into your own hands. (So it really does depend, huh?)

But the benefits of being in control of your time, location, and work you do is worth it alone. That’s true freedom right there – something we all desire as human beings. Add to that the potential to make more money—totally up to your drive, of course—and the pros of freelancing outweigh the cons. Just make sure you aren’t lazy and find actual work for yourself.

So if you are already freelancing, even if just on the side, then let this be confirmation that you made the right choice. And if you haven’t been a freelancer yet, give it a try – you’ll be hooked by the freedom and control you gain.

To recap, here are the pros and cons of freelancing:

Pros:

1. Choose when you work


2. Choose where you work


3. Choose what you work on


4. Potentially make more money


5. Fire bad clients

Cons:

1. Incoming work isn’t guaranteed


2. Inconsistent monthly income


3. Potentially make less money


4. You have to find new work on your own


5. You have to do your own accounting

Do you freelance, even if just on the side? How are you liking it compared to working for a company or firm, and would you recommend it to others? Share your positive (and negative) experiences in the comments below.

The post Is Working Freelance Really Worth It? appeared first on Speckyboy Web Design Magazine.

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Is Working Freelance Really Worth It?

Is Working Freelance Really Worth It?

Are you tired of working for clients you don’t like? Want control of your time, location, and projects you work on? Then perhaps you should consider freelancing.

Freelancing is basically being self-employed and not committed to any one company or firm. You’ve heard those seemingly perfect freelance stories. Some designer quits his jobs and starts freelancing – and now he’s making more money than he was while at a firm. All the while traveling the world and working for himself. Not to mention he gets to choose what kind of work he does.

However, there is no such thing as perfect – and freelancing is no exception. While the above paragraph might make being a freelancer out to be an ideal gig, it has its drawbacks. And some of these can be deal breakers for you.

So should you freelance? Let’s weight the pros and cons:

Pros of Freelancing

Image Source: Working People via Shutterstock.

1. Choose When You Work

When you don’t have to come into an office each day, you can really be in control of your time. You get to choose when you work. You’re working for yourself, after all. Are you a morning person that wants to stop working at lunchtime? That’s cool. Or are you a night owl that loves to sleep in? Go for it. As long as you get the work done, that’s all that matters. When you freelance, you get to choose when you work. Or at least be more flexible with your schedule (with the few exceptions that involve time-sensitive clients).

2. Choose Where You Work

Since you’re not reporting to a stationary office every day, you can choose where you do your freelancing work. Whether it’s at home, at various cafes throughout the cities, or traveling—or even moving—to different cities, it doesn’t matter. Like with being in control of your time, as long as you get the work done then it doesn’t matter where you’re located. When you freelance, you get to choose where you work. Or again, at least be more flexible with your location (if you have location-sensitive clients).

3. Choose What You Work On

The biggest drawback of working for a company or firm is you usually don’t get to choose what projects you work on. You design based on what clients are brought to you. But when you are a freelancer, you find your own clients. Thus, you get to choose what you work on. Notice the pattern? Freelancing is about choice – freedom.

4. Potentially Make More Money

If you have the drive in you, you can stand to make more money freelancing. You’re not throttled by working for someone else. You can take on more clients or more projects than if you were working for a company or firm. And more quality work equals making more money.

5. Fire Bad Clients

Similar to #3, if you get stuck with a bad client while working for someone else, you either suck it up or quit your job. And there goes all of your work and income. But with freelancing, each client is a separate source of income. So if you come across a bad client, you can freely fire them. Why waste your precious days working on something that’s annoying you? Drop that client like a bad habit.

Cons of Freelancing

Image Source: Hardworking People via Shutterstock.

1. Incoming Work Isn’t Guaranteed

At a company or firm, assuming it doesn’t go out of business, you’re pretty much guaranteed work. You come in, there is always work for you to do, and you’ll never be at a shortage. As a freelancer, since you’re finding your own work, it’s never guaranteed. Sometimes opportunities can be plentiful, and other times there could be less.

2. Inconsistent Monthly Income

With inconsistent incoming work comes inconsistent monthly income. Some months you can be rolling in a steady stream of quality work. Other months your clients might not need you, or you don’t find enough work. And your income suffers as a result.

3. Potentially Make Less Money

A continuation of #2. If you aren’t finding quality clients, you could potentially make less money than if you were at a company or firm. Ditto if you’re lazy. If you aren’t a self-motivating type and need someone else to kick you in the butt, then with freelancing you could potentially be making less money than at a company or firm.

4. You Have to Find New Work On Your Own

With freelancing, you don’t just spend time creating, you also need to spend time finding new clients and work. At a company or firm, the incoming work is taken care of for you. You just need to design and that’s it. (However, if you absolutely hate finding clients but still want to freelance, one remedy is partnering with someone that can find work for you – a designer manager of sorts.)

5. You Have to Do Your Own Accounting

Similar to #4. At a company or firm, you don’t need to worry about accounting. You design, you get paid, you pay yearly taxes, and that’s it. Not so with freelancing – since you are your own company, you need to handle your own accounting. (Again, if you hate accounting then you can use software to make it easier or hire/outsource to someone that can do it.)

So, Should You Freelance?

So is freelancing ultimately worth it? Yes. Yes it is. You won’t get a wishy-washy “it depends” answer here. If you’re considering it, then you should freelance.

Of course, you have to be driven, confident, and independent. You should be willing to take matters into your own hands. (So it really does depend, huh?)

But the benefits of being in control of your time, location, and work you do is worth it alone. That’s true freedom right there – something we all desire as human beings. Add to that the potential to make more money—totally up to your drive, of course—and the pros of freelancing outweigh the cons. Just make sure you aren’t lazy and find actual work for yourself.

So if you are already freelancing, even if just on the side, then let this be confirmation that you made the right choice. And if you haven’t been a freelancer yet, give it a try – you’ll be hooked by the freedom and control you gain.

To recap, here are the pros and cons of freelancing:

Pros:

1. Choose when you work


2. Choose where you work


3. Choose what you work on


4. Potentially make more money


5. Fire bad clients

Cons:

1. Incoming work isn’t guaranteed


2. Inconsistent monthly income


3. Potentially make less money


4. You have to find new work on your own


5. You have to do your own accounting

Do you freelance, even if just on the side? How are you liking it compared to working for a company or firm, and would you recommend it to others? Share your positive (and negative) experiences in the comments below.

The post Is Working Freelance Really Worth It? appeared first on Speckyboy Web Design Magazine.

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Is Working Freelance Really Worth It?

Blaz Robar Presents IconStack – A Photoshop plugin for working with icon fonts

Over the past few months I’ve been working with some friends to create some new awesome Photoshop plugins. The first off the rank is Iconstack – it’s a real easy way to use icon fonts in your Photoshop web designs. Check out the video below! Buy it now

The post Blaz Robar Presents IconStack – A Photoshop plugin for working with icon fonts appeared first on Free PSD Web Design Templates.

Blaz Robar Presents IconStack – A Photoshop plugin for working with icon fonts