Productivity tips for Freelancers

Here is a link to my mention in Entrepreneur Magazine:

http://www.entrepreneur.com/magazine/businessstartupsmagazine/1998/may/15568-2.html

Productivity tips for Freelancers

Being a freelancer is a very rewarding experience. Freelancing allows you to pick and choose your own projects and fees, something you often can't do as a telecommuter or employee, but sometimes we tend to hit the snooze button a few more times or surf the web while becoming distracted by unproductive sites. Every freelancer has been hit with these and other stumbling blocks at least once, often times more than once. These stumbling blocks can eventually lead to economic hardship and or unproductive work habits.

One way to avoid stumbling blocks is to plan out your day the night before. Use productivity software and tools such as Franklin Covey planning software and devices such as Palm Pilots and phones like the Blackberry. Plan out your day on paper and then enter all that needs to be done into your productivity software or device.

Using planning software can be very useful especially now that many have "Spring Fever". It makes it hard to get in any billable hours in when the sun is shining and birds are chirping. As a freelancer we don't have an angry boss telling us when to come back from lunch......

New job links for the Summer months

Since January I have had the opportunity to do a lot of research regarding companies that hire home based workers. I have spent hours researching these companies and interviewing management at several companies that hire home based workers.

One common thread that I found with these companies is many of them have an all or nothing policy and the pay is not that great, unless you are into the IT or programming aspect of work at home jobs. Most customer service jobs pay about $9 an hour. That is an OK income if you have a 2 family income but if you are a single mom it is hard to make a living on it.

One company that I interviewed for, rang my phone one time and then minutes later sent me an email saying that I did not meet the minimum qualifications to work for them. This was after being stood up for my initial interview because of "system problems" Perhaps this company does not meet my minimum qualifications for a company I want to work for!

I will be upgrading my work at home companies list and then rating them as I research them. I will be also deleting them as I find companies that are not worth the time. Anyone that has a link to share please feel free to leave a comment here.

Now that summer vacation starts this month, I am more so now looking for even more companies to add to my blog! I do have to warn my readers in advance, if you work for a call center more than likely the company that you work for will have a zero tolerance for back ground noise. That means if children, dogs, door bells, phones are heard in the back ground some companies will give you a final warning and some may terminate your employment on the spot.

Off researching I go!