Remote work has been on the rise in recent years due to technological advancement. Some companies are yet to adopt this working style. But the pandemic that hit the world in 2020 has made most companies adopt remote work globally. And Nigeria is not left out of the adoption. Most job seekers these days are on the lookout for remote jobs. But what exactly is remote work and how can job seekers get started with it. In this article, we will discuss that and also give some best-paying remote jobs.
What is Remote work?
Remote work is simply a system where an employer is allowed to work from any location outside the traditional workspace. It is very different from telecommuting in the sense that a remote worker can work from a completely different location. For instance, as a remote worker, you can be a Nigerian living in Nigeria and work for a company in Canada. This means that there is no location restriction.
Benefits of Remote Work
There are several benefits attached to working remotely. And these advantages have increased its adoption by lots of companies.
1. Flexibility
The flexibility attached to remote work is why so many job seekers are drawn to it. A remote worker can work from wherever he/she wants as long as they have an internet connection. You can decide to work on your couch, in a library, and from a different country entirely. However, if you are working from a different country, you should be conscious of the difference in time zone. Some remote jobs even allow you to work on your schedule. Hence, if you are more productive at night, you can decide to work then. Besides, there is no dress code for working remotely. And this saves you from the hassle of dressing up for work every working day.
2. Saves Money and Time
Going to work every day especially if you are living far from where you work is a great challenge. It becomes a double hassle if you go through public transport. The stress, time, and money spent can be a great challenge. But, as a remote worker, you are saved from all these hassles. You can just roll out of your bed and get to work straight, with no need of undergoing the daily stress of going to work. Besides, you get to save more money on transportation. And all the time you are supposed to spend in your car or public transport can be spent on something productive.
3. Increases Employee Retention
Companies can increase employee retention by giving them a chance to work remotely. Employees have other responsibilities outside work. And giving them the option of remote work can help them stay longer with a company. Hence employee retention increases.
4. Helps Learn New Skills
Working remotely gives you the chance of learning new skills. Because you will not be in the same working space with your coworker, hence you need to know how to communicate with them effectively. This can prompt you to learn communication or project management skills.
Drawbacks of Remote Work
Since remote work sounds like a dream come true, it also has some drawbacks. And they are:
1. Limited Social Interaction
Gossip at Lunch, gisting before conference meetings, jokes here and there are what makes work bearable in a traditional workspace. However, as a remote worker, you tend to work in isolation. Even though you communicate with clients and coworkers online, it will be work-related. And you won’t be able to discuss things outside work.
2. Poor Work-Life Balance
Home is where you go to rest and relax after a long day at work. But, due to working remotely, lines between home and work can be blurred. And you might not be able to maintain a healthy work-life balance.
3. Distractions
You hardly get overly distracted in a traditional workplace setting. This is because you always have a supervisor supervising you or you are laying down good examples for junior workers. However, if you are working remotely, you will be faced with a lot of distractions. And because nobody is supervising you, you tend to give in to these distractions. For instance, you might decide to take a longer lunch break and watch your favorite TV show. This can reduce productivity.
How to get started as a Remote Worker
There are things you need to put in place when you want to start as a remote worker. These things can be a form of system to help you stay productive while working at home. They include;
Set up a Workspace:
Setting a workspace for yourself at home is a way of avoiding distractions and boosting productivity. It does not have to be something fancy, just a comfortable chair and a working table. Ensure you have a power outlet close to the table for your gadgets. However, make sure the workspace you are setting up is a space where your family members won’t disturb you.
Familiarize Yourself with Tools
There are tools that makes work easier while working remotely. These tools are for different purposes.
Zoom, Slack, Skype, Microsoft Teams, and so on are used for communication. Tools like Dropbox and google drive are for sharing files. Asana, Trello, and others are for managing projects. These are only a few tools for remote work. So a remote workers should familiarize themselves with these tools.
Create a Schedule
You can use tools such as Todoist to create a schedule for how your day will be. This can help you to execute tasks faster and effectively.
Set Boundaries
Since you are working from home, the line between working hours and normal hours can be blurry. Therefore, to have a healthy work-life balance, you need to set boundaries. So, have a working schedule and stick to it. For instance, if you want to make 9-5 your working hours, stick to it and avoid working outside that time.
Best Paying Remote Jobs
Here are the lists of the best paying remote jobs that you can do from the comfort of your home. However, having just an internet connection and your PC or laptop is not enough. You need to acquire the necessary skills.
- Web Development
- Content Writing
- Graphics Designing
- Virtual Assistant
- Customer Service Support
- Project Manager
- Editor/ Proofreader
Conclusion
If you have the necessary information about remote work and how to go about it, then it will be easier for you to start. With the information in this article, we hope you can navigate the remote work system. Check out Justjobsng for more resources about remote work.
