You’ve always considered working in the comforts of your home, but aren’t sure if you are ready to give up the statutory benefits, free coffee, and Friday hangouts with colleagues. At the same time, you relish the joys of not dealing with a snarky boss, gossipy co-workers, and office politics. As the current pandemic crisis has triggered a rise in unemployment, many professionals are now opting to go for the remote work route. Moreover, many companies have given employees the option to work from home.

The great thing about the writing profession is its flexibility to work anywhere. Remote work is ideal for many writers. Solitude allows them to focus better on their task. Discipline is essential to get things done. However, remote work doesn’t mean distraction-free, and you have to take care of handling your own taxes and social security contributions.  

If you’re a seasoned remote writer, I salute you for learning to deal with the common challenges. If you’re starting with remote work, you will need a roadmap to guide you in navigating challenges that you will face.

Here are some tips that you can use to navigate your way into the lucrative world of remote work to help maximize your productivity and increase your chances of success.

1) Find suitable working hours most convenient for you

Remote work requires no punch card or biometrics to signal the start of your working day. We all have our different times within the day when we are most productive. Some writers are morning persons, others are midday, while others are night owls. Determine which time of the day you are most active and productive.

One thing you need to consider is that some remote writing tasks have clients requiring you to install Time Doctor on your PC to monitor the number of hours you put into work. Determine if this type of setup is amenable to you.

2) Define your workspace

Your workspace is not just the room where you sit down and work. Make sure that it is conducive to your mood and makes you feel comfortable. It needs to be a place with little or no distraction, a place where you can lock the door and have privacy with your thoughts.

Your workspace defines your personality as a writer. Whether you’re the cluttered or organized type, the important thing is that you have an area that you can consider as your sanctuary. Guard your sanctuary and stick to your designated working hours.

3) Write a to-do list

Remote working can overwhelm you to the point that you don’t know where to start. Since you’ll be in charge of your schedule, it’s important that you write a to-do list and prioritize what task should be accomplished first.

Many remote writers keep a notebook where they list their tasks within the day or even within the week. Should you start your work by pitching to The Smithsonian? Should you email a client first? Should you set up a client interview? Your list of task priorities must follow the Four Quadrants of Time Management: important and urgent; important but not urgent; not important but urgent; not important and not urgent.

4) Choose the right tools for the trade

Do you prefer a PC or a laptop? Purchase the essentials that will not break your budget. With that in mind, you don’t have to buy expensive and brand new office equipment. Aside from a desktop or laptop, the basic tools you need are a good work desk and comfortable chair as well as a good Internet connection. A pen and notebook come in handy.

5) You can change your scenery from time to time

While your workspace is your sanctuary, you can change your work scenery to refresh your brain. Studies show that changing your spot for working or studying helps you to learn or absorb information better.

Find a coffee shop that isn’t crowded with other remote workers, or you can sit under a tree in a park. Whatever sparks your creativity helps. However, working in bed triggers your brain to feel sleepy, so you may want to avoid working on your bed.

6) Monitor your rates and fees per project

A common question that remote writers ask is, how much should I get paid per task/project in order to break even? Some of us get paid per hour or per day depending on the agreement with clients. Some of us get paid per project/output. Regardless of the payment setup, know beforehand how long it will take you to work on a task.

Your calculation will determine how much you should get for an assignment. Make sure that your time equates with productivity. On most occasions, you may want to consider working under a time-tracker for the purpose of transparency that protects you and your client.

7) Stick to your scheduled breaks

Your cats will replace your chatty co-workers. A member of your family will replace that person in the office who doesn’t refill the coffee pot. It’s easy to stray from your schedule when there’s no one to manage you. Condition your brain to follow a strict routine. Breaking your schedule to refill your coffee pot or to advise your cats on the best-scented cat litter will result in counter-productivity. Do these things in your scheduled breaks.