Flexible Working Life

Is it craiglist or craigslist?  Does it really matter when you are looking for work?  Nope, what does matter is being able to find gigs quickly and easily.

However, the one thing that drives me mad with criaglist is the way that you can’t search the entire database without going through each one separately.  Such a waste of time.

Now I know that may be useful if you want to buy a car or rent a flat, but if you are looking for on-line work through where location isn’t an issue, then it’s not so good.

I have just added a widget to this site that stops that.  It lets you search the entire database of criaglist and  It’s really simple to use.  It opens up a whole host of freelancing gigs that you may have not seen before. The only downside is that the widget asks for a zip code which, if you aren’t in the USA is hard to get.  If that’s the case go here and click on ‘rest of world’

This will then take you through the steps to search the whole of Europe or just selected countries.  Then select ‘jobs’ and under types of jobs you could put in the keyword ‘freelance.’

I just did a quick search and got over 200!

Happy hunting

Right now, with all the Christmas decorations everywhere and mess, I could really do with one of these.
I didn’t know they even existed, but of course, if there’s a market for it, then there’s a business to be had, and from what I can gather, quite a good business.
So what is a clutter consultant and how do you become one?

Obviously you have to be extremely organised and have the right kind of management and logistical  skills that’ll help you, help others to be organised.
You could either specialise in physical clutter, which is literally moving objects, sorting wardrobes and doing house clearances, or on the time management side, where you de-clutter a client’s life and help develop schedules and routines.

And in times like these, becoming a clutter consultant could be big business.
UK company Clutter Clearing explain on their site that the credit crunch has meant that more people are looking to de-clutter in order to save money.
They even have 11 ways of how you can do this,  including: making money out of the space you create by renting it out, managing your space so that you can shut off unused rooms and turn down heating and lighting and therefore reduce your bills.

They also hold training days and have free downloads, so if you fancy becoming a clutter consultant, it’s worth checking out.

Photo by Art es Anna

When I was working in an office job (thankfully, many moons ago) I knew I had to get out.  I longed to do something different but I had no idea what.  I spent nearly two years in this state - knowing in my soul that something was wrong, that each day spent in a position that was unfulfilling was a wasted day, but I couldn’t seem to do anything about it.
I was stuck and it was only when I decided to take time out and concentrate on finding something different that things began to change.

I think the problem I had, and from talking to others it seems like this is a common thing, is that I was waiting for the BIG idea.  Y’know like an idea for a new invention that I could take on Dragons Den, [Read more]

Photo byShereen84

I was recently on a work from home forum and noticed a cry for help.
Someone had just started working from home and was finding it really difficult.  The job itself was cold calling customers and I think this is one of the hardest jobs to do from home.  Unlike the office, you can’t get support from your fellow workers when you cold call a complete idiot, or have a run of bad calls where no one wants to talk to you.  There’s just you.  And the phone.

So how do you get motivation when you do this kind of job?  One suggestion is to [Read more]

A freind of mine has just told me about this site and it looks like fun, and also it might be a good way to earn a few extra pennies.

Yudu.com is a site where you can upload a variety of stuff - from entire books (audio and visual) to artwork, to music, to photographs… basically a whole heap of stuff.

This has two advantages:  you get to reach a wide variety of people with your stuff, quickly.  So for example, [Read more]

I just love this blog post from the brilliant Carrie and Danielle blog.

I read it and thought, yep, that’s so what I need to do.  I love all my writing work and there is nothing better than writing just for pleasure, but yes, it does need to make me money, it does need to be productive.

The tips that are in the blog post show how it can still be art whilst also being money making.  It is excellent advice to follow - especially the bit about how to ‘approach everything as a creative opportunity.’  Recently, I’ve been delving more into short story writing and I’ve suddenly realised that ideas are absolutely everywhere.  And this has kind of opened my eyes, that ideas are all over the place - not just for plot lines and characters, but for articles too.
I have since got a small notepad to carry round with me as well as my ‘inspiration box’ so I will never, (hopefully) dry out of ideas.

Must just remember to write down the ideas now.

Photo by DDFic

My home office consists of a desk, chair and PC.
I have a bookcase stuffed with books, files and numerous bits of paper that I can’t seem to throw away and an overflowing waste basket.  As I look about my desk I have various post it notes with stuff written on, pens with no lids, paperclips and three cups, all with half-drunk tea in.

I was talking about this subject with my friend the other day, who has just started to write fiction. She wanted to create her own writing space, much like a home office and somewhere that she could just go away and get stuff done. Some place to call her own. I asked her what she’d have in there other than the usual desk, chair, PC combo and we came up with some good ideas.

A door sign was a good one.
Now I really need this, especially in the summer holidays when my kid keeps coming in every two minutes.

An inspiring picture above the PC was also another suggestion. Something really good to look at while you have a think. I liked the idea of having a bowl of sweets on the desk, also so you could eat something while you work/think, oh and we both agreed that an open fire (like the one in the above picture) is a nice addition. And I’d love room enough for a comfy chair by the window that you could take time out to have a little nap in if the work got too much.

Then I got looking at other peoples home offices, this one is cute and reminds me of when I started home working when my son was tiny, and I LOVE this one. In fact, I think I need to renovate my small space into somewhere I love to be, which I have to say, I kind of do already, but I mean really love to be.

I’m off to buy the picture and bowl of sweeties now.  The comfy napping chair will have to wait until we move house.

Photo byMuha

As a freelancer working from home, it can be hard, if not impossible to take a holiday.

Firstly, there’s the financial side of it; when you’re on holiday you’re not working and therefore not making any money. And then there’s also the mental side – the guilt and that frustrated feeling you get.
It’s so tricky. You can take your computer with you, check in at Internet cafes, but then is it really a holiday if you are checking email and work all the time? But then, if you don’t take your computer, will you go crazy from the frustration of total Internet absence?

I think you have to make a firm decision and stick to it, one way or the other. But there is another option: take a working holiday.
Okay, if to you a holiday is lying on a beach all day and only moving for food and drink, then this idea probably sounds like lunacy. But, taking a working holiday gives you the chance to travel as well as earning some money, experience new things and not worry about the bills when your holiday ends.
If you’re a student, Global Choices offers working holiday job programmes which allow you to work for up to four months in your university vacation. And Anywork Anywhere offers some great jobs in some great locations.
I just went on the reviews site and read some of the travel and working experiences and they sound great. Seems there’s all kinds of stuff on there from fruit picking in Kent, to being a conservation research assistant in Kilombero Valley in Tazania. Hmmm, I know which one I’d prefer…

Photo byMeanest Indian

Since freelancing, I’ve noticed that work-wise, it’s either all or nothing.

When thinking about my work load, a variety of clichés come to mind – ‘It never rains it pours,’ ‘You wait all day for a bus, then three come along at once,’ (that particular cliché may just be applicable to my part of the county), ‘Feast or famine,’ you know the ones.

It seems I either have too much work, or not enough, and I’m finding it hard to keep the balance.

However, when I’m in the famine is when I have my best ideas, it’s when I pitch like crazy to editors, resulting in work flooding in (yay!) only to leave me a little overwhelmed and panicking that I won’t get it all done.

I’m not complaining – I love this job,  but there must be a way to generate the freelance work at a nice steady pace?  Yes?

So here’s what I’ve learned and found so far as ways to avoid the famine and generate freelance work:

Keep looking for gigs

Even when you have loads of work.  [Read more]

Photo by Burning Image

The main reason most people want to work from home is to stop the commute.
I can understand this, last week I had to take my husband to the airport in rush hour traffic. Under normal circumstances, the journey would take us twenty minutes, however, the workers commuting into the city that morning made the journey last a whole forty minutes longer. Forty minutes longer and with a plane to catch!
Luckily we had planned for such an eventuality, but as we were crawling along down the motorway and I looked in at the commuters, I didn’t see anyone who looked like they were having a fabulous time. Alright, I didn’t expect banners and balloons and miniature parties to be happening [Read more]