admin

You can only focus on working or learning for so long before your mind starts to wander. Taking regular breaks helps, but it is all too easy to sit and work for hours on end if you do not clearly arrange the time for relaxing.

The Pomodoro technique helps you prevent this issue by breaking up your day into concentration sessions of 25 minutes, followed by breaks of 5 minutes. And while you might be able to use an egg timer or the clock on your phone to plan breaks, a Pomodoro app might be a better option. Pomodoro apps are timers specifically developed for the Pomodoro technique, making it simple to split up the day into concentration sessions and breaks. In this article, you will come across everything that you need to know about the Pomodoro technique, best Pomodoro app and its uses.

How to cultivate self directed learning? | Definition, Strategies, Models

What is Pomodoro Technique? 

The first question you might have in mind would be this – what is Pomodoro technique? We have the answer for you. 

In college, the final season of exams prompts a two-week cram session. Each week has its own share of night-long tales of training, dropping of unhealthy amounts of caffeine, and rubbing of eyes with lecture notes. But after a while, you will realize that it does not really help to be studying extra in that manner; you are reading the same chapters, but your brain is so zapped that you are unable to remember anything. This was discovered by Francesco Cirillo during his first college year.

Best note taking apps in 2020 | Note taking made easier

After realizing that he was facing distractions and was unable to use his study time in an efficient manner, he took a kitchen timer that was shaped like a tomato, set it for a period of 10 minutes, and attempted to work diligently without doing anything else for those 10 minutes. And it ended up working — forcing himself to concentrate and rewarding himself with a break after each concentration session helped him get more accomplished.

14 Best Productivity Tips to Achieve More At Work & Life

With further experimentation and refining, Cirillo decided on a formal method which he called the Pomodoro Technique (in reference to his initial kitchen timer, named after the Italian word for “tomato”). The final strategy is just as simple as his original idea: you use a timer to split your work into concentrated blocks of time (usually 25 minutes) separated by a small, typically five-minute interval. You take a longer break after four consecutive blocks of work time, about 20 or 30 minutes. Every 25-minute work block is called a “Pomodoro.” If during a focus period you feel the desire to do something other than work, take note of that. Over time, during each Pomodoro, you will be teaching yourself to be more successful. 

The advantages of the Pomodoro technique come from the regular breaks that help keep the mind healthy. Also, the centred time blocks require you to stick to set limits, so you will be motivated to complete a task quicker or spread it over several Pomodoros in the case of a large task.

How to achieve & maintain Work-life balance

The amount of time you work and take breaks can vary depending on what you prefer but here is the basic process: 

• Begin a timer set for 25 minutes. 
• Function until the timer rings. 
• Take a quick 5-minute break. 
• Then, take a longer break every four Pomodoros (focus periods), normally 20-30 minutes. 

Since the whole strategy focuses on pacing your concentration periods and breaks, it helps to rely on a Pomodoro timer app to keep you on track and focused all day long.

What constitutes Pomodoro timer windows?

If you are wondering what is included in Pomodoro timer windows, we have all the information for you! It is easy to get confused when you are searching for a Pomodoro app. There are several decisions to make.

To compile a list of the best Pomodoro apps, we used the following parameters to narrow down our recommendations:

1. Extra features

Basic Pomodoro timers exist in abundance, and since their sole work is to count down the time until your next Pomodoro, it is difficult to tell what makes one better than another. Instead, we concentrate on devices that do more than just count down time — devices that have functionality that go beyond just timing up your Pomodoros.

Time Blocking: All you need to know about this powerful technique

2. Professional use

These additional features provided by our suggested apps are targeted at people who would like to use the Pomodoro technique at work. They allow you to combine Pomodoro with your to – do list, making it easy to monitor the amount of time you spend doing Pomodoros. They also help you do Pomodoros with your team, or provide some other professional use -oriented feature. 

3. Free or free trial

The easiest way to find the right app for you is to try out a few solutions and choose the one that you are most fond of. That is hard to do if you have to pay upfront for the device without having a chance to check it first. The apps mentioned in the article are all either free, have a free plan or give a free trial so you can test the app before investing in a paid version of it.

4. Intuitive

For using a Pomodoro timer app, you should not have to waste days reading through an instruction manual or online support documents. The apps that we have picked are all intuitive and easy to use, so that from day one you can get up and running with your new device.

If the Pomodoro method sounds like something you would want to try — or if you are just sick of using a kitchen timer to handle your routines —we have for you the best Pomodoro apps to consider.

7 Easy brainstorming techniques for higher creativity

List of Best Pomodoro Apps

1. Focus Booster (Windows, Web, iOS, macOS, Android): For freelancers who accomplish tasks with many clients. 
2. PomoDoneApp (Windows, Web, iOS, MacOS, Linux, Android): To make use of Pomodoro with a third-party task management app.  
3. KanbanFlow (Web): Used to combine Kanban with Pomodoro. 
4. Pomotodo (Web, Windows, macOS, Chrome, iOS, Android): For the combination of GTD ® and Pomodoro. 
5. Marinara Timer (Web): For teams looking to accomplish the Pomodoros together. 
6. Be Focused (macOS, iOS): Used in Apple devices for easy task handling and Pomodoro time management. 
7. Tomatoes (Web): To inspire you to finish Pomodoros. 
8. Engross (Android): For trying to find out when you are the most centred.
9. Pomodoro.cc (Web): For people new to the Pomodoro method. 
10. Timerdoro (Web): For people who require multiple timers. 

Let us now delve into the details of each of these Pomodoro apps!

20 Best low stress jobs | High paying low stress jobs (With median pay)

1. Focus Booster (Windows, Web, iOS, macOS, Android) 

This is the best Pomodoro app for freelancers who work with several clients. Focus Booster provides everything you would expect from a basic Pomodoro timer — and then a few more features:

• It helps you to change your concentration lengths and break sessions. 
• The timer changes from focus to break-time automatically. 
• Your data is synchronized through cloud, mobile, and desktop devices with Focus Booster. 

But what makes Focus Booster one of the finest Pomodoro technique apps is its Professional plan and its features that allow you to use the device both as a Pomodoro timer and as a time tracking application. It is best for Pomodoro time management. Add/select a task and client before beginning a focus session to assign the time. Upon completion of the session, Focus Booster logs the time, assignment and client to your timesheet. Then, a snapshot of your timesheet and revenue for selected dates is displayed on your Reports dashboard. For easier invoicing, you can also access comprehensive CSV reports.

Decision Fatigue: What it is & How you can beat it.

Another helpful feature: If you are interrupted and need to stop monitoring your time, you can pause your timer at any time. Restart the timer to record the time from the unfinished session to your timeline when you are ready to refocus, and start fresh with a new focus session.

Price: Focus Booster is among the free Pomodoro apps in the Starter package, which includes up to 20 Pomodoros per month; $2.99 per month for the Individual plan, which includes up to 200 Pomodoros per month; $4.99 per month for the Advanced plan, which includes unlimited Pomodoros, customer monitoring and data export.

2. PomoDoneApp (Windows, Web, iOS, MacOS, Linux, Android)

The PomoDoneApp is one of the most efficient Pomodoro technique apps. Try it if you already have a similar task management program but want to use Pomodoro to increase your productivity. Native integrations with common task management tools are supported by PomoDoneApp. These tools include: Trello, Asana, Todoist, Wunderlist, Basecamp, and more. The app imports existing tasks from any linked program, and it also allows you to move tasks generated directly in PomoDoneApp back to your task management tool. 

Suppose you are not already using a task management tool, add your tasks directly to the PomoDoneApp — or use your own Pomodoro timer. The timer has all the functions you need: session length configuration options, automatic switching from focus to break timer, and a simplified version that will display the remaining time in your menu bar if you are using the Mac desktop app. Also, PomoDoneApp has powerful reporting features that allow you to filter your data and share your logs with others. And with its Chrome extension, during your concentration-time, you can blacklist websites — a perfect choice if you are inclined to wander away to check email, browse social media, or visit news sites when you are supposed to be focused.

Inbox Zero: How to boost your email management! – Productivity hack

Price: PomoDoneApp is one of the free Pomodoro apps in the Starter package, which provides two native integrations and one month of reporting data; $2.33/month for standard plans, which allows more native integrations and longer reporting access times.

3. KanbanFlow (Web)

PomoDoneApp is ideal if you are already making use of a Kanban tool like Trello or MeisterTask. In case you are not doing so, it would not make any sense to handle two different systems to obtain the combination of the features of Kanban and Pomodoro. Instead, test out KanbanFlow, one of the best app of the technique of Pomodoro for productivity. 

KanbanFlow is a Kanban board with a built-in Pomodoro timer. It provides all the features that you would expect from a Kanban app: swimlanes, work-in-progress restrictions, shared boards, and reporting options. But what makes KanbanFlow special is its time tracking feature, which enables you to activate Pomodoros directly from on-board tasks. As one of the most efficient apps of Pomodoro for productivity, KanbanFlow provides you with all the required information, in addition to taking advantage of the Pomodoro technique and monitoring your time against tasks. When you pause a timer it asks you what caused the interruption to occur. Use these reports to track your own productivity over time, and find out what interruptions can most frequently keep you from staying focused.

Remote Meeting 101: How to have better remote meeting?

Price: Free for the Free plan, which includes unlimited tasks and forums, the Pomodoro timer and efficiency reports; $5/user / month for the Premium plan, which covers file attachments, priority support and third-party integrations. 

4. Pomotodo (Windows, Web, iOS, macOS, Chrome, Android)

An app that has the best Pomodoro method for remote workers is Pomotodo. It lets you combine two separate strategies for productivity: Pomodoro and Getting Things Done ® (GTD ®). Utilize it to gather all of your to-dos, prioritize them, categorize them, and then use the Pomodoro technique to execute your most important tasks. Pomotodo’s tutorial will direct you on how to use the program after you build an account — and why each step is significant. After the tutorial is complete, start adding to-dos to your list.

Pin the to-dos that you are intending to work on that day, add tags to categorize to-dos and/or drag and drop all tasks to priority. When you are done with your first Pomodoro, press “Start Pomo.” Add Pomodoros to to-do items to chart how much time you spend on tasks, and tick tasks off your list to mark them as complete. When you are focused on increasing your productivity, you can also set targets for a number of Pomodoros to complete every day, week, or month. 

Price: Free for the simple plan with a to-do list and Pomodoro timer; $3.90/month for the Pro plan, which includes daily to-dos, goals, and personalized timer durations.

8 Best free Video Conferencing Software

5. Marinara Timer (Web)

Marinara Timer does not even need you to sign in. It provides three timer options: Pomodoro, Custom, and Kitchen:

• The Pomodoro timer allows you to start with the default 25/5-minute timers right away.
• Custom mode lets you tweak things to your taste if you want to change the timer lengths.
• Kitchen mode is the one-time timer where you set a time limit and it makes a countdown to zero.

Marinara’s distinctive feature is that it provides you with a unique URL for each timer, so that you can share it with others. You may be working for a team and want to make sure everyone is willing to take their breaks together, or perhaps you would like to hold yourself accountable by sharing a timer with a colleague.

Price: Marinara Timer is one of the free Pomodoro apps.

Cybersecurity During Work from home | A Security Checklist

6. Be Focused (macOS, iOS)

Be Focused helps you to incorporate a to-do list with the Pomodoro method for remote workers, and it offers reports that show precisely where you have spent your focus time every day, week, month, and year. To start your Pomodoro timer, simply open your task list, add the items you need to do, and then click the clock next to your highest priority task. As time runs out, the time that you have spent on that task is entered into your files, allowing you to see precisely how much time you have spent on your timeline for each task. You can also print such reports for your records or for invoicing as CSV files.

Price: Free on iOS for the Focus Timer app that includes all features but cross-device synchronization; $0.99 for the Be Focused Pro iOS app that synchronizes with the premium macOS app; $2.99 for the Be Focused Pro macOS app that synchronizes with the premium iOS app (note that Be Focused is not free for the macOS version).

Best Remote Working Tools That Make Life Easy

7. Tomatoes (Web)

If you are struggling to stick to the Pomodoro strategy and need some extra encouragement, Tomatoes provides a solution: competitive encouragement. Tomatoes has a really common timer. To start a 25-minute timer simply click the “Start” button on its homepage. That is pretty much the extent of this app. What makes Tomatoes special, however, is that it records the amount of Pomodoros that has been completed by each of its logged-in users, generating leader boards for every day, week, month and year. Tomatoes may be just what you need to stay focused and complete your Pomodoros, if you are inspired by competition and bragging rights.

Price: It is one of the free Pomodoro apps. 

8. Engross (Android) 

Engross is the best Pomodoro app Android that helps you find out which times of the day you tend to be your most successful self. This app helps you to create a to – do list, like many other apps on the list, so you can combine your work and time management strategies in one app. You can then use the Pomodoro timer (with editable length of the timer) to time your Pomodoros and breaks. But what makes Engross the best Pomodoro app Android is its distraction-tracking functionality. You tap the screen each time you get distracted when attempting to concentrate during a Pomodoro. Engross monitors how frequently you press the diversion button, collecting reports that show you which times of the day you can concentrate and which times of the day you tend to get distracted. 

Price: Free along with ads; $1.99 for the Pro upgrade (which you can purchase in the app’s free version) that offers functionality that is ad-free.

9 Best screen sharing software

9. Pomodoro.cc (Web) 

If you are unfamiliar with the Pomodoro technique and are not sure if it will work for you yet, use Pomodoro.cc to check the technique out without creating an account. Pomodoro.cc, like some of the other apps on this list, provides both a timer and to – do list, but you are not required to build an account to use either feature. This allows you to try out the technique before upgrading to a more feature-rich device, and see if you like it. The timer in Pomodoro.cc is very easy to handle. Pomodoros are set to intervals of 25-, 5-, and 15 minutes which are not adjustable.

Price: It is a free Pomodoro app. 

10. Timerdoro (Web) 

Often, more than just Pomodoros, you need timers. In that case, Timerdoro has a solution for you. It helps you to build as many timers as you need to get through each day. Perhaps you might wish to vary the length of your Pomodoro per mission. If so, build one that will cover the various lengths you need. Maybe, you might have to recall doing several things during the workday: drinking a glass of water, getting some exercise, and reducing the eye strain by turning away from your screen. Timerdoro lets you set up all the requisite reminders.

9 Best screen sharing software

Price: It is a free Pomodoro app. 

Now, you have all the information required to understand the Pomodoro technique, best Pomodoro app and its uses. 

Decision Making is an integral part of our everyday lives. From the time we wake until the time we go to bed, we end up making multiple decisions in a day. Decisions could be something as simple as, what time to wake up in the morning, when to exercise, what breakfast to eat, to more complex decisions such as those relating to work etc. This process of consistently making decisions can exhausting and can thus lead to a phenomenon called Decision Fatigue. 

A report says that on average an adult makes about 35,000 remotely conscious decisions each day. After making all these decisions, one might most probably feel drained by the end of the day. To make yet another decision might leave you feeling exhausted.

The reason here is decision fatigue. 

What is decision fatigue?

The term decision fatigue was coined by F. Baumeister, a social psychologist known for a wide range of work on motivation, aggression, sex differences etc. He refers to decision fatigue as the decline in the quality of decisions made by an individual after making many decisions. The deteriorating quality of our ability to make good decisions, after a long session of decision making is called decision fatigue. In simple words, decision fatigue occurs when the decision-making process results in low self-control and willpower due to having to make too many decisions. 

Why can’t I focus at work and how to fix it?

Just as how our body’s muscles feel exhausted, the same happens to the brain after taking loads of decisions in a day. Either one ends up making an impulse decision or no decision at all.

The effects of decision fatigue

F. Baumeister and his team defined a link existing among decision-making actions, self-control, and willpower. Continuous decision-making results in deteriorating the self-control and willpower of an individual. Our impulses could not be controlled as we end up making decisions after decisions.

For example, the junior subordinate might have asked you for approval for the presentation to present it to the clients. As you would have been drained making a lot of decisions in a day, you might signal for approval without reviewing it to discover later that false data was mentioned in the presentation. 

Additionally, decision fatigue can also have an effect on our physical health leading to multiple other illnesses.

Exhaustion by Decision Making

In this 21st century, lots of notifications on the phone are in the form of mail, social media, etc. and are waiting for your attention. To deal with this much influx of information, one’s mind works in a cognitive bias (a systematic pattern of deviation from rationality in judgement). With all these lists of information waiting for your attention, you make a choice. Ignoring information is also considered a choice. More the decisions you make in a day, the more difficult it becomes for the brain to make decisions as the day progresses. 

Because of this drain in energy, the brain creates shortcuts to make decisions to conserve energy. Impulsive decisions are the common ones among them. As one loses the willpower and self-control by making a lot of decisions, you become more prone to make impulsive decisions. Which are not necessarily the right choice. They aren’t well thought out and the outcomes haven’t fully been considered, which could cause us trouble in the future. 

Here’s a case study to know more about it. Parole was approved to most of the prisoners depending upon the time they appeared. Judges in the US granted parole to 70% of the prisoners who appeared in the morning session. Only 10% of the prisoners who appeared later in the day were granted parole by the judges.

14 Best Productivity Tips to Achieve More At Work & Life

Researchers say that this was based on a judge’s decision fatigue. In this case, the judges used the shortcut of making an impulsive decision. It was the lack of self-control, willpower and urge to complete the task. Many decisions were made by the judges to grant parole for the prisoners who appeared in the morning, so they were more likely to deny the parole of prisoners who appeared later in the day. This was not a wrong decision, neither the right one. 

How to overcome decision fatigue?

There are a few ways that would help us overcome decision fatigue. The cure for decision fatigue is as follows. 

1. Plan Daily Routines

Preplanning a routine helps in reducing the decisions we take each day. The time can be used productively for other purposes. So, it is always better to prepare a chart that helps in minimising the daily routine. The food to eat, to dress up, to exercise, etc.  

Do you know? Many politicians and businessmen such as the President of United States Barack Obama, businessmen Steve Jobs and Mark Zuckerberg are known to reduce their everyday clothing down to one or two outfits to limit the number of decisions they make in a day. 

10 Best Timeline Makers 2020 | Compare Features & Prices

2. To be a minimalist

The availability of abundant alternatives and choices is a factor that leads to decision fatigue. More choices mean to spend more time to decide between the choices. If we have fewer choices or similar alternatives, it helps in conserving the energy which we spend by overthinking. Filling the closet with the same coloured dress and with fewer alternatives helps us from decision fatigue. By reducing the number of decisions you make every day over these kinds of stuff, you free up the space for ones that matter.

Do you know? Many politicians wear the same kind of dress with minor variations in the colour. The reason is it helps them to not waste more time in decision making over relatively insignificant stuff.

3. Time blocking

Time blocking is a method of blocking a particular time in a day for a particular task. We have a lot of tasks to accomplish in the day; Without blocking time for tasks, it would be difficult to accomplish them. The effort and time spent on task planning lead to decision fatigue. 

During work, it is important to block a particular time for a particular task. To boost productivity, one should batch the work. For example, If you schedule to meet your team by 10 am, and meet the client by 12 pm and then plan a meeting with senior management by 2 pm you are planning effectively. By blocking time, one removes the need to make decisions on what to work on every day and every hour. This allows having a continuous routine that frees the mind from making small decisions which could lead to fatigue.

Time Blocking: All you need to know about this powerful technique

Importance to key decisions: Also while working on key decisions, dedicate a time when your energy is in the highest. The judge and prisoner example is the better one to interpret again. When the judges were sitting with full energy in the morning, they ensured to arrive at the right decision in the morning. But in the evening only 10% of the prisoners were given parole, which actually was not a wrong decision though. But the brain was able to analyse carefully in the morning. Therefore, while batching time for tasks, we need to keep in mind that key decisions should be given importance when energy is in the highest. 

4. Fixing deadlines

It is important to fix deadlines to take a decision which helps to set our mind free. We would have many tasks in a day to perform which requires our attention to take a proper decision. We might need to fix a time to meet the clients, to decide the procedure to hire personnel, etc. The truth is, endless commitments! For decision making, a deadline should be fixed that helps the brain to focus on one particular thing at a time. By setting a deadline, you are letting your brain know that you need to come back again over this to make a decision. Until that, you can concentrate on other tasks which help to save energy and helps to save you from fatigue.

How to achieve & maintain Work-life balance

5. Regular breaks and good food

By giving the brain regular breaks, you allow it to make improved neural connections which ultimately leads to making good decisions. And if one is feeling the effects of decision fatigue, a quick nap can help in resetting the mental space. This more likely helps in making better decisions, at least better than before. 

Decision fatigue study says that hunger is scientifically linked to the desire to make impulsive decisions. The stomach produces Ghrelin, a hormone produced if you are hungry, which decreases impulsive control. ‘Acts of self–control cause reductions in blood glucose levels, which in turn predict poor self-control on behavioural tasks’ says F. Baumeister. Therefore, whenever you feel hungry and the glucose levels are low, eating healthy food results to you to be more productive and avoid making wrong decisions.

8 Simple ways to organize your life

FAQs

1. What is decision making?

Decision making is the process of identifying and choosing alternatives based on the values, beliefs, and preferences resulting in the selection of course of action among several alternatives.

1. What is decision fatigue?

The deteriorating quality of decisions made by an individual after a long session of decision making in a day is called decision fatigue.

1. What is choice fatigue?

Decision-making fatigue and choice fatigues are one and the same. 

1. Who is the founder of decision fatigue study?

The term ‘decision fatigue’ was coined by F. Baumeister and he is the founder for the same.

1. What causes decision fatigue?

Decision fatigue is caused by making too many decisions in a limited period of time.

1. What is an impulsive decision?

A choice made without deploying the powers of reasoning and rationality is called an impulsive decision. 

1. What are the effects of decision making fatigue?

Decision fatigue leads a person to lose self-control and willpower which ends up making no decision in a day or making impulsive decisions. 

1. How to defeat decision fatigue?

Planning a daily routine, fix deadlines for decision making, block time for particular tasks is the cure for decision fatigue. Regular breaks during work and a healthy meal also help to defeat decision fatigue. 

1. How essential is it to defeat decision fatigue?

It is essential to defeating decision fatigue because to increase productivity and to make wise decisions. 

Conferencing through video calls is one of the essential needs for remote working. Working remotely necessitates conducting virtual team meetings. The medium which facilitates these remote meetings are video conferencing calls. But it is very important to follow video conferencing etiquette to have an effective discussion and efficient collaboration. 

Many professionals might have recently stepped into the remote working world, or there may be some professionals who might be a new joinee in a company. They need to be aware of the video conferencing etiquette to fair well in the remote meetings. In this article, we are going to discuss the various do’s and dont’s of video conferencing elaborately. 

The Do’s and Dont’s of Video Conferencing

1. Test your Devices before

One of the important video conferencing etiquette is to maintain continuity in the discussions without any disruptions on the net connectivity, visual clarity, audio quality, and software malfunctioning. These all can be prevented by a sanity check before the meeting starts.

Ensure that your software in your mobile devices or laptops or desktops are up to date and do not throw up any errors in between the meetings or discussions. The net connectivity must not falter as it may disconnect you intermittently breaking the flow of conversations. Your webcam should have good visual capability and your face should be clear throughout the meeting. Ensure that you can connect to the embedded audio and video facilities of the remote meeting software or tool.

Read: 8 Best free Video Conferencing Software

Important Tips

As part of remote meeting etiquettes, it is advisable to perform a test run of the devices, software, and tools before dialling into a video conference call.

2. Be punctual and on time

Video conferencing etiquette demands you to be on time and not be the reason for a delay in initiating the meeting. The key reason for it is you are visible to the other participants, your body movements and expressions are noticed by all. Late entry disturbs the smooth flow of conversations and distracts the other members in the video call. 

It is recommended to log on or dial in at least 5 minutes before the start time of the meeting to avoid any last-minute technical glitches or unnecessary disturbances. Since you would be facing the participants visually, you need to maintain proper eye contact for generating a feeling of trust and acceptance. 

Fact to remember

A late joiner in a meeting is normally not appreciated and sometimes even criticized as not being sincere or dedicated in his or her work. Hence to avoid such kind of odd situations, one of the video conference best practices is to maintain punctuality and join in before time.

Suggested read: Virtual Icebreakers – How to have smooth first remote meeting?

3. Dress appropriately

Though attending remote meetings happens at the comfort of your home or a co-working space, yet it is important to be appropriately dressed. You may prefer to be comfortable in your house to wear or even some casual wear. But you need to remember that you will be visible to all the participants in whatever attire you are in. Therefore it is advisable to be in proper professional attire while attending video calls.

It is advisable to imagine attending the video conference calls like that being in face to face meetings. You can then select your attire appropriately without any confusion. 

Important Tips

Remember the way you dress and present yourself reflects a lot about your personality and behavioural attributes. The other participants in the meeting must respect you and your professional qualities, and a lot of it depends on how you dress. Dressing appropriately and professionally is a very important video, conferencing etiquette.

Read: 9 Best screen sharing software

4. Select an appropriate Work Place

While you are live on a video conference call, it’s not only your face that is visible to others but also the background behind you. If you position yourself at a place with disturbing background pictures or posters, you humiliate the seriousness of the meeting.

There are two options to ensure the background features are great. You can paint the walls white or light colours. If you have pictures in the background, ensure they depict topics or words that are professional and not funky. The second option is to utilize the background changing facilities provided by the various remote meeting software.

Fact to remember

You might be participating in meetings or conferences or training sessions attended by people of various designations, roles, and even different cultures. You need to pay serious attention while designing your workplace and especially the place where you will position yourself for the video conferencing call. It is an essential video conferencing etiquette that needs to be followed by remote professionals.

Suggested read: 8 Remote Work Habits Of Every Productive Employee

5. Use the Mute button

One of the video conferencing best practices is to use noise-free microphones. But still, they may pick up external background noises like the sound of vehicles outside or coughing and sneezing sounds or a fan moving, etc. Hence as part of video conferencing etiquette, it is advisable to use the mute button of your remote meeting software when you are not speaking. The sounds and noises easily distract other participants and prevent the smooth flow of conversations.

In certain instances, you can even experience heavy breathing sounds which are quite distracting in remote meetings. There are even cases wherein you may receive a phone call which you need to attend urgently in between a meeting. These external noises are a cause of irritation for the other participants and are not considered good remote meeting etiquettes. It is advisable to avoid such situations by simply pressing the mute button. 

Important Tips

Almost all video conferencing software have mute buttons. Still re-check their functioning and usage before the meeting starts to eliminate any issues in between conversations.

Read: 8 Simple ways you can combat remote work loneliness

6. Adequate Lighting

Ensure there are proper lights to illuminate the area from where you attend the video calls. Attending calls in a gloomy environment decreases the picture clarity. The other participants may not feel comfortable interacting with you. Since the essential purpose of video conference calls is to visually interact with each other, hence downgrading that aspect will not assist the motive behind the remote meetings.

Maintaining adequate lighting so that your face and the background are visible is an important video conferencing etiquette. The other members of the call must feel your presence to be able to converse with you effectively. Remote working bars individuals in meeting face to face since they do not operate in a common office space. The video conference calls are meant to assist that particular drawback by remote viewing each other.  

Fact to remember

Your success in remote working largely depends on how you develop an interpersonal relationship with the team and your leadership. Since video conferencing is a powerful medium to enable trust and confidence, you must dedicate adequate attention to ensuring you excel in all such meetings and discussions. Proper lighting plays an important role and must not be overlooked as one of the remote meeting etiquettes.

Read: 14 Best Productivity Tips to Achieve More At Work & Life

7. Eye-contact with the Camera

Maintaining direct contact with the camera is a video conferencing etiquette that you must follow throughout the entire duration of the meeting. You must reserve the entire time to focus on the meeting and not club it with other work activities like emailing or writing down notes or calling someone. These activities portray a negative image of yours among the participants about being not focused or attentive. They may also feel that you are not providing due importance to the meeting and disrespecting others attending the call. 

When you look into the camera, you are looking into the eyes of the person who is speaking in the call. You need to inculcate this habit to earn the respect of other participants. It is against any professional etiquette to concentrate or look somewhere else when a person is trying to convey his or her thoughts in remote meetings. It essentially defeats the purpose of creating a healthy environment between the remote team members. 

Important tips

It is recommended to practice looking at the camera both when you are speaking or when someone else is speaking. You can create an imaginary situation at home and develop the habit before joining any video conference calls.

Read: Best Remote Working Tools That Make Life Easy

8. Greet and Meet

Wishing your fellow remote team members joining the video conference call and even the leadership team is considered as an ice breaker and one of the video conference and teleconference best practices. “Good Morning”, “Good Evening”, “Good Afternoon”, “How are you doing today?” etc. are some of the good practices to greet a person. You can enquire about the weather conditions or discuss any special news. These questions ease out the situation between the participants before initiating the meeting. 

A sense of bonding and togetherness is created, strengthening the interpersonal relationships between the remote team members. It eventually helps in the effective functioning of the team through efficient collaboration. Stay cheerful and smiling when you greet a person. You need to remember that you are being observed by all the participants in a video conference call. Your facial and body expressions illustrate your behavioural attitude.

Important Tips

Practice greet and meet conversations through a mimic act at your home before joining a video conference call.

Suggested read: 8 Simple ways to organize your life

9. Do not Interrupt conversations

There may be situations when you need to ask questions for more clarity or may have a different viewpoint on a specific subject being discussed. It is inappropriate to interrupt the speaker and place your thoughts. It may lead to disruptions in the meeting flow and continuity in the conversations. The other participants may dislike your attitude and you may be warned by the host of the meeting or the meeting coordinator for interrupting.

It is recommended to use the chat features of a video conferencing software or tool to place your thoughts or communicate with others. You can specifically select the person with whom you want to chat instead of disturbing others. Such an action will not disrupt the meeting and you can comfortably express your opinion with the speaker or the host of the meeting. 

Important Tips

Be conversant about the different useful and advanced features of the video conferencing software before the meeting starts. Leverage them during the ongoing conversations to respect the virtue of professionalism.

Read: Team Communication 101: What is it & How you can crack it!

10. Do not lose concentration

Maintaining your concentration level determines the success of remote meetings and video conference calls. Distracting yourself to side conversations in phone calls or typing in your desktop and laptop are not good practices in virtual meetings. You may miss some important discussions and announcements.  

You may sometimes attend training sessions being conducted by an instructor. As a recipient, you may be required to keep yourself visible so that the instructor feels comfortable and can understand the body language of the attendees. Focusing on the training lectures shows respect for the tutor. You can also grasp the concept fast and ask questions as required.

Since now we have discussed some of the key tips for video conference and teleconference best practices, hope you can effectively conduct or participate in virtual meetings.

Further read: Cybersecurity During Work from home | A Security Checklist

In our daily to-do tasks, inbox zeroing is something to be achieved daily. Our inbox is buried with a lot of unread emails daily. The report says that the average worker receives 121 emails every day. Anxiety and stress is the state one achieves if she/he doesn’t clear the unread emails or doesn’t zero the inbox. 

What is inbox zero?

An organized and structural way of dealing with the emails we receive daily is what we call inbox zero. To maintain empty unread emails in our inbox is the ultimate goal here. 

In simple words, inbox zero is achieved when we manage to work on the emails we receive daily. To organize it, label it is a system that allows us to maintain an empty inbox daily. A proper way of mail management is what we are here to discuss.

Read: 14 Best Productivity Tips to Achieve More At Work & Life

Merlin Mann’s Inbox Zero –  The Philosophy

The philosophy and term ‘inbox zero’ was originally termed by ‘Merlin Mann’. He is the founder and the writer of ’43 Folders’. It is focussed on how to improve the quality of your career and life by managing your attention in a way that allows you to work on the creative projects that matters most to you. In simple words, it is about finding the time and attention to do your best creative work. Here, zero doesn’t refer to keep the inbox empty, contrary to the popular belief. Instead, it refers to the amount of time an employee’s brain is in his inbox. 

Merlin Mann suggests a few steps to accomplish the same:

• Do not keep the email program opened for most of the day
• Delete, respond, delegate, defer or do is the thumb rule that should be followed when processing a mail. 
• Any mail that only requires a concentration of 2 minutes or less than that should be responded immediately without any delay.

In 1993 I didn’t need a system for doing email and yet, today I feel like the only way you are going to succeed at a job is figuring out how to deal with a high volume of email. – Merlin Mann

Read: Deep Work Summary: 5 Key takeaways to help you be more productive

How to get to inbox zero?

Stress is what we achieve if our inbox is loaded with unread or unfinished mails. So it is necessary to manage the daily emails we receive. Email management is something necessary to learn these days as it is a primary and widely used source for communication. Inbox zero should be maintained to remain hassle-free. Let us discuss the guidelines to reframe the inbox to achieve a zero inbox.

 

1. The way you think about inbox

In a day, you might receive a lot of emails which might lead to loss a track on it. Paying attention to each and every mail is necessary here. The mails could be classified as important, not important and urgent. 

Urgent emails should be addressed immediately. But in all the cases it isn’t necessary to address each and every mail we receive. Some mails might require some time to work.  Those emails should be organized properly.

Mails should be properly addressed timely. They should be categorized in 3 ways. They are

• A mail might require a minute’s attention to address it. Those messages should be replied hand-to-hand without any delay. 
• Some mails might not even require any action from us. Those messages should be archived.
• A few mails require some time to think about it and reply later. Those messages should be snoozed to a date and a time. The time when the mail is snoozed, it doesn’t distract us. The mail then should be addressed later.

Tips to achieving inbox zero:

Never leave an email as unread for more than one day. 

 

2. Creating templates for the usual mails

Almost, everyone receives the usual mails which requires the standard answers to address them. Responses like ‘we will get back to you’, ‘thanks for the info, will look into it’, ‘thank you, take care’, etc. Responses for accepting an invitation, declining an invitation, acknowledging a mail, an introduction about you or the company, etc. The case maybe anything among the above, be it personal or professional. These messages should not require any efforts to respond. Do not waste the time writing the same kind of stuff for regular messages. 

Every mail system now has a system for creating standard templates. It just requires some time initially to create them. After that, the only work would be to paste the standard format templates for the usual mails. 

For example, in the lab section of the Gmail website’s settings, Gmail’s canned response feature can be enabled which helps in creating and inserting templates for common responses.

Ultimately, this helps in saving time.

Also Read: 8 Remote Work Habits Of Every Productive Employee

 

3. Unsubscribe the unwanted

Mostly, 20% to 30% of the mails one receives is eating one’s day entire time spending for unwanted subscription mails. Once we might have entered/subscribed to our email id on some websites. With no delay and without a day gap, we would be receiving the same and usual mails all day. Deleting those emails daily is a non-stop routine for everyone. 

Let’s disengage it from its source. Spare a few minutes to unsubscribe from every mail you get unless it benefits you. 

For the recurring messages that don’t matter about unsubscribing, filters should be created that automatically place them in out-of-the-way areas of email hierarchy. Google’s inbox is designed in such a way that could segregate as ‘Promos’, ‘social’ and ‘primary’. It can be set to appear ‘once a day’ or ‘once a week’ whichever would be comfortable. 

 

4. Scheduling proper time

Every day one receives a lot of emails. Most of the time, one might be working/concentrating on many other things. Once when one gets to know that she/he has received a mail, they tend to hop between multiple things. So one should restrict themselves from hopping between multiple tasks which end up wasting the productive time. The report suggests that almost 40% of the productive time is lost hopping between multiple tasks.

Try to restrict yourself from opening an email whenever you are occupied with some other work or busy working on something else. Fixing or blocking a particular time to work for emails is efficient in saving the time, which at least does not distract one from the ongoing task. This helps in balancing productivity and helps one to concentrate concretely over the other tasks.

Suggested read: Time Blocking: All you need to know about this powerful technique

 

5. Organizing the structure

In an organization, one might be working for several projects and for several clients. Several mails would be received from multiple persons enquiring about the status of the project, query clarification, etc. Storing all those emails in a common folder ‘Inbox’ would be quite difficult to manage them. Likewise, while working for several projects, there would be a need to update the superior on the status of each file. 

Categorizing those mails in a separate folder would be convenient for using it effectively and efficiently. To search a mail, to address a mail later, for references categorizing emails in folders helps in identifying the mail easily. A mail can be categorized in the manner one prefers to. It also depends upon the nature of work, work environment and types of mails one receives.

Further read: Contemplating Career Change? Here’s all you need to know

Tips to achieving inbox zero

If an email can’t be addressed from a phone, mark it for later and ensure that you reply to that mail when you open the next time. You might need to reread the instructions again and again which ends up doubling the work. 

FAQs

• What is inbox zero?

Inbox zero is a rigorous approach to manage the emails aimed at keeping the inbox empty. It is an organized and structural way to manage all the emails we receive daily.

• How do I manage my inbox?

Inbox management is an unlearned art by many. Proper categorization of email is very important as one works with many projects, many clients, etc. A lot of unorganized mail leads to a state of annoyance during work. Categorizing the emails helps to 

• How to get to inbox zero?

A few steps should be noted to get to inbox zero. Replying immediately to emails that doesn’t take more than 2 minutes to address, snoozing the emails to address later if more time and attention is required to address, unsubscribing the regular unwanted emails, creating templates for usual reply mails are some the guidelines that should be followed to get to inbox zero.

• Who coined the term ‘inbox zero’?

The term ‘inbox zero’ was originally coined by Merlin Mann. 

• What does Merlin Mann intend the term ‘zero’?

The term zero is not intended to refer empty inbox. It refers to the amount of time an employee’s brain is in his inbox.

• What is Merlin Mann inbox zero?

Merlin Mann’s inbox zero is focussed on how to improve the quality of your career and life by managing your attention in a way that allows you to work on the creative projects that matters most to you. 

Although distributed teams are on the rise, some leaders refuse to accept remote working due to perceived risks of security. Employees accessing client data on public wi-fi at a coffee shop is the worst nightmare for a chief security officer. However, remote jobs have now become essential to live. In such situations, cybersecurity during work from home becomes a necessity. Companies need to find ways to allow flexibility in location while still safeguarding data.

While there is a lot that is done on an infrastructure level to keep consumer data secure, the fact is that data from your organization is just as secure as the weakest individual link. As long as we have our devices online, we are in danger. From tablets to kitchen appliances and home assistants, new products are coming online every day, with their manufacturers still lacking long-term support. Cybersecurity for remote workers has to be strengthened.

As per Have I Been Pwned (HIBP), over 130 million user accounts have been compromised across more than 400 sites for a total of over 9 billion times. While those figures seem overwhelming, they are scratching the surface. They miss threats that have never been identified or made public, targeted attacks and social manipulation in daily life. Only the tip of the iceberg is established.

This article would concentrate on the minimal cybersecurity measures for remote workers to safeguard the data of their organization (not to mention their own personal information). Although these protection measures are true for everyone, the cyber security measures for remote workers are extremely relevant since there are workers working just about everywhere in the world. 

Cybersecurity work from home – Security checklist 

Here is a security check list consisting of home cyber security, cybersecurity tips and relevant cyber security measures for remote workers – 

Encryption helps avoid unauthorized access to your device’s files. It does so by encoding the information in a way that makes it impossible for unauthorized people to decode. It may be especially relevant in the event of a device being missing or stolen, as it helps prevent anyone from accessing your data without your password or pin. This is an important home cyber security measure that ensures the protection of your data. 

Here is how to turn on the encryption on your device –  

• Windows: Trigger BitLocker. 
• MacOS: Switch FileVault on. 
• Linux: Usage of dm-crypt, or anything similar. 
• Android: Since Android 6, it is enabled by default. Do not use any previous version. 
• iOS: Default enabled from iOS 8. Do not use any previous version.

Read: Remote Meeting 101: How to have better remote meeting?

2. Usage of compatible versions of the operating system on your device 

This is one of the key cybersecurity tips. While operating system developers only support the last few major updates, security vulnerabilities are regularly discovered that affect any and all versions, whether supported or not. Unsupported versions do not get security fixes for reported bugs, which puts the data at risk. Ensuring that you are using a supported version, preferably the latest one, is critical to cybersecurity remote workers.

Here is how to do it as per your OS: 

• Windows – Check the official website of Microsoft for guidelines on each version of Windows 
• macOS: Apple is not transparent about its MacOS rules. The most recent version and two previous security patches are targeted. For example, if the latest version is macOS Catalina, then this means that it supports macOS High Sierra and newer versions. 
• Linux: This supports most of the popular distributions. 
• Android: The latest and last two big versions are targeted for security updates. For example, if the current version is Android 10, then this means supporting Android 8 and newer versions. In the case of Android, you do have to make sure your manufacturer/carrier seeds the periodic security updates to your device. You can get them every few months, at least. If not, consider updating your computer, or testing if LineageOS has official app support. 
• iOS: Apple’s iOS strategy is not clear, either. The most recent upgrade and three previous security updates are targeted. For example, if the current version is iOS 13, this means supporting iOS 10 and newer versions.

Suggested Read: 8 Best free Video Conferencing Software – Connect, Communicate, Collaborate!

3. Maintain up-to-date operating systems

This is a very important cybersecurity work from home measure. The average time from disclosure to the fixing of a security vulnerability is over two months. That is a significant exposure window even in the best-case scenario, and it is in the best interest not to prolong the cycle any further. You get the security patches as soon as possible, make sure that your computer has automatic updates turned on, and you install them regularly. Most modern devices have automatic updates allowed by default.

4. Hold an up-to-date software

The layer after the operating system, such as the browser or office suite, is the software on which it runs. This can be weak too. It is important to keep your software up-to-date for the same reasons that explain the necessity to update the operating system. Most modern software automatically checks for and applies or prompts updates. For all the others, make sure you regularly verify whether you are using the latest version.

Read: 14 Best Productivity Tips to Achieve More At Work & Life

5. Disable logging in automatically

Unattended computers are easy targets for prying eyes unless they are set up to make sure that you can control them, and only you. To this end, you will ensure that automatic authentication is disabled and that you need a password, pin, or biometric alternative when you turn them on or resume them from sleep. Remember that exchanging your password or pin with other people defeats the aim, so you have to keep it to yourself. Automatic authentication is turned off on most modern devices by default.

6. Enable the automatic lock feature

This is a crucial cybersecurity work from the home tip. You can lock it if you walk away from your laptop at your coworking space or at the coffee shop at which you work. Yet it is natural to make a mistake by forgetting to do so. Toa void this, there is an automatic locking feature to help secure your devices against accidental access. Make sure you set up an amount of time that is not unreasonably long but reasonable, such as 30 seconds for handheld devices, or 5 minutes for laptops. In most modern devices, the automatic lock is activated by default.

 

Read: Best Home Office Set Up For Remote Work

7. Using a pin or password on your devices that is difficult to guess

All of this precaution is at risk if you can easily guess the pin or password to your devices. Avoid something that is simple to do, such as repeating the same number (such as 00000000), sequences (such as 123456), and the like. Check out the popular password lists to make sure that you do not use anything that is easy to guess. In fact, do not even use something that is relevant to you, such as your date of birth, license plate, door number, and so on. A strong pin or password should look random to someone who is not you (ensure that you change your password immediately after you check this assumption).

8. Using a password administrator

Typically, you do not want anyone to know your passwords or keys, or be able to guess them. And if someone accesses one of them, you do not want them to access more than just one computer, app, or website. All your passwords and pins should be special, suitably difficult, and reset regularly to keep your data secure. It can be very difficult to handle manually. Password administrators deal with all this for you and thus, using a password administrator is essential to cybersecurity work from home. They help you create and remember good passwords and share them safely with family members or friends. Some also help you store confidential notes, credit card numbers, and other personal information. Some also encourage the adoption of two-factor authentication. Password managers automate a lot of the boring yet required grunt work around password hygiene and simplify that. A must-have, they must be used.

Read: Virtual Icebreakers – How to have smooth first remote meeting?

We advise Bitwarden. Its versatile feature-set for both free and paid plans, it being open-source and allowing users to run the application directly if they wish, and has undergone a security audit before its release makes it trustworthy. Moreover, with any common alternative available across various platforms, it is hard to go wrong. These alternatives also do not place restrictions on the number of devices or passwords that you can store, such as 1Password or LastPass.

9. Activate two-factor authentication and make use of an authenticator app

An essential cybersecurity work from home measure, two-factor authentication involves using two different factors in an app or site to check your identity. Your password is the first, and most popular. The second one can take several forms but is usually a one-time code. For the second factor, it is necessary to be conscious of safe and unsafe choices. SMS, for example, is a common alternative, but it has been shown to be vulnerable, to the point that governments are actively disapproving of it. Usage of an authenticator app such as Google Authenticator or Authy is best practice.

Despite this caveat, having allowed two-factor authentication significantly reduces the chances of fraud, data loss, or identity theft. An intruder just knowing your password will no longer claim to be you. He/She will also need access to whatever is bringing out your one-time codes, such as your authenticator app or security key. This is necessary for anything that holds confidential data, such as your password manager, email, online banking, file and document storage, and the like, to have two-factor authentication allowed. If in question, allow it. Better still, allow it everywhere.

Suggested Read: Remote work policy – What it is & how you can create one easily!

10. Enable the features of find my device and remote wipe

In certain cases, being able to locate and remotely wipe devices may be critical, for example when a device is lost or stolen. Wiping, in particular, makes getting to the data much more complicated, no matter how much patience or energy an attacker has. Without access to your device, you cannot activate this, so if you have not done it before, then it would be the best time to do so now.

Here is how to do it as per your OS: 

• Windows: Activate in Settings > Update & Security > Find my device.
• macOS: Set up iCloud on your device. Activate from Settings > Your Name > iCloud > Find My Mac. 
• Linux: Includes an application from third parties, but we have no clear recommendations. 
• Android: Set up your device to have a Google account. Then, it will get enabled by default. 
• iOS: Set up iCloud on your device. Activate from Settings > Your Name > iCloud > Find My iPhone/iPad.

Read: 9 Best screen sharing software

11. Wipe any device to which you have access

Necessary for cybersecurity work from home, it is important to wipe any device off and reset it to factory settings when lending, giving, selling or trashing a computer. Doing so would prevent access to your data until you no longer have control over your computer, either temporarily or permanently. Note that wiping deletes all information on the computer before doing so. Back it up if you believe you are going to use it in the future or if you are uncertain.

Here is how to do it as per your OS: 

• Windows: Follow the Microsoft guide. When prompted, pick Remove everything
• macOS: Follow the Apple guide 
• Linux: Follow the Arch guide, and then reinstall your distro
• Android: Go to Settings > System > Reset options > Erase all data (factory reset)
• iOS: Follow the Apple guide

12. Using a VPN in public or untrusted networks 

Very significant from the point of view of cybersecurity work from home, a VPN creates a stable, encrypted link over the Internet to another network and routes your traffic over it. Doing so significantly enhances your privacy and confidentiality online. It makes it incredibly difficult for your network attackers to snoop down on your traffic and intercept what you are doing. This also prevents websites from knowing your exact location, or your internet service provider from tracking your behaviour or using traffic shaping on your link. The list continues. If not unlawful in your country, ensure that you make use of a VPN in public networks or networks that you do not confide in such as those in coworking spaces, restaurants, coffee shops, airports, and the like. You are welcome to go one step further and to always use a VPN. 

We advise the use of Mullvad. We like it for its openness and for its special presumption of privacy and protection. The company allows its users to stay fully anonymous except to them — they do not rely on email addresses and allow users to pay or mail money using cryptocurrencies. It also conducted a security audit and released it.

Read: Contemplating Career Change? Start here.

13. Using the best judgement you can

Sadly, privacy and security online do not come down to a predetermined set of guidelines. It can be situational with regard to protection and often, you will have to use your best judgment. 

Examples include – 

• Do not open attachments to emails unless you know the sender and trust him. 
• Do not execute downloaded files, unless you are assured that their source is secret. 
• Prefer applications from the official store or repositories of your provider, such as the Windows Store, Apple Store, or Google Play. Applications are undergoing a review process in these stores, which helps ensure that they are safe and have not been abused.
• Avoid browser plugins or other applications unless you are sure that their source is trustworthy. 
• Never press browser or operating system alerts without thorough examination of them. 

Factually, this last segment is more important than all of the others. Be mindful of how you use your tools, remain cautious and diligent and make the most of your decisions.

Ensure that these cybersecurity work from home measures are taken in order to ensure the protection of your data.

The World COVID-19 pandemic has forced individuals in various professions into home quarantine for weeks. There is no certainty as to when we can emerge out of the emergency prevailing or can say gripping the entire world. With all the shopping malls, restaurants, gyms, theatres, etc. closed, many people are in a panic state for survival. Situations are forcing some to spend off their savings, posing a danger to their future. It is very important in this situation to practice patience as there are plenty of opportunities to earn extra money during the quarantine. In this article, we will discuss how to earn money during quarantine? It will provide you with great ideas to earn money by availing some of the popular remote jobs.

Let us discuss now a few interesting methods to earn extra money during quarantine with a special focus on COVID-19.

1. Home Gigs

Professionals involved in full-time jobs often struggle to pick up home gigs and invest time into it. Some are passionate, and experts in certain gigs but fail to pursue them due to lack of time. Being at home due to the effects of coronavirus and quarantine mandates, you can leverage the time in home gigs, the prominent ones being enlisted below:

Read: 14 Best Remote Job Sites: Start your job hunt at the right place!

• Content Writing and Copywriting

Writing is one of the popular remote jobs offered by many travel websites, and companies for creating content blogs. They approach freelancers on a contract basis to write for them on varied, interesting topics. If you possess a writing desire, then search for such opportunities as per your niche and expertise. So if you are trying to find out how to earn money during quarantine, then you can pursue these remote job opportunities to support your livelihood.

• Editing Videos

Prominent YouTubers and marketing firms are often on the lookout for professionals who can edit videos by improvising quality and sound effects. So if you have the experience and expertise, then there are ample opportunities for you to investigate and engage in one of the popular work from home jobs during COVID-19. 

• Online Tutoring

Kids and children are quarantined at home with their parents. Schools and colleges are closed, hence the students are missing the tutoring from their teachers, lecturers, and professors. Parents are opting for online videos and tutorials to keep their children engaged and not lose out on their learning spree. If you are a teacher professionally or have a zeal into teaching, you can contact different academic institutions or training agencies offering opportunities for online tutoring. 

• Social Media Coordinators

Established bloggers and content writers often require coordinators to manage their social media accounts on different platforms. They look for freelancers and part-time professionals to manage their accounts. So if you are interested to know how to earn money during quarantine, then this is one of the easiest and convenient methods.

Also read: 18 Best remote companies to work for in 2020 

2. Take up Paid Surveys

Certain websites provide money for taking up surveys on different types of topics like home essential products, food habits, educational requirements, purchasing habits and many more. You are only expected to create an account on the website with correct credentials. Once you are registered and logged in, you can access the surveys recorded in the websites. The surveys provide you with a list of questions to be answered and voice your options on several topics. A certain amount of money keeps on adding up to your account and once you achieve a certain limit, the amount gets credited to your bank account or PayPal account, etc. Bet it will answer your question on how to earn money during quarantine.

Tips

The popular and reliable websites offering paid surveys are SurveyJunkie and Swagbucks. The recommendation is to read the reviews before registering on the websites.

Read: Virtual Icebreakers – How to have smooth first remote meeting?

Facts

Paid surveys are easy and do not require special expertise or skill. So when the world is fighting with coronavirus and quarantine is the only solution for us to stay safe, paid surveys come as a saviour to those desiring to earn money from home.

3. Sell old belongings

Amid our hectic daily life, we find limited time to check our old unused belongings. These items keep on accumulating unnecessarily without realizing the amount of value they would fetch in once sold. So now when you finding a resolution to your question on how to earn money during quarantine, try to find all your old stuff which is unused and suitable to be disposed of. Check out websites that accept used and old products and sell them off.

Some websites accept old books, DVDs, Video Games, furniture, cell phones, and electronic goods through their online marketplace. You are expected to pack the items and keep them ready to be shipped. They normally pick up from your doorstep, thus negating the necessity to step outside from your home.

Important Tips

It is recommended to check the authenticity of the websites and their rules and regulations before registering for selling your old and unused belongings.

Also read: Guide to conducting & attending Remote Interviews

4. Stock Trading

Among the most preferred work from home jobs during COVID-19, stock trading ranks high in the list. Though there have been some ups and downs in the trade market, still you can avail of a few opportunities to fulfil your short term monetary obligations. There are different strategies for stock trading, and you can adopt any of them if you need an answer on how to earn money during the quarantine.

You can try for day trading where the philosophy is to buy and sell stocks within a day and not beyond that. The second option is called swing trading, wherein you can buy a stock and observe the price variations for a few days before selling them in the trade market. The third option is to perform shorting, borrowing stocks from a broker and selling them to purchase later at a lower price. 

Important Tips

If you are a first-timer in handling stocks, then you must consult an expert and read through various recommendations on the internet before investing in any shares or bonds. Since you will be looking for short term gains, you need to be a bit cautious in your venture.

Read: Stock Market 101

5. Virtual Assistant

Online businesses have been increasingly on the rise in the modern era. The business owners are on the lookout for experts to assist and support them in their initiatives. They post their requirements for a part-time virtual assistant on different social media platforms. Hence it is advisable to log in to your social media accounts and join groups hosting such jobs. Depending on your skill and expertise, you can share your profile with the business owners. 

The advantage of being a virtual assistant is you have the privilege to work from home without any hassles. All you need good is internet connectivity and laptops or desktops with fast speed and proper configurations. Your infrastructure and network connectivity must be able to support being online at any moment within your work schedule.

Important Tips

Though being virtual assistant solves your problem on how to earn money during quarantine, yet you need to be cautious too before engaging with any online business firm. Research and analyze the business goals to understand the objectives and long term certainty of the firms.

We have discussed some of the opportunities to answer the most common question on how to earn money during quarantine. Now let us focus on some of the money-saving tips during the quarantine.

Sugested read: 14 Best Productivity Tips to Achieve More At Work & Life

6. Consult a Financial Advisor

With all your savings and investments so far, it is essential to consult a financial advisor on how to protect and increase their value. You may be earning less than what you have been doing in your regular life before being quarantined for COVID-19. But you cannot exhaust our savings as that may create a negative impact on your future survival. 

Financial advisors provide guidance and assistance in supporting your long term goals. They provide appropriate suggestions on investments and opportunities for monetary growth. So list down and amalgamate your saving accounts, deposits, investments on real estate, mutual funds, and others. Discuss in detail with a financial advisor and design an appropriate long term plan.

7. Reorganize your insurance, loans, and taxes

Decisions on insurance and loans for home and car are often made in a hurry. We seldom compare all available options before opting for them. The reason is we are busy handling the daily humdrum in our life. The moment now when you are really worried about money-saving tips during quarantine, it is time to reorganize your financial parameters. Check if your insurance and loan options are proving to be beneficial or not. Explore other available options to check their benefits and you may want to switch over if situations are favourable. 

Ensure your taxes are calculated as per the regulatory and statutory mandates of your country. Keep a tap on any waivers and extensions as per the government announcements of your country.

Do not be panicked with the current situation of COVID-19, but be confident in your abilities and tips shared through this article. You will surely be able to find a way to earn money in the current state of quarantine.

Further read: Deep Work Summary: 5 Key takeaways to help you be more productive