First, a note to hirers: There are different types of creative freelancers. There are writers, editors, graphic designers, animators, photographers, stylists, musicians, web designers, and a lot more. But whatever type of creative you’re dealing with, make sure that you also have a clear “project brief” before you begin tapping them. This will make the work process faster, and your partnership a more fruitful one.

Now, when you’ve told them what your project is, what it entails, and what the goals are, here are things you should look for before deciding to hire them:

1. A great communicator

Someone might be very skilled, but very poor in communicating. Notice if they ask questions when you give them the brief. Ask them if they are the type to give updates, and how they deal with issues should they come across some of them along the way. You don’t want to be stuck in the middle of a project with someone who, apparently, doesn’t know the goal of the project or who is lost and is unable to ask for help. Make sure you are on the same page at all times.

2. Shares their expertise/A good collaborator

You are hiring someone not just because they can pull some tricks on Photoshop. Most great creatives are great because they understand the theories behind why some things work and why others do not. While you might know what you want for your project, they must be able to give input and suggestions because of the specific training that they got for it. If they just keep giving in to what you want, the whole project will lean towards your biases instead of coming up with something objectively effective. Be open to good advice. You will, of course, still be the ultimate decision-maker in the end. But you’ll rest easier knowing you got advice from an expert.

3. Can take criticism

One of the most important things in hiring a creative is if they are able to take criticism. While they may be the expert at being creative, ultimately, it is still your project and only you know the very essence of it. Make sure to be clear with your criticism, too. Avoid giving vague or blanket statements. Give them time to address and change the issues, and things will go smoothly between you.

4. Meets deadlines

Of course, they have to be able to meet the deadlines. This is also given that you are clear and fair when giving the deadlines. In the case of having to ask for rush work, make sure to give them the proper compensation.

When dealing with creatives, always remember to be fair, as you would with any other type of professional. It takes hard work and dedication to be good at what they do.

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#ConnectedWomen helps entrepreneurs around the world find affordable, talented women virtual assistants.
Click here to search our database of applicants (FREE for a limited time).

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Remote work is on the rise. More companies are creating opportunities for employees to work from wherever they like, as long as they are able to deliver the same work had they been in a more traditional office set up. And it’s exciting! Who doesn’t love the idea taking control of your own time, in your ideal comfortable space? But we understand that jumping in the water might worry some who are more used to their old routines, and that adjusting may take time. It’s true, remote work may not be for everyone. So we’re here to help you figure out if remote work is right for you.

What is remote work?

It is simply being able to work (whether part-time, full-time or as a freelancer) without the need for a shared office, and through the help of online communication tools.

Remote work is different from the option to “Work From Home” like some companies offer. In the Philippines, for example, the signed Telecommuting Act states that companies who offer their employees the option to work from home provide the same benefits as one who opts to work from the office. This, however, does not mean the same as “Remote Working” where employees (whether in a company, or self-employed) are based completely, or mostly, out of office.

How does it work?

Depending on the rules set by the company, remote work can mean many things.

For some companies, it means being online for a particular time of day. This means you have to be reachable at any time within the agreed upon time frame, whether to communicate, report, or deliver a certain task.

In certain companies, it means clocking in a certain number of hours in a day or in a week, at your own pace.

For others, it simply means being able to submit all the deliverables at an agreed upon deadline and communicating from time to time.

If you are an entrepreneur and exploring the idea of remote work, you can design your own parameters based on the nature of your company. Those were just a few examples of set ups that you can explore.

Remote work makes use of online tools to track the work. This can simply mean email, or this could be more specialized ones like Slack, Google Apps, Discord, Asana, Trello and many others. Again, there are so many set ups to explore. You may find that some tools or a combination of certain ones work better than others for the type of work that you do.

What should I expect?

Here are just some of the many advantages of working from home:

• Having more time to yourself. No more having to wake up hours earlier and going through the commute to and from work. With the extra time, you can focus on other things like working on yourself, spending time with family, or simply more rest!
• No extra costs. The daily commute and being out-and-about can mean being more susceptible to temptations of buying stuff like expensive coffee, lunch-outs, and after-work beers.
• You get to design your own working space. Whether it’s at home or a coffee shop, you get to choose where to work and where you can feel most productive.
• You get to travel. And not have to file for leaves!
• No office stress and drama. If you’re just not one to participate and engage in office drama, or if you get easily affected when your co-workers get stressed, this can be avoided altogether!
• Overall health and quality of life improved. With more time to yourself, for example, for exercise, meditation, family time, or self-improvement, both your physical and mental health can be improved. You also now have the option to eat in more often, allowing you to watch what you eat.

However, there are also a few disadvantages to remote work:

• Distractions. When you know that people won’t be able to tell that you can always reach in for some Netflix time, or when the bed gets a little bit too tempting – this can be a bit dangerous to your productivity.
• Loneliness. If you are an extrovert and love being around people and taking in other people’s energies, this can be one of the biggest things you have to adjust to. Remote work gives less room for deep talks and chit-chat. It could also mean having less people to relate to when work gets too stressful. And it’s true that there is comfort in that.
• Work delays. Sometimes, your teammates can be the ones who are distracted and this could delay some work. Whereas in the office, you can easily set up meetings and brainstorming, or approach someone for help, this can be more difficult in a remote work set up.
• Misconception from others. It’s not uncommon to get judging looks when you tell people that you do remote work. For some more traditional people, this can seem like you are lazy or what you’re doing isn’t real work. It can be tiring to explain sometimes, so you have to be ready for it.
• Less sense of “belongingness”. Being in an office can be fun when you can participate in office activities such as team lunch outs, birthday celebrations, company milestones, etc. This creates a warm feeling that only a close community can bring, and you might miss it when you work from home.

Now that we’ve given you the gist of what it’s like to work remotely, you can get a sense of what to expect and if your personality and job preference fit the bill. Don’t worry about trying it out, too, or exploring your options. There are many ways to go about it so don’t feel discouraged if it seems daunting or if you’re not quick to adapt to change.

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#ConnectedWomen helps entrepreneurs find affordable, talented women virtual assistants. Click here to search our database of applicants (FREE for a limited time).

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The hustle can be overwhelming. Whether you are an entrepreneur or a virtual assistant, working from home or in an office, no one is spared from the occasional stress and fatigue that comes with work. The great news is there is a simple practice that you can do for a few minutes in your life that can change the way you work and improve your life overall. If you’ve never considered meditation before, maybe now is the time to reconsider.

Meditation is for everyone

The act can seem a little silly and pointless. Sitting for a few moments to “do nothing” seems more anxiety-inducing than it is anxiety-reducing. But what meditation reminds us is, quite simply, to be in the moment.

Whatever type of work, our minds can be overwhelmed, especially at a time where things are always moving and the work never-ending. While technology has helped us achieve more with less time, this can also mean overworking ourselves because we are “doing more” but actually producing less.

What meditation does is to put a little more clarity into our heads. To not think of the past as bleak, and to not imagine the future as crippling. It helps us center ourselves and bring us back to the present.

There is a long list of benefits for meditation even if one does not quite see it at first. It is a skill, and like any skill, it takes time and practice. But once we’ve incorporated it into our daily lives, we will see how it can improve our focus and productivity, to not overreact, and to manage our time and tasks better. We become less prone to stress,

How to start meditating

Find a quiet space at home or at work where you can relax and close your eyes. Allot as few as 4 minutes and as much as 15 minutes when you are starting out and set an alarm. Sit down and get comfortable, but keep a straight back. Close your eyes to avoid being distracted.

Begin by being mindful of your breathing. Inhale and exhale with intent, and focus only on that. If your mind starts to wander, do not be frustrated and just put yourself back into mindful breathing. For some people, it helps to count with every breath. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and back to 1 until your alarm goes off.

A good rule is to use the “Body Scan” technique, where you imagine yourself as a scanning machine where you focus on your body from top to bottom as you breathe.

You can also start practicing other mindfulness exercises such as mindful reading, mindful speaking, mindful eating, and mindful walking. Listen instead of just waiting for your turn to speak, read and understand emails and messages instead of being in a hurry to respond or move onto the next task. The goal of meditation is to be able to absorb the present.

Turn it into a habit

Little by little, you will start to notice the effects of meditation in your life. Think of mindfulness as a “focus muscle” that you exercise. You will soon find it easier and easier to do, while also reaping its benefits.

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#ConnectedWomen helps entrepreneurs find affordable, talented women virtual assistants. Click here to search our database of applicants (FREE for a limited time).

Got questions about hiring a Virtual Assistant? Download our free eBook for a complete guide.

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Obviously, this can take a toll on your health because the lack of exercise and the unbalanced diet might be doing you more harm than you realize. Here are some easy lifestyle changes you can do for your health when you’re working from home.

1. Create a schedule that includes simple exercises

Design a schedule that involves moving around if your work entails facing the computer for most parts of the work day. A simple 5-10 minute walk, for example, can do wonders both for your body and for your eyes. Spending a good 10 minutes on stretching is better than nothing, too! Treat exercise as if you would a meal at the start of your day: absolutely necessary. Don’t skip it as much as possible, and you’ll thank yourself later.

2. Designate a space in your home for work

Don’t be tempted to work in bed just because you can. This makes it easier for you to feel lethargic and exhausted. Plus there’s always the danger of falling asleep while working! This doesn’t just affect your health, but it also slows down productivity.

To be less distracted and more efficient, create your ideal workspace: a comfortable chair? A stand up desk? It’s all up to you, as long as you’re not lying down and cuddling your cat!

3. Set a meal plan and stick to it.

Working from home means having to prepare your own meals. And this might be challenging at first, especially if you’re used to eating out in the middle of the day with your workmates. Finding the time to prepare, cook and clean up after eating might also pose a problem if you have limited time. The best way to solve this is to create a well-balanced meal plan on the weekends, pre-cook your meals (as much as possible) and stick to it.

4. And we mean a well-balanced meal plan with fruits and vegetables.

Don’t just stick to a diet of pre-packaged meals chock-full of sodium and other preservatives. Just because they’re easy to prepare, doesn’t mean they’re good for you. There are simple but healthier dishes that you can prepare with ingredients that will give you the right amount of energy for the work you need to fulfill. Think fruits, vegetables, and protein.

5. Ditch the junk food altogether.

It’s easier to avoid temptation if it isn’t there at all. The next time you make a grocery run, replace chips and dip with carrots or celery. You can still take the dip, but at least you’re snacking on something more productive for your health.

6. Make sure to get enough sleep.

Being at home and skipping commute time doesn’t excuse you from staying up late and marathoning Netflix all night. Take advantage of the extra time you have to making sure you get enough rest for the next day (it’s a privilege!). Being at home doesn’t make the actual work less taxing, and enough sleep makes you perform your very best the next day.

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So just how can we master the tool before we become enslaved to it?

A simple Google search will yield to plenty of ways one can manage their inboxes that it’s almost hard to find the one that fits just right. Even harder is getting used to the new system of our choice because the nature of emails (the coming and going, and coming and going) is too unpredictable to create a habit.

Depending on the nature of your work, the type of personality you have, and many other factors, Connected Women has some suggestions. Here are some ways you can start managing your email to get more work done.

1. Create folders by Deadline instead of by Topic

Lumping together emails that are of the same topic may seem like the most sensible way to organize. But this can come to a disadvantage when you start losing sight of what needs immediate attention and what needs to be set aside for later. It gets even more complicated when one email falls into more than one topic categories.

This strategy is perfect for people who need to be on top of their deadlines. Simply categorizing your emails as:

• Today or Immediately
• Within the week
• Within the month
• To Note (emails that don’t need a response, but are good to keep for reference)

…can already give you a sense of what to prioritize and can keep you from feeling overwhelmed.

Spend the first few minutes of your day categorizing your inbox by placing each new email into one of these folders. This way, your inbox will come to zero, at least for a while. After this, get right on to the “Today” folder. Once this thins out, you can start with the “Within the week” folder and so on.

2. Set a time of day and a time limit to processing emails

If your work requires you to be away from your desk or email, one of the best things you can do is to set a time and a limit. Say, every start of the day, in the middle of the day, and at the end of the day.

Setting a time of day can get you into a routine instead of constantly worrying about your incoming email notifications, which takes time and focus away from the actual work you need to do.

Setting a time limit as well as a time of day can help you manage the amount of work you need to do without feeling fatigued or overworked. Whatever is untouched in your inbox within the time limit may either be work that can be set for later or tomorrow–lest you want it to burn you out.

30 minutes first thing at work, after your break, and before signing off is a good rule of thumb.

3. Use Filters to automatically sort your emails exactly the way you want to

If you’re the type to build a system to fit your very specific terms, first, congratulations! You are perhaps more organized than most of us out here. Filters are created to automatically sort your emails into folders depending on the conditions you apply to it.

For example, you created a filter for emails that contain the words “Project Opal” and that are from senders with the email “@whereiwork.com” and set it to automatically go to your “Project Opal Internal” folder. Then, the moment you open your email account, you know exactly where things are and how to prioritize them.

There are of course, more ways to manage your emails. Which one works for you? Share it with us in the comments!

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