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Jay Foster has 123 articles published.

Online Job Platforms to Get Freelance Work in 2020

Published on in Croydon

COVID-19 has greatly affected the employment of many people. Some small and big companies globally are closing while others are filing for bankruptcy. As a result, many employees lost their jobs. 

If you are looking for a new job or a side hustle, there are different platforms where you can find online jobs that can match your skillsets. From general work to marketing, there is a lot of work to be found on these platforms. 

Whether you’re looking for the well-paid, best freelance jobs, or just to get freelance work on the side that can help pad your savings or pay the bills, then you’ve come to the right place.

Check out these picks for the best freelance jobs websites, broken down by category:

 

General Virtual Assistant

General Virtual Assistant provides professional administrative, technical, or creative (social) assistance to clients remotely from a home office. These are the websites where you can find general tasks:

FlexJobs

SolidGigs

Fiverr

Upwork

CloudPeeps

Indeed

Freelancer

Guru

ServiceScape

Administrative Virtual Assistant

A virtual assistant is an independent contractor who provides administrative services to clients while operating outside of the client’s office. A virtual assistant typically operates from a home office but can access the necessary planning documents, such as shared calendars, remotely. These are the websites where you can find administrative virtual assistant jobs:

Belay

ClickWorker

VA Networking

Zirtual

Fancy Hands

Writing 

Freelance writers produce whatever written text is needed by their clients, either working from home or in a rented office space. These are the websites where you can find writing jobs:

Contena

Freelance Writing Gigs

Contently

Media Bistro

Freedom With Writing

PubLoft

Developers

Freelance Web Developers bring a client’s website vision into reality employing various strategies. These are the websites where you can developer jobs:

Gun.io

YouTeam

Programmer Meet Designer

Lorem

Gigster

Talent Cupboard

Graphic Designing

Graphic designers are responsible for the work of designing the letterheads, logos, logotypes, trademarks, hallmarks, earmarks, style marks, and other characteristic images that represent the company, organization, or a private agency. These are the websites where you can graphic designing jobs:

99Designs

Behance

ArtWanted

Angel List

Envato Studio

Coroflot

Video Editing

Video editors film and edit media to create quality content. These are the websites where you can video editing jobs:

Production Hub

Mandy

Assemble.tv

Behance

Stage 32

Sales

Salespersons sell products and services using solid arguments to prospective customers. They perform cost-benefit analyses of existing and potential customers and maintain positive business relationships to ensure future sales. These are the websites where you can these jobs:

Red Hat

Skip the Drive

Salesforce App Exchange Job Board

Zip Recuiter

Customer Support

Customer representatives resolve customer complaints via phone, email, mail, or social media. Use telephones to reach out to customers and verify account information. Assist with placement of orders, refunds, or exchanges. These are the websites where you can these jobs:

Work Remotely

Virtual Vocations

Support Driven

Marketers

An Online Marketer develops creative digital marketing strategies using SEO and PPC, among other techniques, to direct customers to the company’s online platforms and purchase products and services.  These are the websites where you can these jobs:

People per Hour

Remotive

Aquent

These are some of the platforms where you can find jobs that will match your skillsets. It may be a fulltime job or a side hustle, work awaits for you in these platforms. Just give it a try!

 

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5 Work from Home Tools

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Indoor Plants Great for Homes and Workspaces

Published on in Uncategorized

Home gardening blooms around the world during coronavirus lockdowns. Ever since we entered the lockdown stage of the coronavirus crisis, many of us have been struggling with staying indoors for long periods of time. Without a garden or even a small balcony, it’s natural (or far from natural) to feel starved of greenery and the first glimpses of Spring.

Nature is especially limited in urban areas like cities, so one allotted walk per day is often not enough to lift our mood. With social distancing enforced nationwide, gone are the days of soaking up the rays with a glass of rosé in hand and friends by our side.

Alongside meditation and practicing mindfulness at home, studies have shown that growing plants can have a positive impact on mental wellbeing.

Indoor plants are booming these days because of the positive impacts it can bring to people. Many also developed home gardening a hobby during the quarantine. Here are some indoor plants that you can add to your home garden and the benefits we can get from them:

Succulents

These plants are getting much attention these days. Succulents are ideal for your offices and home workstations. They are easy to maintain, they can also add life to your workspace and motivate you when you are feeling overwhelmed. 

Aloe Vera

This plant is famous to treat burns and insect bites, it’s also known to remove formaldehyde and benzene from the air. Aloe Vera stores water on its leaves, and when it transpires, it releases cool moisture into the air. It is also known to absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen at night. 

Snake Plant

Snake Plant cleans the air better than other indoor plants as it has the ability to absorb excessive amounts of carbon monoxide. It also gives out oxygen and filters other toxins from the air such as benzene, xylene, trichloroethylene, and formaldehyde.

 

Areca Palm

Areca Palm is a natural humidifier. It can get rid of benzene and trichloroethylene in the air while transpiring evaporated moisture that can help cool your space.

Spider Plant

Spider Plants are the easiest air-purifying plants to grow. It is effective in removing harmful chemicals from the air such as carbon monoxide, xylene, formaldehyde, and toluene.

Tillandsia

Tillandsia plants are found to remove mild airborne contaminants and chemicals from the air. They can purify the air you breathe. A good reason to have it in your homes and workspaces.

 

Indoor plants are greatly beneficial. Having your own home garden can not only become a hobby but also give great benefits.  

 

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Social Media Tools for Small Businesses

Published on in Croydon

Social Media is an essential piece of a business’s marketing strategy. Businesses today are now embracing the trend of digital marketing. Business owners find the use of social media less expensive compared to traditional ways of marketing. 

If you are planning to start your own business, using social media tools can greatly help you. In this post, allow us to share social media tools that you can use for your business.

 

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Learn More About the Benefits of Social Media for Business

 

Ways How You Can Earn During Quarantine

Published on in Croydon

This pandemic greatly affected the employment of the majority of people around the world.

Many lost their jobs due to closed businesses. Other companies declared bankruptcy that affected a lot of employees. 

Losing a job does not mean your daily expenses also stops. Whether you like it or not, your bills will continue to come. With that, looking for a side hustle is very helpful during this trying of times. Don’t lose hope for there are ways in which you can still earn during the quarantine.

Whether you have a 9-to-5 job with a work-from-home arrangement or are looking for something to add to your list of freelance hustles, there are plenty of ways you can earn money with a PC and an internet connection as your investments. Here are a few online income-generating ideas you can try: 

 

1. Sell what you cook online.

You can earn when you sell goods online. It’s best to survey the resources you have and more importantly, your customers’ demands. With parts of the country still in one form of quarantine or another, you may want to focus more on necessities you can sell, such as food.

Selling these days is not that hard anymore. With the use of social media platforms, you can easily market your products. Payment can be done electronically and your goods can be delivered through couriers.

 

2. Try freelancing.

There are plenty of freelancing opportunities online! From data entry, transcriptions, writing, graphic designing, you will surely find a gig that fits your skill. 

Look for freelancing projects on sites like UpWork and Hubspot or better yet, network your way on Facebook groups exclusive to freelancers. And make sure your portfolio is always ready! Negotiating the rate depends on your output. 

 

3. Offer tutoring services. 

Having an education degree helps but if you have the patience to teach young ones, you can still consider being an online tutor! Get gigs through referral. If you have friends with kids, offer tutoring services on general school subjects you’re also more inclined to teach. Language subjects like English can be a good start! 

Before your video chat session, make sure you have a steady internet connection and also fully-functioning headphones with built-in mic to avoid technical glitch. Use your office skills to make presentations and quizzes that will enhance the online learning experience.

 

4. Host an online workshop. 

Want to share your hobby or expertise with others? Set up an online workshop! First, you need to decide what you want to teach. Find out which topics you can confidently talk about. It helps to review your credentials and skill level. Use them to market yourself because you need to convince people to pay for your expertise. 

You can hold a yoga class, mentor aspiring writers, and even give motivational talks. It’s really up to you! Make your exclusive event happen on video chat apps like Google Meet, Zoom, or Skype. 

 

There are a lot of opportunities that you can try while you are in quarantine. Whether it is a side hustle or a full-time job, there’s a lot that you can try. Keep on searching, with a computer and internet connection you can get a job that matches your skillset.

 

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12 Places to Find Freelance Work Online

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5 Work from Home Tools

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How to Make the Most Out of Quarantine

Published on in health

Due to the spread of the pandemic globally, everybody is being asked to stay home. With that, you might find yourself with a sense of unease now that your usual routine is out the window.

We, humans, are social beings and isolation can be tough especially when you are living alone or the other way around if you are a very outgoing person.

It might be that we took advantage of the first few months by just watching our favorite series, oversleeping, or simply doing nothing. However, think outside the box, we don’t know when this will end so we might as well attempt to make the best of our time at home and do more of what we can control.

We usually feel our best when we are productive and working towards something. Being home all day and only focusing on news and a virus will negatively affect our mental health. Not saying that we must not be informed about what’s happening but we must not obsess about it!

Here are a few tips on how we can make the best out of quarantine days.

 

Establish a Routine

Creating a daily routine is essential for the success of everyday tasks. Identify blocks of time for different tasks and activities. Following a fixed daily schedule allows an individual to build productivity habits over time. 

Learn More How to Establish a Daily Routine to Become Your Best Self

 

Create

While in quarantine we have all the time to create things. From arts and crafts that we can enjoy. 

Writing is another way that we can do while at home. Writing is also therapeutic. It can be a way to express your feelings and emotions. Some also write poems, stories, fiction, and more. 

Checkout these Pandemic-related Writing Projects

 

Declutter

Now is the perfect time to declutter things. While we might want to do this before, we do not have the luxury of time, but now, the time is all yours. We can start from the kitchen shelves, closets, phone gallery, inbox, and others.

We might also consider donating these decluttered pieces of stuff to those who need it the most. Simple acts of kindness matter during this crisis.

 

Learn Something

Nurturing our minds by acquiring new knowledge and skills is another worthwhile activity we can do this quarantine. 

We can learn something new from reading books, taking online courses, go on youtube, and start interesting discussions.

 

Offer Help

COVID-19 has affected almost all aspects of our lives. From employment, businesses, education, entertainment, and more. 

In this trying of times, offering help is really a need. We can offer help by creating support groups, donating, creating valuable content, helping out around the house, and more.

 

Go Inwards

Having the luxury of time means more time for ourselves. During normal days before the pandemic happened, we are very busy with our work and other commitments, now is the perfect time for ourselves.

We can start reflecting on our progress for the past few months.

Assessing where we are now is another intrapersonal activity that we can do.

Start visualizing your goals and your future plans.

 

Some of us might think that being on quarantine is not that productive. Some of us might be lurking in fear, anxiety, and depression. But if we try to look on the brighter side, being in quarantine allows us to do things we can’t do before. We can make the most of our quarantine with these activities.

We do not know what the future holds but we can do something today that our future self will be thankful for.

 

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5 Work from Home Tools

Due to the surge of COVID-19 globally, many companies allowed their employees to work from home to help stop the

5 Work from Home Tools

Published on in Croydon

Due to the surge of COVID-19 globally, many companies allowed their employees to work from home to help stop the spread of the virus and to keep everyone safe.

Working from home requires tools that will allow an employee to work efficiently like working in an office. These tools will facilitate communication, document sharing, and other work-related functions. This post highlights tools that you can use while working from home.

  1. A dedicated workspace

Working from home may give you some adjustments compared to working in your office. We cannot deny the fact that when working at home there are a lot of distractions. From noise to tempting activities such as watching Netflix or laying in bed all day. 

To avoid these distractions, set a dedicated workspace that lets you move away from distractions. You can customize your workspace from the lightings, you can put plants, decors that please your eyes, snacks, and coffee at your reach, and more.

Having a dedicated workspace contributes to efficiency. Start building your workspace.

2. A computer

When working remotely, a computer is a tool that you are most likely to use. Almost everything is done today using a computer. So it’s a must to have a one when working from home.

3. A good internet connection

Having a good internet connection is a must when working from home. This allows you to perform all your tasks efficiently. Internet connection enables you to communicate, send files, download, and more to mention. 

Internet connection is the lifeblood of working from home. Invest in a good internet connection.

4. Video conferencing and chat apps

Work communications when working from home are solely dependent on video conferencing and chat apps. 

Business meetings and conferences are all held using these applications. 

So it is important to know what applications are you going to use among your employees or teams. 

Keep in touch virtually. 

Check out these video conferencing and chat apps

5. Self-discipline and a healthy productive mindset

Above all, what matters most when working from home is your self-discipline and healthy productive mindset. 

Outside your normal office setting, working from home means that your boss or superior does not have direct supervision towards your working activities, which could mean to some less productivity. Distractions are everywhere when working from home. From noise to tempting activities such as watching movies, sleeping, and others. 

With that, it is important to set your mindset, work hours mean working hours none other. When all tasks are done then its time to do your other activities.

Practice self-discipline and a healthy productive mindset, it matters.

 

Working from home becomes more convenient and productive with the use of tools. Aside from the tools, your own personal discipline, and mindset matter for the success of this work set-up. Learn to embrace working from home while the unseen enemy is still there. Let’s help stop the spread. Stay at home.

 

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Check out The remote worker’s toolkit: The 15 tools you need to work remotely

 

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5 Working from Home Tips

Published on in health

As coronavirus cases surged globally, so have the number of companies asking their employees to work from home. To mitigate the situation, many companies allowed their employees to work from home, some also implemented a rotating schedule for on-site work or teams working in shifts.

Working from home may not be that so easy for some. Adjustments from office work to working from home might be difficult for others too. With that, allow us to share some tips you can do while working from home to increase your productivity and to adjust easily to your new work environment. Here are the tips:

  1. Create your space & stay organized

Set a place at home as your workspace. Put your things together in a way to make it easier to access. You can customize your workspace to have a feel of an office depending on what type you are comfortable with.

Having your own workspace lessens distractions while you work. This also improves your productivity even working from home.

Learn more about how to create a workspace that improves productivity

2. Know your tools

Get a list of the work from home tools and resources you need and familiarise yourself before starting.

Working from home comes with a unique set of challenges too, and that means you’ll need to have a unique set of tools to tackle them.

Today, whether you and your team are working from home you are expected to perform at the same level of work no matter where you’re working from.

3. Record videos

Recording videos are useful for reference or review. If you are an employer or a team leader, you can record videos to show instructions or tasks to be done for your team or employees. This will facilitate tasks and instructions. 

Use free audio and video recording tools available online.

4. Be flexible

Things can change really fast and you may need to adjust. Be open to the possibilities.

While working from home, you may also face some challenges in terms of your schedule, communication with your team, tools, and resources, and more. Learn to be flexible in every situation. Have a solution-mindset.

5. Stay in touch

Have a community of fellow employees and touch base often to share tips and have support.

Communication and connection are very essential during this time. Stay in touch.

 

Working from home might not be easy for some. Think of ways and do these tips in order to boost your productivity and to still have a feel of your office. Remember when working from home, we help stop the spread.

 

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Learn more about working from home during the pandemic

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4 Ways to Manage COVID-19 Stress

Published on in health

Globally, COVID-19 is causing people to feel afraid, anxious, distressed, and worried. From children to adults, people from various walks of life experience these feelings. The thought of getting the virus anytime from anyone hunts people’s mind from time to time. When these feelings keep on thriving in us, stress arises. With the current situation that we have, it is very important to know how to manage COVID-19 stress in order to maintain our well-being and state of mind. 

In this post, we will provide tips on how to manage COVID-19 Stress. These are some tips that you can do to look after yourself:

  1. Take a Break from the News

While it’s true that it is important to watch the news in order for us to be aware of the things happening around us, however listening to news sometimes causes feelings of uncertainty especially if what we listen often are more of the negatives. 

Information overload can be upsetting. Make an effort to switch off your screens once in a while.

2. Take care of your body

Stress greatly affects one’s body. The International Committee of the Red Cross is concerned that this global pandemic may increase this stress exponentially. 

It is important to be healthy during these times in order to combat the fearful effects of stress on us. Stress can affect all aspects of our being not just physically but also mentally and emotionally. 

To take care of your body, meditate, eat well-balanced meals, take deep breaths. Aside from staying safe, stay healthy.

Learn more about mental health and psychosocial considerations during the COVID-19 outbreak

3. Make time to unwind

Divert your attention to worthwhile activities. This way, your wind can stop thinking about the virus. You can develop new hobbies and skills too. 

Use a few minutes of your day to do something you enjoy. Either it is an activity that makes you relaxed or productive. 

Learn more about productive things to do while at home or in quarantine

4. Connect with others

It’s normal to feel sad, stressed, confused, scared, or angry during these troubled times. Talking to people you trust can help. Expressing what you feel and how you feel lightens the burden inside of you. It makes you feel lighter hen you communicate with others.

Learn more about why relational connection is so important during the pandemic

 

Our current situation may be overwhelming, but coping with stress will make you, the people you care about, and your community stronger.

 

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5 Ways to Stay Safe After Quarantine

Published on in health

How many times have you asked yourself “What will I do after this quarantine?” or “What will be the changes that will happen if the lockdown measures are lifted?”

The fight against COVID-19 is not yet over. Some places around the world where cases of the pandemic are slowly going down are doing efforts in order to change their lockdown measures. Restaurants, pubs, offices are starting to reopen. People start to go out of their homes after months of isolation. At the end of the day, it’s important that we do something to protect ourselves from the enemy that cannot be seen. Here are some ways in order to stay safe after quarantine:

  1. Do not neglect basic health protocols

Due to this pandemic, several health protocols were mandated for the public to follow. These includes:

  • wearing of masks
  • physical distancing
  • hand washing frequently
  • avoid crowded places
  • sanitize often

Learn more about how to protect yourself and others from the spread COVID-19

       2. Follow the guidelines from the authorities

It’s true that there will be changes to lockdown measures but let us be reminded that guidelines from authorities still apply. Strict compliance should be carried out at all times to stop the spread. Stay up to date with the recommendations from the World Health Organization (WHO) and UK Government Guidelines. 

3. Manage to have work from home schedule

As lockdown measures are being in relaxed in low-risk areas, offices will soon open and that means employees will start getting back to work. The threat of the virus is still around us, with that many employees are hoping to work from home even after the pandemic is over. 

Having an arrangement with your employer is important. You can agree to a rotating schedule for on-site work or teams working in shifts.

4. Avoid confined spaces

As much as possible avoid confined spaces, especially where air can be trapped or is unfiltered. Although many places have restricted gathering in public parks, take advantage of any outdoor or open-air areas which can allow people to meet while facilitating social distancing.

5. Practice eating alone

Eating together has been a practice for many. It gives time to mingle, relax, socialize, and more. But this time, let us learn to set aside these joyous moments during eating time. Whenever the time to eat comes around, learn to distance yourself, and have your own personal space. Eating means you let your guard down by removing masks and gloves, and relaxing social distancing. To protect yourself, eating alone can be of help.

As we slowly get back to normal, the greater is our responsibility to protect ourselves to help stop the spread. We can practice these simple ways to stay safe for ourselves and for our loved ones. We are fighting an enemy that cannot be seen with that precaution is our best weapon. 

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Croydon introduces new Exercise Streets to help residents keep fit and healthy during lockdown

Published on in Croydon

In response to the current Covid-19 pandemic, new temporary schemes that further reduce traffic, allowing residents to make better use of quieter roads are to be introduced across Croydon.

The temporary schemes, some of which are being implemented this week, aim to reduce rat running in residential roads, improve road safety and better facilitate social distancing.

As part of the new initiative, temporary road closures will be put in place to stop through traffic on certain routes across the borough, to help make it safer for those walking and cycling.

From today, notices will be going up on selected roads, warning motorist and residents of the temporary road closures, which will last for 21 days. Road markings will be used to create a turning circle at the bottom of affected roads, enabling access to be maintained for residents and for any essential journeys.

The first closures will be introduced on the following roads on Sunday 3 May:

  • Holmesdale Road at the junction with Park Road (stadium side)
  • Dalmally Road at the junction with Blackhorse Lane
  • Elmers Road at the junction with Blackhorse Lane
  • Lancaster Road at the junction with Southern Avenue
  • Woodvale Avenue at the junction with Avenue Road

A second scheme to be trialled as part of the initiative will see residents living on quiet residential roads able to apply for a section of their road to temporarily close for an hour or two a day, to create a safe space to exercise in. From Monday 4 May, residents will be able to put forward their road to be considered for the Exercise Street pilot by emailing the council’s highways team.

If approved, volunteer residents would become responsible for closing their section of road for a couple of hours a day to give neighbours a chance to use the space safe from traffic during lockdown.

To further aid residents in social distancing during lockdown, parking is set to be suspended outside some shops in the borough’s district centres to enable barriers to be installed to increase space for queuing shoppers and pedestrians.

The first barriers are being installed outside Tesco Express on Portland Road, South Norwood, and between numbers 61 and 87 and 243 and 257 on London Road, Broad Green.

“We are responding to growing concern that since lockdown began vehicle speeds have increased on certain routes around Croydon and these temporary low traffic initiatives will help create safer spaces for residents walking and cycling near their homes.

“The Exercise Street pilot will provide residents with a new space to safely exercise in, whilst the measures in our district centres will make social distancing easier by reallocating parking spaces to create more space for pedestrians.”

Councillor Stuart King, cabinet lead for environment and transport

The final initiative within the pilot will see a 20mph speed limit introduced on London Road and a new temporary cycle lane installed to improve road safety and encourage more essential journeys to be made by bicycle.

Councillor King, added: “At this challenging time, residents must continue to follow social distancing guidelines and temporarily widening footpaths will make it easier for pedestrians and shoppers to safely share the space outside shops.

“Although only essential journeys can be made during this time, it’s important we maintain road safety for those who have to travel and the reduced speed limit and new cycle lane on London Road will, we hope, contribute to this.”

The schemes will be reviewed and monitored for the duration of lockdown and any that prove particularly successful may be considered for permanent implementation once the coronavirus restrictions are lifted.

Go online for more information or email highwayimprovements@croydon.gov.uk to suggest your road as an Exercise Street.

 

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