In the last few years, most countries have seen erratic and unexpected economic changes. These changes have been caused by external and international factors that have forced employers and employees to find new work arrangements. Remote and hybrid work has become part of our modern-day vernacular, and companies and families have learnt to cope with new routines—but not all that glitters is gold, as you know.
Remote work: perception vs reality
When first introduced, remote work was a novelty which most people embraced with open arms after dealing with a few organisational teething problems. This positive reaction was kind of expected, given the advantages that working from home (WFH) could offer:
- No more commuting. Commuting to and from work, day-in and day-out has always been seen as a waste of time and money–which could be otherwise better spent–but also accepted as a necessary evil. WFH has released employees from this burden, giving them a sense of freedom.
- Flexible scheduling and environment. Another aspect of remote work that plays a key role in employees’ increased sense of freedom is the opportunity to organise and distribute their workload as they please. Similarly, they can arrange their work setup to suit their needs best.
- More autonomy: With more freedom and time on their hands, employees can build their own tetris-like pattern of personal chores and work commitments in a way that works for them.
Despite this seemingly idyllic scenario, remote work can present some issues:
- Work-life boundaries overlap: The fact that you don’t need to physically leave your workplace doesn’t give your brain a chance to fully separate your work life from your personal time. As a result, more and more people find themselves finishing that urgent report late in the evening or replying to emails just before bed. This doesn’t allow you to be completely present in either situation, at work or at home.
- Home distractions: It’s easy to trick yourself into ‘I’ll finish work later, I need to do XYZ really quickly first.’ This way, household chores and everyday responsibilities take over your time and make it difficult to accomplish anything at work.
Breaking free from apparent freedom
After a year or so of WFH, many realised that working as employees was not for them and decided to cut all ties with their secure jobs. Suddenly, real freedom and independence were more important than stability. That’s when the great resignation started, and it doesn’t seem to end, with a second wave of employees looking to become their own bosses.
Having discovered the benefits of remote work, it’s difficult to resist the temptation of working wherever and whenever you want, but it’s important to avoid a bait-and-switch situation. Think about what you can do and in which sectors you would like to work. You’ll probably find that many of the skills you already have are transferable–they can be applied in most fields.
Teaching English Online
In a world where technology and education go hand in hand, one of the most popular options when thinking about working online is to tap into your existing language skills to monetise them. So, if you are proficient in English – or any other language – and enjoy sharing your knowledge with others, teaching languages (or other subjects) could be a good option.
The first decision you have to make is whether you want to start your online business from scratch or if you want to rely on the support of established online language schools. They are both good solutions, depending on what you want to achieve and how much time and effort you want to put in.
As an independent online teacher, you need to be prepared to invest time in the background work of your business:
- You’ll need a website to present yourself and your services, as well as a contract to cover all legal and financial aspects.
- You’ll need to work on your online presence to show your potential clients/students what they can expect from you and your lessons.
- You’ll need to find your clients (and keep them!) and plan (and deliver!) engaging lessons for them.
The main advantage is that you can set your own fee, and you deal directly with your clients: there are no third parties involved.
If you decide to work with an established online school, the admin side of things is
definitely simpler:
- You won’t have to worry about promoting your services or drawing up contracts: that’s all already in place.
- The school will find the students for you and offer you a schedule that matches your needs and preferences.
- Some schools will even make ready-made lessons available to you; this saves you a lot of time! Just have a look at them beforehand and teach!
The downside of this otherwise advantageous partnership is that you might lose some of your business freedom:
- You might not be able to set your own fees, and you are paid per teaching hour directly by the school. However, some schools let you choose how much you charge per hour and then take a percentage of what you earn.
- Typically, you are required to guarantee a minimum of teaching hours per week/month. This varies depending on the school.
Different ways to break free
You might want to let your hidden business talent shine, or you might want to make it easier on yourself. Either way, an exciting way to take your financial independence into your own hands is to become an online teacher, a job that is rewarding for you and your students. What teaching path will you choose?