As the global economy unifiedly comes to suspension at an unprecedented scale, the remote or work-from-home culture that has been on the rise since the boom of startups in 2012 is being recognised as the new future. Some predict that the current Covid-19 quarantine could lead to a permanent shift towards working remotely.
It doesn’t mean people will never return to their office. But the whole world is learning an important lesson about preparing for a full-virtual world. It’s not just a plot of a doomsday movie anymore; it is the only way to ensure business continuity in our new reality.
While nobody can guarantee what the future holds, it is probable that more traditionally in-office roles will be set up virtual-friendly. And thankfully technology has evolved fast even since the pandemic to improve connectivity and productivity of the global workforce.
Among over 6 million mums in Australia, about 2% currently work or study while taking care of their children at the same time, either as employees working remotely or as self-employed sole proprietors. While the range of jobs available to stay-home mums used to be somewhat limited, that is already changing rapidly. Almost all jobs in existence will be able to be offered remotely in some shape or form. And Covid-19 is going to provide opportunities for future mothers-to-bes to not have to choose between childcare and career goals.
Here are some ideas for working mums whether they are looking for better sources of income or are trying to build new career paths for the post-pandemic world.
Remote Freelance Gigs
There are different gigs you can pick up as a freelancer. You can provide administrative tasks by being a virtual assistant. But there is more diversity in reliable online gigs available now. For instance, thanks to all the digital products, they look for focus group participants and potential customers to interview all without ever having to meet in person. You can try out the product online and provide feedback. Then, cha-ching!
With platforms like Upwork and Fiserv, you will be able to find heaps of projects or tasks that not only suit your skills but also pique your interest. These gigs are more suited for those who do not want to dedicate their 9 to 5 and just need some income (and fun) on the side.
E-Commerce Business
You can write a book on Kindle nowadays without having to knock on editorial publishers’ doors and market it. It’s not easy but it is now 100% possible to build your fanbase all by your lone self.
Are you good at crafts or painting? You can sell your own artwork to customers all around the world on platforms like Etsy, eBay and Amazon. If you want to build your own website to establish a more official brand, you will be able to do so without knowing one single code or knowing how to set up payment processing. Once you register as a small business, institutions like banks and even post offices now offer tailored services and guidance to sole proprietors.
Lifestyle or Lifehack Bloggers
The influencer marketing on Instagram has surpassed $1.3 billion in size. It has created a whole new industry and sales distribution channel for brands. Yes, there are some eye-rolling and truly cringe-worthy cohorts of wanna-be celebrities. But this emergence has also opened a lot of doors for mums as well.
You could share your own recipes, lifehack tips about how you get your children to eat healthier, etc. The best thing about the Internet 2.0 is that we are aware that we are not alone in many of the challenges that we face day to day. Knowledge and information sharing allows all of us to find better, easier ways to tackle those challenges. So being a mum caring for her children, a challenge felt by over 70 million mums in Australia alone, gives you a wide base of listeners who would appreciate any useful tips and insights. Don’t ever underestimate the power of shared human experience and how much value your own life and lessons can bring to others!
