DEV Community: SpendItLikeBeckham

Looking After Yourself When Self-Employed

SpendItLikeBeckham — Fri, 31 May 2019 10:17:13 +0000

Working for yourself as a freelance developer can bring a lot of independence and freedom, but it can also bring a lot of stress and late nights. It doesn’t matter how successful you are as a developer if you don’t have your health, you don’t have much. Here we will look at how to be self-employed and successful whilst also looking after your health.

Stay Sociable

Working as a freelance dev can be particularly isolating, with many hours a day spent on a computer by yourself. It’s for this reason that it’s important to stay socially active, make plans in the evenings and weekends and make an effort to visit friends and family. Having a hobby is also a great way to unwind, meet new people and get your mind off your work.

Accept What You Can’t Control

It’s easy to make the mistake of trying to control everything as a freelancer in the hope all will go your way. You need to remember that sometimes things will not work out or go to plan, and that’s OK. Accepting what you can’t control is a great way to stop yourself stressing over things you can’t change.

Manage Client Expectations

One of the biggest causes of stress is failing to manage client expectations. Make sure all agreements made with clients are in writing and that you have a proper contract in place. If you feel you are unlikely to make a deadline or can’t complete a task, highlight it with the client as soon as possible to talk it over.

Eat Well and Stay Hydrated

When working for yourself it’s easy to let your work get in the way of healthy eating and drinking habits. Making sure to set aside time to prepare proper meals will not only give you a break from work, but make sure you are keeping your body fit and well. It’s important to keep a routine for yourself and eat at the same times every day, ensuring to drink plenty of water along the way.

Avoid Burnout

We all want to meet our targets and deadlines, but not at the expense of our health. If you are generating a lot of work, but suffering poor health as a result, you are likely to suffer from burnout sooner or later. What are the signs of burnout? Some of the most common signs of burnout are constant fatigue, being unable to focus on any task for long, constant feelings of stress and difficulty sleeping. If you feel you might be experiencing burnout, consult with your local health practitioner and try to take a break from work if you can, even if it is just in the evenings.

Learn to Say No

We all fall into the trap of agreeing to all of the client’s whims in fear of losing them. However, in doing so we end up agreeing to do too much and overworking ourselves. Unlike as an employee, we are entirely responsible for our own workloads and as such need to learn to say no. Make sure you keep a diary and a to-do list to avoid overwhelming yourself and agreeing to do more than you actually can.

How to Grow Your Business as a Developer

SpendItLikeBeckham — Wed, 22 May 2019 16:10:35 +0000

As with most industries, many developers dream of turning their skills into a full-time business. However, going out on your own and finding clients can be a daunting task. There is often a lot to learn to go from skilled dev to skilled business owner. Here, we will look at some great ways to grow as a dev and build a business.

Build Your Technical Skills

Having a strong and varied skillset will help place you ahead of the competition when pitching for client work. Not only becoming a full stack developer but also a skilled marketer, a smart business man/woman and a savvy accountant will stand you in great stead for success in the future. If there is any area you feel you are lacking, try to fit time in to train or work alongside someone who can plug your knowledge gaps.

Network

Networking is a great way to not only meet likeminded individuals but also to be introduced to potential clients or encourage others to recommend you to potential clients. Networking can also be a great place to meet potential mentors who can help guide you through the process of setting up a business as a developer.

Know Your Marketing

Having great software with no sales or amazing dev skills and no clients will quickly lead to failure. Know who you want to work with or sell to and write a list of ways you can reach them, perhaps via social media, LinkedIn or at networking events. Create a marketing strategy in which you’ve identified your demographic and marketing platform along with your budget to help give your efforts some focus.

Attend Tech Events

Today there are many events and conferences held for web developers. Tech events are a great way to build awareness of your business as well as to learn loads about the industry from expert speakers. These events also attract lots of potential clients and investors, such as cyber security venture capital firm C5 Capital who attended the Tech Tour 2019 Growth Summit in Geneva.

Have Contracts in Place

It’s important when working with any clients as a web developer that you have solid contracts in place. A contract will protect you should the client have an issue with your work or refuses to pay on time or even at all. Have important communications with clients in writing and make sure both parties have signed off and are in agreement. The contract doesn’t need to be overly complicated; if you’re unsure, there are many contract templates online you can amend to fit with your business.

Stay Focused

As your business grows it can be easy to lose focus. It can be tricky to keep clients happy, manage accounts, pitch for more work and have a life outside of your business. It’s for this reason that it’s so important to efficiently manage your time and keep your focus on the areas of business you deem to be the most important. It’s also useful to remember that if you’re struggling you can seek outside help in the form of freelancers or employees.

Turning Your Dev Experience into a Business

SpendItLikeBeckham — Thu, 09 May 2019 14:56:05 +0000

Computer programming is arguably one of the most in-demand skills in the world today. Across the globe, the acceleration of sophisticated technology has led to a surge in demand for professionals who have experience in development and computing language.

While the majority of people who work off of this site will be employed as developers, some might have found that they have an entrepreneurial spark. If you’re thinking about employing a group of developers and making your skill into a business, here is some advice to help you on your journey.

Developing Your Idea

The first stage of creating a business that is likely to succeed is to ensure that you have a concise plan. This is vital, not just for the growth of your business, but also for demonstrating to investors and stakeholders that you are serious about your proposition. You will come across people that will help you along the road to success, but they need to understand that you have planned for different eventualities and have a long-term strategy for growth.

If you don’t have experience in creating a business, don’t worry. There is plenty of support to help you along the way, regardless of what type of enterprise you’re planning on setting up. Have a look at business incubators, and free support from experts to help you realise a business plan that is suited to the development industry and the opportunities that your own skillset presents.

Bringing the Right People on Board

As we stated at the beginning of this article, the key to making your skill into a business, and subsequently growing it into a viable enterprise, will require you to take on talent developers as staff. Coming into the world of business ownership is a steep learning curve, no matter what industry you’re working in. Creating relationships is vital at every stage of growth, particularly as you’re taking on staff.

You will likely have existing contacts that you will want to onboard, buy knowing how to effectively take on talented staff and the legal requirements you’ll need to fulfil as an employer is vital. As well as this, you will have a responsibility to encourage would be investors of the value of your company, so make sure you know how to present yourself and sell in the idea of your business. There are so many hints and tips you can take on to increase your chances of investment.

Managing Growth

While bringing a new business to market is seen as a big challenge to anyone, sustaining and growing can be equally difficult. While the statistics show that a lot of new businesses are started every day, the vast majority are shown to fail within the first few years. This is because the growth side is a difficult thing to manage. Using a business health check tool will help you to ensure that your enterprise is in good condition, and you are less likely to fall into any problems.

Within the world of web development, innovations and advances are affecting businesses and services across every conceivable industry.
The connectivity of the online world means that everyone is affected by web developers’ ability to deliver. If you have a business that can fill this skills gap, you have the potential to grow into a massive service.

From Developer to Business Owner

SpendItLikeBeckham — Fri, 26 Apr 2019 11:02:43 +0000

Being skilled as a developer doesn’t always translate well into running your own business. Being good at coding doesn’t mean you will also be good at finances, pitching and managing people. However, for many in the industry, it is a possibility - with a little know-how, a coder can turn their skills into a hugely successful business.

What Will Your Business Look Like?

There are many different options to take when it comes to building your own business. Are you going to build software and sell it to companies or individuals? Are you going to hire yourself out to work as a coder on many different projects? Consider the kind of business you think would work best for you and your skillset. If you would rather work on lots of different projects, it would be best to go down the route of working on a freelance-type basis rather than creating one product to sell. Choosing the kind of setup most suitable to you will give you a lot of direction when starting out.

Understanding Business

You might have mastered code, but mastering business will be a whole new learning curve. It’s important to know that if your passion is code, the business side of operations may take away a lot of time you can spend coding. Keeping on top of your accounts, pitching for new work, managing your business plan and forecasts etc will all take practice and time.

Find a Mentor

A great way to boost the likelihood of your business succeeding is to find a mentor who has experience in building a successful business as a coder. Your mentor can act as a sounding board for ideas, concerns and anything else you need to run by someone. If you don’t already know someone who could act as a mentor, a great place to look is online or at networking events.

Invest in Cloud Technology

The cloud computing industry is booming and is a great way for fledging companies to securely protect their files and grow easily. Investing in the cloud as a start-up offers you huge flexibility, allowing your data storage needs to scale up and down with you as you need it to; this avoids needing to invest heavily in IT infrastructure. Along with cost efficiency and scalability, the cloud offers a great amount of security against cyber-attacks – especially important with the relatively recent introduction of GDPR. Andre Pienaar, who runs the cloud-investment company C5 capital, said in interview last year, “Many companies once saw cloud computing as a blocker to security, now they see it as the answer.”

Understand It Will Take Time

Most businesses don’t exceed straight out the gate. It’s likely you will need to make tweaks and adjustments based on customer feedback and what appears and what doesn’t appear to be working. Perseverance is key and will make you much more likely to find success. It may take months and months before you really find your product or service taking off and generating good profits.

Preparing to Go Freelance

SpendItLikeBeckham — Wed, 17 Apr 2019 07:43:51 +0000

It is estimated that by 2027 a massive 50% of the US working population will be freelance. Although the life of a freelancer can be full of ups and downs, this kind of working life can bring a lot more flexibility, making it much more appealing to workers. A study by the University of Phoenix polled 1600 adults under 30 and found that 63% of them wanted to own their own business. However, setting up on your own and making it a success can take a lot. Here we look at how to set up as a freelancer and what you need to consider before you do.

Keep Your Day Job

Working freelance can be a very volatile life, especially in the beginning. Your debtors, unfortunately, won’t wait around for you to establish yourself and make money. The stress of having to pay bills when you’re starting out can be enough to make you want to give up; it’s for this reason that it’s always a good idea to keep your day job, or at least have a part-time job on the side. Having at least some kind of reliable income from month to month in the beginning will bring you peace of mind and help you justify spending so much time on establishing yourself as a freelancer.

Know Your Goals

Before you even begin, it’s a good idea to ask yourself this all-important question: why do I want to be a freelancer? Are you choosing to go down this route because you’re sick of your manager, tired of being told what to do and fed up with commuting to work? If so, it’s important to remember that life as a freelancer isn’t going to be total freedom from all that. You will still likely need to commute to visit clients on occasion and answer to clients’ demands. Identify your goals as a freelancer and why you want to pursue this way of life; this will not only give your career some direction but also remind you why you’re doing it when times get hard.

Create a Mood Board

Once you have identified your goals, it can be helpful to create a mood board. A mood board is a collage of ideas where you can pin inspiration for your business, mind maps, forecasts, logo ideas etc. A mood board is a great way to focus your ideas, build a plan for the future of your company and keep you inspired.

Identify Your Niche as a Dev

Carving a niche for yourself as a developer is a great way to set yourself apart from the crowd. Establishing yourself as an expert in one area for a particular industry will make you much more likely to stand out and receive word of mouth recommendations. Establishing yourself as an expert makes it easier to charge yourself out based on quality rather than based on a need to stand out from the crowd somehow – which often leads to accepting a lot less than you’re worth.

Create A Personal Brand

Whether you’re working under your own name or a company name, you will want to build a brand around that name. Your brand should include your logo, your online identity and your social media accounts among others. A clean and well-established brand will showcase what your business is about as well as your professionalism.

Have a Portfolio

Your portfolio should act as a highlight reel of your work as a developer. A strong portfolio will show clients what you’re capable of, the kind of brands you’ve worked with in the past and the diversity of your skills. This will help sell you to clients and let them know quickly if you’re what they’re looking for, saving anyone’s time being wasted.

Registering as Self-Employed

So, you’re almost there. You have your branding sorted, your goals and plans laid out and a portfolio curated … time to start earning money? Not just yet. You will want to make sure you have officially registered as self-employed with the government to make sure that you are working within the law and collecting tax where necessary. The last thing you want is to get pulled up for operating illegally. Officially register your business, set up proper accounting records and now you’re good to go.

How to scale up from freelance web developer to a small business

SpendItLikeBeckham — Wed, 27 Mar 2019 16:03:41 +0000

Like many freelancers, you might find yourself in the situation that you have to turn down work from clients or pass it onto other freelancers in your network because you just don’t have enough hours in the day to do it all. It’s always a shame to turn down exciting projects because you don’t have the capacity – but what if you didn’t have to?

Turning your freelance operation into something more like a web development agency means that you can build a team, take on bigger projects, and potentially earn more.

If this is something you’re considering, here’s a few things you’ll need to think about:

Partner up or go it alone?

Not every freelancer will make the jump to small business in the same way. If you know other freelancers who are thinking of creating an agency or small business, you might choose to become partners. This lets you manage the bulk of work between you, and hire additional freelancers as and when you need to. Since partnerships are generally less formal, this business style is often preferred by freelancers.

If you’d rather have full control, you can set up as a sole trader or limited company and hire the employees you need. This gives you additional responsibility for things like salaries, holiday entitlement, pension contributions and employee liability insurance.

Pick your services – and your niche

As a web developer, you might automatically lean towards starting a web development agency. This is the easiest option to start with, as you already have the right skills and knowledge, will probably already know lots of other freelancers, and have a reputation with your clients for your development work.

But you could also consider offering a broader service with more skillsets. Teaming up with a designer and writer would mean that you can help design a site, populate it with content, and build it too – meaning clients can come to you to complete projects from start to finish.

It also helps to find a niche. Do you specialise in social media apps? Emails? Finance websites? Do you have the skills to build complex journeys? Or is your USP that you build simple sites at a low cost?

Finding the right people

Recruiting the right people for your small business can be tricky. If you’re involved in the freelance web developer community, you might already have lots of friends who are developers, but you need to make sure whoever you hire is the right fit for your new business and the projects you’re looking to take on. There’s no point hiring your best mate if they’re a web developer and you’re mostly taking on mobile app projects.

As an employer, you’ll need to think about the things that will attract people to join you. You might not be able to compete with bigger agencies when it comes to salaries, but you can offer things like a great working culture, flexible working, remote working or even a dog-friendly office.

Scale up your work and your clients

This can be a tricky balance – you can’t ask your clients for bigger projects or extra work until you’ve got a team in place to complete them, but starting a business and hiring a bigger team can be risky if you don’t have any big projects to work on yet.

If you’ve already been offered plenty of work that you’ve had to turn down, then this is a good sign that there’ll be plenty of work for your new business. And remember – even if your current clients don’t have extra work for you, you can still look for new clients in the same way you’d look for new clients as a freelancer.

Plan out the logistics

Running a business and managing other people is a bit different from managing yourself as a freelancer.

Instead of diving straight in, create a detailed business plan that lays out everything from your business aims, your elevator pitch and your strapline, to your target customers, market research, marketing plan and financial forecast.

You should also consider the day to day running of your business. Will you need an office? Can employees and freelancers work remotely? Make sure you know who your employees will report to and what everyone’s responsibilities will be.

Build your brand

As a freelancer, you’ll be used to marketing yourself. Now it’s time to work on marketing your new business! Pick your business name, build your website and work on your branding. You’ll need to think about things like your proposition, your tone of voice, and what makes you different. If you’re keeping your existing clients, make sure they know about your new website, the new services you offer, and how they can contact you.

If you need help, why not reach out to other freelancers, like marketers, copywriters or designers?

Working as a Freelance Dev and Saving for Retirement

SpendItLikeBeckham — Wed, 27 Mar 2019 10:12:46 +0000

There’s a lot which goes into making it as a successful freelance dev, so much so that it’s likely you’ve barely had a chance to think about retirement. Retirement can seem such a long way away that it sometimes doesn’t even seem worth thinking about until much later in life; however, the earlier you start to save towards your pension, the easier it will be. Here we have put together a guide on how to work as freelance dev as well as work towards your retirement.

Getting into the Habit of Saving

If you aren’t already in the habit of saving, it can be difficult to shift your mindset into putting money away for retirement. To get into the habit of putting money away for a rainy day, have a look through your outgoings and see what you can cut back on. Try to commit to certain amount – such as £100 a month – and see if you can stick to putting that away on a regular basis. Once you have become accustomed to putting away a certain amount a month, you will find it easier to transition to putting away a certain amount towards your retirement.

Be Strategic About Retirement Savings

When you work freelance, spreading your savings evenly throughout the year isn’t always possible. It’s likely you will experience periods of boom and bust and as a result will need to contribute to your retirement strategically. Why not consider contributing a little more during times you know will be more prosperous and a little less when your work starts to dry up?

Set Up Your Finances According to Goals

When your salary is unpredictable it can be helpful to split your monthly income up into various accounts according to different goals. These accounts should cover your monthly bills, an account for taxes and an account for savings which can also be used to contribute to your retirement fund.

Decide How You Wish to Retire

The truth is that retirement might look very different for you as freelancer compared to if you were employed. Many freelancers enjoy what they do and so may not wish to retire quite as early as others wish to, meaning you don’t need to save as much. Consider the kind of lifestyle you would like when you finally do retire and at what age you would like that to be; knowing this will allow you to better prepare and forecast how much you will need to put away.

Arrange to Meet a Financial Adviser

If you are unsure about what the best route for you is when it comes to pensions, it can be helpful to speak with a financial adviser. An adviser will ask you a series of questions such as your current financial position, your goals and how risk averse you are and then use this to steer you in the right direction
financially.

Although it can be daunting at first, the process of preparing for retirement doesn’t need to be taxing. If you make a plan and set out goals for the time when it does come around, you will find saving for your pension as a freelance dev much easier than you anticipated.

Top Steps for Success as a Freelance Developer

SpendItLikeBeckham — Mon, 18 Feb 2019 11:12:16 +0000

Many of us dream of going freelance with the hope it will give us the freedom to call the shots. However, breaking away from a lot of the certainty that can come from full-time employment and finding our own clients can be daunting. Starting out on your own means finding clients all on your own and being able to manage your time effectively. Although it can be a struggle at first, it can be possible to get on your feet and make a solid income for yourself relatively quickly. Here we will look at some of the best steps to take for success as a freelance developer.

Build a List of Leads

Before you decide to go out on your own, it’s important to build a list of leads from which you can work. This can be done by networking at events, word of mouth or by reaching out via phone or email; one way to start is to build a list of contacts at the companies you wish to work for and then put together a document tracking who you’ve contacted and their replies. Before you reach out to any potential clients you will want to decide on your rate and the minimum you will be willing to accept.

Have A Contract in Place

A common mistake made when starting out as a freelancer is not making any deals official with a contract. A contract doesn’t need to be overly complicated, but it’s best to have any deal and agreement in writing and signed by both parties should any issues arise later. You will want to include in the contract the payment terms such as how much you will be paid and when along with the right to terminate the contract and how that will happen. Make sure that any agreement or changes you make with a client are in writing. If you are struggling, there are freelance contract templates you can find online to help you get started.

Be Smart with Your Accounts

When working freelance it can be easy to get so caught up in managing client relationships and finding work that you fail to keep accurate accounts. However, keeping accurate and regular accounts will save you a huge headache when it comes to filling out your tax self-assessment.

Before you start taking on work, you will need to register as a sole trader or as a company; if you are only just starting out, it will probably suit you better to register as a sole trader unless you expect your profits to exceed £35,000 in the tax year. Unless you are starting out with lots of clients, it’s probably easier to keep accounts yourself – there’s a lot of online bookkeeping software out there to keep you on the right track. There are a number of taxable expenses which will help reduce your tax bill so ensure to research these before filing your accounts.

Backing Up Your Data

Backing up all your files, accounts and work will make sure your business isn’t affected too negatively by a computer malfunction or malware. Investing in cloud computing is one of the best and most affordable ways to back up your data as a freelancer. Cloud computing also makes it easy to expand your business without needing to invest in expensive IT infrastructure.

Have a Focus

Working as a freelance dev you will have an idea of the kind of projects you enjoy and the ones you don’t. Having a focus for the kind of work you take on and want to do will not only help you when marketing yourself but will also help you establish yourself as the kind of developer you want to be. Create a portfolio of the kind of work you wish to become an expert in and know that you can say no to projects which you have no interest in.

Ensuring your dev business is up to code

SpendItLikeBeckham — Mon, 18 Feb 2019 10:56:00 +0000

With so much growth being seen in the development industry, many of us are opting to take the plunge and start our own businesses. While many professionals know how to make the contacts and grow their new enterprise in an organic way, a lot of them don’t have prior experience in the legal requirements of running an office space.

When running your own business whether it's big or small, there are a lot of areas that you need to consider to keep your business running and to make sure all its policies are compliant with legislation. One area of these areas is health and safety and if you employ staff or deal with the public then you, as the business owner, are responsible for the health and safety of your team.

Creating health and safety procedures isn't as long drawn out or as complicated as you may think. For many small companies, all that is required is to run some basic checks and tasks to ensure compliance with the health and safety law.
Here’s what you need to know.

First, run a risk assessment to assess the level of risk you must observe and manage in your workplace. In short, a risk assessment records all potential areas that could be considered dangerous and what the appropriate steps and precautions are for each recorded instance. While the law doesn't demand that you remove these risks, having a check in place to help control these risks. It just needs to be a logbook of what may happen and how you will go about preventing it.

Best practise is to do a walk around your office and look for any risks and record them as high, medium and low. If you have more than five employees, then you will need to write your findings and precautions down. Keep this to hand in a file that can be easily accessed by your staff and communicate this to them on a semi-regular basis. Even in an office environment that is used for development work, this is still vitally important.

So what counts as a risk? Typically, you’ll need health and safety measures for electrical safety, fire safety, manual handling, slips and trips and working from heights. Everyday risks are assumed, and you won’t need to record these as you despite all the luck in the world you will never be able to predict or control random accidents. This is especially important if your place of business is visited by non-employees like clients, etc.

You’ll also need to consider your employee’s needs and requirements. Your health and safety policy will need to factor in people with disabilities. You'll need to ensure that your fire safety controls factor in wheelchair users and that you have step-free access to and from your workplace. Additionally, you also need to factor employees under 18 years of age and an additional risk assessment for pregnant women.

To help you implement the necessary health and safety procedures, have a look at some of the useful online guides to help get your business compliant with the law. They suggest things like; staff training and communication of risks and their role in their safety and that of visitors. You should keep a record of this training to make sure that new and existing staff are aware of all safety measures. It is also recommended that you display these precautions where relevant to further raise health and safety awareness. Even working at a desk requires health and safety measures.

By implementing these procedures, you can ensure that your business is protected and you can continue to grow.

Freelance Money Saving Advice

SpendItLikeBeckham — Tue, 18 Dec 2018 14:20:01 +0000

As someone who works in web development, there is a very good chance that you will have had to take on some kind of freelance position. Due to the temporary nature of web projects, its common for people to move in and out of different positions to satisfy the need for dev labour that comes with different businesses. While working freelance does have its advantages with regards to flexibility and opportunities, there are downsides.

Having to constantly line up job offers in the short term can be a stressful exercise, and there are problems that relate to being able to build up savings and having eligibility for things like a mortgage. Here are some different ideas to consider when it comes to achieving financial security as a web developer.

Create a full budget

Working as a freelancer will likely mean that your wages will be more valuable to you than the average worker. For this reason, it is vital that you have a comprehensive idea of how your money will be spent over the course of an average month. Using a budget planner is the perfect way to see where your money goes and where you can make savings.

Keep a Steady Work Flow

Anyone who has been working in the freelance sector will tell you that the process of looking for a new job can be draining. Once something comes through the door the relief that comes can often make it easy to switch off completely until the wolf is at the door again. This is a very short-sighted attitude to take and being able to line up various opportunities will benefit you in the long term.

Reputation is Everything

Working without a permanent contract requires people to be more proactive with how they are known in their respective industries. As you are always on the hunt for a job opportunity in some way or another, it’s good to have undertaken some effective networking and to have your name bandied about by recruitment people who have the power to send work opportunities your way.

Steer Clear of Debt

Many of us have money problems at some point in our lives, and how we deal with these problems can have effects that can still be felt years later. We spoke about budgeting earlier, but we really can’t stress enough the importance of not spending more money than you can afford. There are debt management guides online that will help you avoid the pitfalls, and keep you out the red.

Don’t be Afraid to Upskill

Personal development is something we all could be doing with if we’re looking to grow our careers and employability. With regards to freelancing, it’s just as important. There are a broad range of courses and seminars available online that can expand your skillset as a developer. The benefit of this is that it will put you in a stronger position to be able to negotiate better wages for the work you’re taking on.

By looking at different aspects of Freelance work, you can develop your career and build finance in a more effective way in the long term.

Top Tips for Working from Home as a Developer

SpendItLikeBeckham — Wed, 05 Dec 2018 11:53:18 +0000

Many developers work freelance which often means they find themselves working from the comfort of their own homes. Perks such as no commute and being your own boss often leave people thinking that working from home is the dream; although there are lots of pluses to working from home, there can also be a few drawbacks. Here I want to look at a few of the best ways I’ve learned which can make working from home more enjoyable.

Create a Routine

If you allow yourself to fall out of a routine the chances are you will become much less productive. Just as you would with an ordinary office job, set yourself a start and finish time and try to stick to it. This way it will be much easier to organise your days and make plans. It can also be a good idea to somewhat dress for work as this will put you in the right mindset for a productive day.

Allow Yourself Breaks

You wouldn’t accept having no breaks when working for an employer so don’t accept it for yourself. Carrying on from the last point, creating a routine for yourself will allow you to plan breaks for tea/coffee as well as lunch. Breaks allow your mind to refresh and make the most of the time you are working.

Set Yourself Goals

When working in an office it is likely that you will be set goals and objectives. However, working for yourself, of course, there is no one to set these goals for you but yourself. Give yourself goals which are achievable but will still take work. This will give you a benchmark against which you can measure your success.

Be Sure to Network

One of the biggest issues people can face when working from home is the feeling of isolation. No longer having colleagues around you and spending much of the day working alone can be quite a lonely experience. To overcome this, it can be helpful to go to networking events. Not only will these events mean you get the social interaction you are missing, but you might also come across some great business opportunities. Networking can also be a great way to meet mentors who can use their expertise to guide you to success.

Know When to Stop

When you work in an office, you know when the day has come to an end because you have clocked out and on your way home. However, when you work at home it can be harder to know when to switch off and stop. Try to allow yourself to fully enjoy the weekends and evenings without feeling like you should be working or making amendments to that project due soon.

Cybersecurity Tips for Developers in Business

SpendItLikeBeckham — Tue, 20 Nov 2018 10:26:52 +0000

Whether you are a start-up or an established company, cybersecurity threats can pose a huge risk. Tech-savvy developers are more likely to be better prepared than most for the various types of cybersecurity threats, but this doesn’t mean a business is secure. A developer, whether a freelancer, or a business owner is as vulnerable as his or her weakest link. Employees, consultants and clients can all present a risk to the security of a business. Here we will look at the most common types of cybersecurity threats to a business and how best to avoid them.

Phishing Scams

Phishing scams are one of the most common and biggest threats to a business. This type of scam often comes in the form of an email presenting itself to be something other than it is – such as a message from a client or password update prompt from your bank. The recipient of the email will be encouraged to click a link and enter sensitive information which will then be used to gain access to previously secure data. Other forms of phishing scams are apps or websites posing as legitimate companies asking for your information. Always check the legitimacy of an email before clicking the link, check the from address and if you’re unsure see if you can check with the company it is purportedly from.

Not Having a BYOD Policy

If you have employees and do not have a ‘bring your own device’ policy, you are leaving your company wide-open to scammers. Many employees will bring laptops, tablets and mobiles into your company and will use them to access your network and data. If access restrictions are not put into place for personal devices, security breaches are much more likely. Whether deliberately or accidentally, data can easily be compromised if unknown devices can access the servers. A bring your own device policy will help keep things more secure and let your employees know what they should and should not do when accessing the network.

Employee Vulnerability

On top of bringing in a BYOD policy, proper training is a good way to ensure that your business is more secure against potential threats. As a developer you might have a better idea of what to look out for, but your employees may not be as clued up. Employees can be incredibly vulnerable to phishing scams and data breaches; for this reason, proper cybersecurity training could potentially save your company thousands in the long run. Teaching your staff members what cyber-attacks may look like, how to avoid them and how to best report them will help improve security.

Not Keeping Your Systems Up-To-Date

Using software and systems that aren’t regularly updated can leave them more vulnerable to attack. The cheapest and easiest way to secure your data and keep your systems up-to-date is to use cloud computing. Cloud computing providers will often encrypt all your data – using an algorithm to turn it into code, meaning only those with the key can make sense of it. Cloud providers will also regularly update software and security procedures, ensuring they are as secure as they can be.

Although cloud computing was often seen as a risky method of data storage, now, thanks to heavy investment by large companies, it can be one the best and easiest ways to ensure your data is properly secured. The owner of cloud-investment company C5, Andre Pienaar, explained in a recent interview that, “when we started investing in cloud-based companies at C5 many people saw the cloud as a blocker for cybersecurity. Now we say that the cloud is part of the solution.”