Connectivity
Stable internet, a backup option in case of an outage, a headset with a microphone and a work email address separate from your personal one. Before important calls, test your camera and sound in advance.
Tools
Tools
Working from home rarely calls for expensive software. What matters far more is that the basics are set up reliably: your connection does not drop in the middle of a call, files do not get lost, passwords are never reused, and you can tell how much time each task took. Here is a set of tool types worth sorting out first.
The best work tool is the one that does not let you down on delivery day.
How this section works: we describe types of tools, not specific products. You will choose the right option yourself based on your tasks, your devices and the requirements of your client or employer.
What you need to work
Six pillars that keep remote work running smoothly.
Documents
A word processor and spreadsheet app, the ability to save files in a format that does not change when opened, and templates for a contract, sign-off document and invoice. Consistent templates save time and reduce errors in your details.
Cloud storage
Handy for sharing files with clients and working across devices. Set up link sharing carefully: open only the folders that are needed, and only to the people who need them.
Password manager
Stores a long, unique password for every account and removes the temptation to use one password everywhere. Memorize its master password and never share it anywhere.
Backups
Work files should not live on a single laptop. Copy them regularly to an external drive or a second storage location, and check now and then that the copy actually opens.
Time and task tracking
A simple task list with deadlines and a spreadsheet showing how much time each project took. It helps you estimate new projects honestly and notice overload in time.
How to set up your workspace safely
- Keep work and personal accounts separate: if one is hacked, you will not lose everything at once.
- Turn on two-factor authentication for your email, cloud storage and the platform profiles where you get work.
- Do not install software that an unknown "client" sent you to complete a test: this is a common way to spread malware.
- Update your operating system and browser without putting it off for long: updates close known vulnerabilities.
- Do not keep passwords in notes or messages, not even in a chat with yourself.
Read next
- Security
Two-factor authentication, phishing, SMS codes, fake job offers, money mule schemes and paid-like tasks: how to recognize them and what is at stake.
- Guides
Step-by-step guides: how to land your first projects, write a proposal, discuss a test task and deliver the work. The article catalogue is here too.
- Problems
Unpaid work, a client who vanished, a blocked account, a missed deadline: a calm, step-by-step plan for each situation.
- Getting started
A practical beginner's guide: what to do in your first week to start working online without unnecessary spending or risk.
Sources
- Federal Tax Service of Russia: information on the professional income tax
Information on Russia's professional income tax and on what the Bank of Russia publishes was checked against official sources as of the date this material was prepared. Terms set by platforms, banks and employers change, so check the current version before any important decision.