If you’re looking for a flexible work-from-home job that doesn’t require a set schedule, keep reading. This post has you covered!
Flexibility has become the most desirable aspect of a career. In fact, research shows that 80% of job-seeking women want flexibility in their next role.
The Internet also plays such a huge role in business that the supply is rapidly increasing to match the demand.
Whether you need a little extra income with a side hustle or an alternative to your full-time job, these flexible jobs can help you schedule your work around your life, rather than your life around your work. Check out work from home jobs.
1. Transcription and captioning
Many businesses require audio transcription and video captioning. Because it’s a time-consuming task, it’s commonly outsourced to freelancers and independent contractors, making it a great flexible work-from-home option.
Transcription companies like Rev pay between $0.30 and $1.10 per minute of audio transcribed, depending on whether you transcribe audio or video. It’s great for transcription, but it’s not something you can earn a full-time income from.
For example, if you earn $0.30 per minute of audio, you’ll only earn $18 per hour of transcribed audio. Please note that parts of the audio may need to be played repeatedly for accurate transcription. So for $18, it could realistically take you closer to 2-3 hours.
If you are serious about transcription as a career and have talent, you can start your own transcription business to make more money. And if you learn specialized types of transcription, such as law, you can make a pretty decent living.
Here are some more transcription jobs where you can create your own hours.
2. Virtual Assistant (VA)
Veterans have a tough job these days, as there are many small businesses and independent contractors who need help with their day-to-day operations. The term virtual assistant covers a wide range of tasks and includes everything from administration and calendar management to content management and social media management.
One way to get into VA work is to start with an organization like Fancy Hands. These jobs are first-come, first-served, so gigs tend to fill up quickly. Still, it’s a good way to earn a little extra income and is definitely flexible.
Another company you can explore is Byron. They hire experienced, college-educated virtual assistants to work on their projects, and they can choose how much or how little they work. Payment varies depending on your skills, experience and location.
If you’re looking for higher income potential, consider starting a VA business and finding your own clients. If that prospect sounds daunting, sign up for a free training with Abbey Ashley from The Virtual Savvy.
3. Work of a freelance proofreader
If you’re a voracious reader and a stickler for grammar, proofreading jobs are a great way to earn money with a flexible schedule.
There are millions of publishers and content creators who need help checking out their blogs, ebooks, courses, and transcriptions.
Unlike editors, proofreaders primarily note spelling, punctuation, and grammatical errors. However, there are technical aspects to this, so you may need additional training if you want to launch a proofreading business. (Probably the most comprehensive course on the market is the Proofread Anywhere online course)
Once you’ve mastered your skills, you can find work at companies like Babbletype, Upwork, and Express Writers, or source your own clients. This type of work is very flexible if you can meet deadlines.
4. online researcher
If you’re good at Boolean searches and love digging into statistics, trends, and fact-finding, you may want to consider becoming an online researcher.
Companies often contract out research to agencies to obtain the information they need without wasting time finding and training researchers.
One such agency is Wonder. You can apply to become a Wonder Researcher by filling out the form on our website. You will then be asked to prove your research abilities by completing online quizzes and test assignments.
Once approved, you can log on to your dashboard whenever you have time to work or tackle your research questions.
Pay varies depending on the time it takes to complete the job, but typically ranges from $40 to $62 per hour. Wonder is currently not accepting new applicants, but you can bookmark the site for future openings.
5. Customer Service Representative
If you have good communication skills, there are plenty of flexible customer service jobs available.
Customer service typically involves helping customers troubleshoot questions and problems by phone, email, or online chat.
When you apply to an agency like NexRep, you can find customer service jobs as an independent contractor in a variety of industries, including food, fashion, hospitality, nonprofits, and more.
The application process at NexRep is relatively easy. Once you decide you’re a good fit for your company, you’ll need to complete an online certification before you can work with clients. Independent contractor salaries range from $15 to $25 and schedules are flexible.
You can also find remote customer service jobs with flexible hours at ACD Direct, Yardi Matrix, Working Solutions, Omni Interactions, LiveOps, Smith.ai, and FlexJobs.
6. Online tutoring
Online tutoring is also a popular option for making money with a flexible schedule. There are many online platforms that allow you to teach others in a variety of subjects, whether you have formal teaching experience, TESL certification, or experiential expertise. From math and reading to teaching English as a second language. These online jobs are flexible, but many companies have peak hours at night and on weekends when kids are out of school.
To get started with this type of remote work, check out the following:
7. freelance writing
Another easy way to make extra money that fits your schedule is to hire a freelance writer. Freelance writing opportunities have exploded over the past decade, and if you love writing and have a solid grasp of English grammar, there’s no shortage of writing jobs. there is no.
Writing gigs usually have time requirements and deadlines, but when you write, it’s completely up to you, making it a very “set your own time” job.
And despite popular belief, you don’t need a degree in journalism or English to become a well-paid freelancer.
However, as a beginner, it can be difficult to make money as a freelancer. Many newcomers fall into the trap of writing for content mills, organizations that pay writers pennies for their work and churn out cheap content.
It’s much more profitable to build a portfolio, find work through job sites like Contena or Problogger, and find freelance writing clients.
For more freelance job openings, check out this huge list of paid writer jobs.
8. Translation
If you are bilingual, translation work is a great option.
You can find work at translation companies like Speakt and Gengo. Depending on the languages you speak and how much you work, these agencies can help you earn hundreds of dollars a month in extra income.
You can also become a freelance translator and source your own clients. (This might work well as a VA product!)
9. Short tasks
Small, one-off tasks are ideal for extra income and offer ultimate flexibility. Just go online whenever you want to work and choose from available tasks.
You can apply to organizations like Amazon Mechanical Turk, TELUS International, and Appen. These organizations offer a wide range of services, from marketing, sales and data entry to interpretation and search engine ratings.
Or, if you’re looking to head out, Gigwalk is another company that will pay you to go into stores and take photos of displays.
10. Social Media Manager
If you’re familiar with social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, YouTube, and TikTok, you can earn money as a social media manager.
From creating images for Pinterest and editing videos for TikTok to moderating content, answering queries, and running paid campaigns, we have positions for beginners and experienced marketers alike.
Remote companies that offer flexible schedules include SocialBee, ModSquad, BELAY, and VaVa Virtual Assistants. You can also search for freelance social media gigs on platforms like Upwork, Fiverr, and Legit.
11. Graphic designer
If you’re skilled at using software programs like Canva or Photoshop, working on graphic design projects is a great way to make money with a flexible schedule. Graphic designers can create logos, marketing assets, business cards, printed materials, and more. As long as you can meet deadlines, you can work whenever you want.
To start working as a graphic designer, check out:
12. Pet sitter
The on-demand economy has made it easier than ever to connect with people who need your services. If you’re an animal lover and don’t mind letting other people’s pets stay in your home, you can make some serious money using apps like Rover.
First, download the Rover app, fill out your profile, and wait for approval. Once approved, you can choose the services you want to provide (dog walking, house sitting, walk-in visits, overnight stays), your free time, and the types of animals you want to see. You can also set your own work schedule and rates!
To learn more about Rover, check out our full review here.
13. AI training job
If you’re detail-oriented, tech-savvy, and have strong writing and research skills, AI training jobs are plentiful and offer flexible working arrangements. In these gigs, you’ll work on a variety of tasks, including image classification, data collection, 3D scanning, short writing tasks, research, interacting with chatbots, and coding. AI training jobs can pay as low as $12 an hour for simple tasks like recording audio phrases, to $30 or more for coding jobs. These remote roles are typically independent contract gigs that can be performed from anywhere in the world at any time.
If you’re interested in becoming an AI trainer, check out these companies:
14. Bookkeeping
One remote job that offers a lot of flexibility in the workplace is an online bookkeeping job. These jobs allow you to work part-time or full-time with flexi-time arrangements. Most positions require previous work experience and knowledge of QuickBooks. If you want to work as a virtual bookkeeper but have no previous experience, a comprehensive online course on bookkeeping will prepare you to start and run your own bookkeeping business from home. You can also sign up for this free training to see if this is the right path for you.
See below for 1099 bookkeeping jobs.
15. Flexible full-time job
You may have noticed that most of the jobs listed in this post are freelance opportunities or independent contract roles. Although freelancing offers a lot of flexibility, it also has its disadvantages. When you work as an independent contractor, you are responsible for paying self-employment taxes and obtaining your own health insurance, and often only work part-time.
If you want to work as a W2 employee, I’ve found a few companies where you can set your own schedule as a full-time employee.
Here is a list of flexible jobs where you can work anytime.
Flexible work from home job summary
Working from home with flexible working hours can help you achieve a better work-life balance.
When it comes to finding remote work without a set schedule, there are many options, from freelancing and independent contractor work to full-time and part-time positions or starting your own business.
If you’re trying it out, or just need a little extra income on the side, you can be successful with one of the many online companies that offer flexible working.
First published on July 13, 2020, content updated in August 2024.
