Making money at home – Gain the freedom to work from anywhere.

HOW TO BUDGET AS A FREELANCER

by Coralie

One big concern that comes up when one is considering pursuing a freelance career is what about benefits, like health insurance, retirement, vacation?

While the faculty here at Scoping International are not claiming to be financial experts, by any means, we do have a few years of freelancing under our belt, and we’re happy to pass along some gems we’ve gleaned from our personal experiences. Here are some tips to consider when deciding if scoping will work for you, especially if it is your or your family’s sole income.

Plan for the ups and downs

A factor that can cause a lot of hesitation when we’re deciding if we want to let go of the 9:00 to 5:00 lifestyle is letting go of the predictable income. While freedom and flexibility call to us, not knowing exactly how much will land in your bank account is definitely something that can give us pause, and that is a completely valid concern. There are ups and downs in this career, absolutely, and we will not deny that. But you’re the business owner, and just because your monthly income may ride bit of a roller-coaster doesn’t mean your daily heart rate has to.

After you’ve established what your monthly expenses are – your rent/mortgage, food, gas, phone bill, utilities, and so on – add on how much you need to save every month in order to have a buffer. We recommend setting aside at least three months’ worth of saving in order to cover those necessary expenses, six months, if you can do it, is even better. (Note: This is recommended by financial experts even if you are employed.) This is not money for a pair of shoes that just went on sale that you have to have. This is money you do not touch unless you haven’t earned enough to cover your monthly expenses. If you need to dip into this account, fill it back up the next time your monthly income is exceeding your expenses.

Budget in health care

In some parts of the world, you may have to cover your own medical costs. Do research regarding where you live to find a health care plan that covers your needs. Then add those costs to your monthly expenses. In places like the U.S., if you end up having a high-deductible plan, you may be able to take advantage of services like the Health Savings Account, where you can put away pre-taxed dollars to cover out-of-pocket medical costs, including deductibles.

Budget in your retirement savings

Once you have your buffer in place and your health insurance squared away, it’s time to tackle your retirement savings. In places where retirement is funded by the individual, there are sometimes programs that can help you increase that bank account. In the U.S., there are programs such as S.E.P.-IRA, Solo 401(k), and Roth I.R.A. accounts that can assist you in setting aside money for your golden years.

Budget in your vacation

Decide how much time you would like to take off, calculate your earnings for that time and spread that out over 12 months. Add in that cost to your monthly expenses, set up a vacation-time savings account, and pay yourself paid time off. And guess what? You decide how much time you take off every year. How cool is that!?

You’re the boss

And there are advantages and disadvantages with that. On the positive side, because you’re the boss of a job that allows you to decide how much you want to work, after looking over your expenses and taking our Complete Scoping Course, you have the ability to earn what is needed to cover your costs and decide when you will work to meet those costs. There is incredible freedom and power in that.

That being said, there is no payroll department deducting these costs and putting them into accounts for you. You have to have the discipline to do that for yourself. And, yes, it takes a lot of self-control to set that money aside and be wise with it. Remember, you are paying your future self, whether it’s to have a month off to travel Southeast Asia or to set up your 55-year-old self to retire early, whatever your dream is, you are worth the planning and sacrifice it takes now to reach those dreams. And now, with your new freelance career, you have more power than ever to make those dreams come true.

Start Module 1 of the Complete Scoping Course for free today to take your first step into freedom.

Start for free here

HOW TO STAY HEALTHY AND ENERGIZED WHILE WORKING AT A DESK

by Heidi

In today’s fast-paced world, many of us spend long hours sitting at our desks, whether for work, studying, or browsing the internet. Prolonged sitting can lead to various health issues, including stiff muscles, poor posture, and decreased energy levels. Incorporating simple stretching exercises into your daily routine can help counteract the negative effects of sedentary desk work and promote overall well-being. That’s what we try to do at Scoping International, but let’s face it, we all can use some helpful reminders to get up and move. Here are some effective at-home desk stretching exercises that will help you stay healthy, energized, and productive. Give them a try right now.

Sitting for extended periods can cause tension and stiffness in the neck and shoulders. To relieve this tension, try the following exercises:

Neck Roll
Sit up tall and gently tilt your head to one side, bringing your ear towards your shoulder. Slowly roll your neck in a circular motion,bringing your chin to your chest and then to the other shoulder. Repeat 5-10 times in each direction.

Shoulder Shrugs
Lift both shoulders towards your ears and hold for a few seconds. Relax and repeat 10-15 times. This exercise helps release tension in the upper back and shoulder area.

Sitting with poor posture can lead to rounded shoulders and a tight chest. These stretches will open up your chest and improve your upper back mobility:

Chest Opener
Stand or sit up tall with your arms extended behind you, interlacing your fingers. Gently squeeze your shoulder blades together as you lift your hands away from your back. Hold for 15-30 seconds and repeat 3-5 times.

Seated Twist
Sit with your feet planted firmly on the ground and your spine tall. Place your right hand on the back of your chair and twist your torso to the right, using your left hand to support the twist. Hold for 20-30 seconds and repeat on the other side.

Typing and using a mouse for prolonged periods can strain the wrists and forearms. These stretches will help alleviate discomfort and prevent repetitive strain injuries:

Wrist Extension and Flexion
Extend your arm in front of you, palm facing up. Use your other hand to gently bend your wrist, pointing your fingers towards the floor. Hold for 15-30 seconds, then flex your wrist, pointing your fingers towards the ceiling. Repeat 3-5 times on each hand.

Forearm Stretch
Extend your right arm straight in front of you, palm facing down. With your left hand, grab your fingers and gently pull them towards your body until you feel a stretch in your forearm. Hold for 15-30 seconds and repeat on the other arm.

Sitting for long periods can lead to tight hips and a weak lower body. Incorporate these exercises to keep your lower body active and flexible:

Seated Leg Extensions
Sit on the edge of your chair and extend one leg straight out in front of you. Flex your foot and hold for 10-15 seconds, then point your toes and hold for another 10-15 seconds. Repeat on the other leg for a total of 3-5 sets.

Hip Flexor Stretch
Stand tall and take a step forward with your right leg, keeping your left leg behind you. Bend your right knee and lower your left knee towards the ground. Lean slightly forward to feel a stretch in the front of your left hip. Hold for 20-30 seconds and switch sides.

These few simple stretches can improve your overall health, and the welcomed break from staring at the computer screen will even give your eyes a “stretch.” Incorporating these at-home desk stretching exercises into your daily routine will allow you to continue being productive and limber while pumping out the pages. A healthy body is a happy body.
Tell us which stretches you like doing at your desk.

WHAT MAKES SCOPING INTERNATIONAL DIFFERENT FROM OTHER ONLINE SCOPING COURSES

by Coralie

So you’ve finally found a profession that you feel meets all of your requirements. You’re a word nerd; you’ve always geeked out on legal dramas; you want the freedom to work wherever and whenever suits you; you want to earn a decent living being your own boss. But which scoping training program should you choose?

We want to show you what sets Scoping International apart and why you should choose us!

You get the benefit of three instructors. Here’s the thing, there are a wide variety of preferences in the court reporting industry. We are the only online training course available that offers the benefit of multiple instructors. Because there are three instructors who are actively working as scopists now, you get the most up-to-date and well-rounded education in scoping. You learn about the different ways to do things in the industry, why they’re done differently, and gain the experience to find your ideal match in clients, ensuring success and satisfaction for both you as the scopist and for your future court reporting clients. All three of the instructors have scoped for clients who live and work abroad and have or are living abroad themselves. Each of us know how to get clients around the world and can teach you to do the same.

In-depth and comprehensive training in grammar and software. We believe that knowing how to spell correctly and punctuate the verbatim record is vital to being a good scopist, and we love the English language and are excited to teach you about the unique way we work with it in scoping. But what really puts our scopists light years ahead of graduates from other programs is our in-depth and exclusive software training. There are two reasons it is vital that a scopist know how to use the software: Accuracy and profitability. If you don’t know how to use the software completely and properly, you can create serious problems in the transcript and add hours of extra work for yourself, or worse, the court reporter. And the software is a powerful tool that, when thoroughly understood, can help you to edit more accurately and more quickly. And in this industry, speed is essential to profitability. On average, our graduates are scoping 50% faster than graduates of other programs immediately upon graduation, helping them to earn more earlier on in their career.

Lifetime access to the course. As the industry changes, we adapt our content to keep up. You can always come back to the course to get a refresher in grammar, software, finding clients, and editing tips.

Our drop-in sessions. We really believe this is one of the most valuable benefits to our course. Every month, our students get free, live access to the instructors. We answer any and all of your questions from grammar to formatting, addressing any uncertainties or insecurities you have as you enter your new career. We also offer a breakout room to graduates where they can get one-on-one assistance from the instructors regarding all things business, how to get clients, any questions they have about client interactions, and tips for improving profitability.

Private Facebook groups for students and graduates. While this is a self-paced, online school, you’re by no means on your own. Your fellow students and instructors are readily available to offer advice and support as you go through the course.

Thorough and personalized marketing training. Because you have multiple instructors, this is the only course that addresses the fact that there are different types of reporters and different types of scopists. We teach you about the different reporters that are out there and help you learn what type of scopist you are, helping you to be confident and excited when getting your first court reporting clients.

Need more convincing? Book a time with Coralie, Heidi, or Rachel here: hello@scopinginternational.com. We are happy to answer any other questions you have as you consider making scoping your future career.

START YOUR OWN SCOPING BUSINESS THIS YEAR

by Coralie

Starting a new business is unlike starting a new job. You don’t have any co-workers, assistants, and everything is up to you. You don’t have the same systems in place, and there are very few checks and balances when you start your own business unless you institute them yourself. But let’s face it, that’s the main reason you probably want to start working from home this year, right? The best reason to start working as a scopist from home is the flexibility and the freedom it affords you and your family.

Imagine you’ve enrolled in the first section of the scoping course. You’ve finished reading through all the requirements, and you’ve decided to take the plunge and enroll in the Complete Scoping Course by Scoping International. The second section is a little more involved, and there are lots of things coming at you. Perhaps, you’ve been a bit derailed with family life or the holiday season. Not to worry, we are here to help you get back on your feet and help you reach your goal of starting your scoping business this year.

One of the most proven techniques for staying focused is knowing exactly why you have invested in this new venture. Investing time, money, and effort can take a lot out of you if you aren’t quite sure of your reasons for doing it. This course is an investment, not only monetarily, but timewise too. Even though the course is self-paced, you will be busy studying and learning new things. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed and full of self-doubt at this stage. But now is the right time to remember why you started and what your end goal is.

GOALS FOR THIS YEAR

Freedom to work from anywhere.
Flexibility to work from where you want to be.
Financial independence and the ability to reach your financial goals.

Figure out your approach to the course. Will you take it a bit easier and do it part-time, or will you devote six to eight hours a day of learning? This, of course, is entirely up to you. This course is self-paced, and you have lifetime access to it. Keep in mind your goals. If you are hoping to set up as a working scopist before the end of the year, then here are a few tips and techniques to help you stay focused and productive.

PRODUCTIVITY TIPS AND TECHNIQUES

The Pomodoro Technique: A time management method, the technique uses a timer to break down work into intervals, traditionally 25 minutes in length, separated by short breaks.
Self-affirmations: According to Heathline.com, affirmations can help strengthen self-worth by boosting both your positive opinion of yourself and your confidence in your ability to achieve your goals. They can also help counter the feelings of panic, stress, and self-doubt that often accompany anxiety.
Support system: Having a strong support system gives you a group of people that you can go to for assistance with your issues. Besides family and friends, Scoping International has a student forum and one-on-one calls to give you the support you need, when you need it.

Whether you have the extra time because you are out of work or you’ve set time aside to work on the course, there is no need to feel overwhelmed as to what your future as a scopist will look like. You don’t need the best or most powerful equipment, but you will need a laptop or desktop to begin. Although the software will most likely be your biggest investment, if you don’t already own headphones, you’ll need to get those to use during the main part of the course when you begin listening to files.

Once you’ve made a commitment to yourself and registered for the full course, set time aside each day to work on it. Take advantage of the student forum and the one-to-one support calls from the Scoping International faculty. You can purchase up to two support calls with the initial complete course. These one-on-one calls are also available to purchase at any time for students of Scoping International, past or present. Step-by-step, you are moving closer to starting your new career as a scopist.

THINGS TO GET YOU STARTED

Laptop or Desktop
Headphones
Software

Before you can officially start your own scoping business this year, you will need to find clients. You are probably wondering how to get work in your new field. As a scopist, you are self-employed, but at the same time, you are dependent on work flowing from various court reporters. Some scopists work for one court reporter and others take work from a variety of court reporters.

Typically, scopists get work through their networks. Networking for a scopist looks a little different than most jobs, especially if you are new to the online job market. Initially, you will be connected with the faculty at Scoping International, and that is the beginning of your network. The faculty will get to know your strengths through the course and any one-on-one calls you book.

Once you get your first job, it is imperative that you do the best job you can. This court reporter will be your personal advertising agent. Word of mouth is huge in this industry, as scopists are usually the unseen and unheard freelancers working behind the scenes.

HOW TO FIND CLIENTS

Job Boards
Networking
Referrals

As you begin your career as a scopist, stay connected with us. We are here to support you all the way. Our goal is to create a network of modern scopists on the cutting edge of industry standards. Starting your scoping business this year starts with successfully finishing the Complete Scoping Course. Are you ready to take step one of starting your own scoping business? Start our signature scoping course today.