Also, the company runs a valuable points and reward system. At UpWork, it takes mere minutes to become a new member and users get to set their own hourly or piecemeal rates. Online Research and Paid Surveys. Shifts are broken into 2- to 5-hour blocks. It is the amount of time and commitment that must be invested in building up a strong online portfolio. All you need to do is to repeat and rinse whatever you are doing. If an individual works from home, the only rules are the ones they set for themselves.