Ah, to be a freelancer. To set your hours, work when and where you want, and live life on your terms is there anything more appealing? I don’t think so. But being a freelancer isn’t all rainbows and sunshine.
There are plenty of challenges and pitfalls along the way. If you’ve ever had the urge to freelance or if you’re a new freelancer looking for some tips read on for everything you need to know about living the freelance life:
| Takeaways |
|---|
| Freelancing offers a fulfilling and exciting lifestyle. |
| Flexibility and independence are key benefits of freelancing. |
| Building a strong professional network is crucial for success. |
| Effective time management is essential for balancing work and life. |
| Continuous learning and skill development are important for growth. |
| Embracing the challenges and uncertainties of freelancing leads to personal and professional growth. |
| Setting clear goals and maintaining a positive mindset contribute to success as a freelancer. |
| Freelancers should prioritize self-care and work-life balance. |
| Overcoming self-doubt and building confidence are important for thriving as a freelancer. |
| Managing finances and ensuring a stable income stream are key considerations for freelancers. |
Set Aside Time For Yourself Every Day
A few minutes a day can make all the difference in the world. It might seem like an infinitesimal amount of time, but even 10 or 15 minutes of “me time” each day can make you feel much better about yourself and your situation.
- Set aside some time that is just for you. When I was a freelancer with no kids and no responsibilities other than my freelance work, I set aside 30 minutes every morning to do something I enjoyed which usually meant getting coffee at my local café and reading a book while sipping it.
For one hour each day, I didn’t think about anything except what was happening inside my head at that very moment (and maybe whatever chapter of whatever book I was reading).
- Start small if necessary but start. Don’t wait until you’re able to carve out three hours before taking action; start by setting aside five minutes on Saturday mornings when everyone else is still groggy from sleep but when nothing pressing needs doing yet on any projects due that week or next month (or year).
The key here isn’t so much quantity as quality: find small bits of time where you can put yourself first without guilt or regret; then build up from there over time as necessary until those ‘me’ moments become regular additions to your life instead of occasional ones!
Understanding what freelancing is and isn’t is crucial for success in this dynamic career. Our article on What Freelancing Is and Isn’t provides valuable insights and clarifies misconceptions surrounding the freelance industry.
Read Up On The Latest And Greatest
As a freelancer, you get to do whatever you want. But when it comes to making money, certain things will help your business grow and thrive. The first is learning about your industry, reading about other industries and personal development books (they’re not just for teenagers), and reading about business development tools like marketing strategies and sales tactics.
Reading is also good for keeping up-to-date with technology changes: new software or hardware may have been released since the last time you read up on the latest developments in tech and new software can save you time/money (which are both important resources).
Reading science magazines can give insight into how other fields are changing the way we think about ourselves as humans and history books show us what happens when societies don’t adapt quickly enough!
Follow Your Passion, Not Cash
We’ve all heard the words “follow your passion” a million times before, but it’s worth repeating. Don’t get us wrong we love money. We just think that following your passion is an even better way to get paid.
Because when you’re following your passion, you’re motivated by something other than money. You have a reason for doing what you do (and it’s not just about making more money). You’re passionate about your work, which means that you’ll be more dedicated and driven than if money were your only motivator. That’s how you get ahead in life by working hard at something that matters to you!
Invest In Your Future
This isn’t just a nice thing to do for yourself, it’s also a necessity. If you want to get the most out of your freelance career, you can’t afford to be stagnant or complacent. You have to constantly invest in your skills, your business, and yourself.
- Invest In Your Future: As we’ve already discussed, one key way that freelancers put themselves ahead of their peers is by investing in their future instead of spending all their money on things right now. This includes things like retirement accounts, college savings plans, and other long-term investments that will provide them with income later in life.
- Invest In Your Skills: You need to be continually learning new skills if you want to stay competitive as a freelancer (and keep clients happy). You can take classes at night school or online courses during the day.
There are plenty available online at sites like Udemy or Coursera which offer certificates upon completion of each course they offer and many times these certificates come with job opportunities after completing certain requirements like several hours worked per month within six months post-graduation date from university-level programs.
Take some time out each month for marketing purposes such as cold calling potential clients who might be interested in hiring an expert such as yourself whose services could benefit them greatly.
Proposals play a vital role in securing freelance projects. Learn the essentials of crafting winning proposals with our comprehensive guide, Freelancing 101: What Are Proposals?, and improve your chances of landing high-quality clients.
Nurture Your Creativity
Don’t be afraid to get creative with your work. There are many ways you can spice up projects, and some of them don’t even require a budget. For instance, maybe you could use Instagram stickers in your next post or add some fun fonts or an app that lets you put stickers on photos. You could also write a blog about something creative like how to use these tools effectively for your business.
Get creative with your personal life as well! Try experimenting with new hobbies or activities that will make you happy and help fuel creativity in the long run: painting classes are great for this; if there isn’t one near where I live yet then it’s time for me to try my hand at painting!
Just remember: being creative is key when freelancing because it allows us (and our clients) to see the world from different points of view and ultimately makes life better while helping others along the way too!
Ask For Help When You Need It
Keep an open mind when it comes to asking for support. Don’t just think of your friend or family as someone who’s going to help you out; think of them as resources and ask them questions about their own experiences, too!
They might have some great advice that they can share with you. For example, if I’ve been working on a project for several weeks and my client keeps asking me when I’m going to finish, instead of snapping at them in frustration (like I’m tempted to do).
I take a step back from the situation and try approaching it from another angle I tell them how much work there is left before completion and offer alternatives on how we can get there faster together. They usually appreciate hearing about what needs to be done rather than being told “it has to be done by tomorrow!”
Get involved with other freelancers’ communities online or even in person through meetups or local networking events where people share resources and knowledge freely amongst each other without judgment and it’s all about helping each other build our businesses!
Do The Work You Love Doing
There’s no use in doing work you don’t enjoy. If you hate your job and it’s going to be a big issue for you, then I highly recommend checking out some of the other tips in this article.
However, even if it’s not at all an issue for you and makes perfect sense, there still might be a reason why freelancing isn’t right for you and/or why your current job is better. Here are some things to consider:
- Do the work that YOU love doing! Don’t do something that doesn’t fit with who you are (and what YOUR strengths are).
- Don’t do any type of work that doesn’t make financial sense either I’m not saying “be greedy” but just remember that if no money is being made then there won’t be any income at all.
And without money coming in regularly then how will anyone survive?!
- Also, think about whether or not living life as a freelancer fits into your lifestyle there may be too many constraints on when/where/how much work gets done when compared to having full-time employment where everyone does exactly what they’re supposed to do.
This could lead to burnout which would not feel good afterward (I’m speaking from personal experience here).
Work Less To Earn More
It’s a simple formula, but it’s one that many freelancers don’t practice. When you’re first starting, or if you choose to work on your schedule, it can be easy to overwork yourself and burn out. You might also find yourself working too much because you love what you do so much and that’s okay! But eventually, even a freelancer has limits.
When I’m working with clients who are struggling with this issue, I suggest they take some time off from their project or break up their work into smaller chunks throughout the day instead of trying to get everything done in one big chunk at once.
They’ll often come back refreshed and recharged after taking some time off from whatever project they were working on last month or last year (or maybe even last decade).
Discover how freelancing is shaping the future of work and opening new opportunities for professionals worldwide. Dive into our thought-provoking article, Freelancing: The Future of Work, and gain valuable insights into the evolving landscape of remote and independent work.
Think Outside The Box With Marketing Strategies
If you’re tired of the same old-school marketing strategies, it’s time to think outside the box. Here are some ways:
Use social media. Social media is a great way to connect with both potential clients and other freelancers in your niche. Posting relevant content can also help establish you as an expert in your field and get people talking about what you do.
Try something different! If you don’t feel like taking all the risks involved in trying out new marketing strategies, that’s fine but at least consider them. You might be surprised by how effective they are at bringing in new business for your freelance business!
Stay Current With Marketing Trends
Stay Current With Marketing Trends; I know this one might sound obvious, but it’s not a bad idea to stay up-to-date with marketing trends in your niche. What’s the best way to do that? Read articles about marketing and business regularly and make sure you’re always looking for new ways to improve your content or grow your audience.
You can also try subscribing to newsletters from brands you admire (like mine!) or browsing through social media channels like Twitter or Facebook, where top industry leaders share tips and insights regularly.
Don’t Be Afraid To Try New Things; If you’re feeling overwhelmed by all of the possibilities out there, focus on just one thing at a time until it becomes second nature then move on to something else.
The key here is being flexible enough so that when an opportunity presents itself unexpectedly (like someone needing help), you are willing to adapt quickly without getting stuck trying something that isn’t working anymore simply because “it’s what everyone else does.”
Stop Using Facebook As A Waste Of Time And Use It To Grow Your Business Instead
Facebook is an amazing platform to connect with your audience, share content, and build your brand. The first thing you should do when you create a Facebook Page for your business is fill in all of the information about your company.
Make sure you have a profile picture, cover photo, and link to your website or blog so that people can learn more about what it is that makes you unique. If you don’t have time for this step then just make sure that at least the basics are filled out so that potential clients can find what they need quickly and easily!
I’ve found that posting once a day works best for me but again, this will depend on the type of business or service that you provide! If someone asks me how often they should post on their page I tell them whatever works best for them.
Just remember though: if there’s no activity happening on social media then nobody cares about what’s happening there either…so make sure there’s always something interesting going on every single day.
Showcase Your Skills By Blogging, Guest Posting, And Sharing On Social Media
Blogging is a great way to showcase your skills and experience. If you’re an expert in your field, write about it! Share tips, tricks, and resources that are helpful for others in the same industry as you. You can also share stories of your own experiences as a freelancer what was difficult? What did you learn? How did it all turn out?.
Or if freelancing isn’t really your thing but you still want to share some thoughts on being an entrepreneur or just being self-employed (which we think everyone should be!), there’s no shortage of topics.
You can also use blogging as an opportunity to engage with others who are interested or have questions about what it’s like being a freelancer we encourage all our writers on Hubstaff Blogs (a site where we curate awesome articles from around the web) to take advantage of this opportunity!
Millennials are increasingly turning to freelancing as a career choice, impacting their ability to purchase homes. Find out how freelancing is affecting the housing market and explore potential solutions in our article, Freelancing Is Keeping Millennials from Buying Homes.
Get Out Of Your Way By Hiring More Help When You Need It
While you have to be your boss, and you will have to handle a lot of things by yourself, there are certainly some things that you cannot do alone. Having other people on your team can help make your life easier and give you more time to focus on what matters: building your business and making money. Here are some ideas for hiring more help:
- Hire virtual assistants! They manage everything from invoicing to social media management. You’ll probably need at least one VA who focuses on writing content for your website or blog (which is very time-consuming).
Your marketing manager could also be considered a “virtual assistant,” since they can oversee all of the other VAs, too.
- Hire a manager for all of those VAs! This person should keep track of what they’re working on so that no one has any overlap in duties or duplicates their efforts unnecessarily; this person also should make sure each VA has certain tasks assigned to them so that none go undone due to lack of direction (and potentially costing revenue).
This person would report directly back up through several layers until reaching someone like me who oversees departmental performance across several different areas at once.”
Networking is a crucial aspect of freelancing, offering numerous benefits and opportunities for professional growth. Discover why and how freelancers should actively connect with one another in our insightful article, Why and How Freelancers Should Network with Each Other, and unlock the power of a supportive community in your freelance journey.
Final Thoughts
Freelancing is a great way to make money on your terms. It’s also the perfect way to find what you’re passionate about, and do something that matters with it. If you follow our advice above, we think you’ll see just how much fun freelancing can be!
Further Reading
Here are some additional resources to explore for further reading on freelancing:
What Is a Freelancer?: Learn more about the definition and characteristics of a freelancer in this informative article.
Becoming a Freelancer Is a Great Choice: Here’s Why: Discover the reasons why choosing a freelance career path can be a rewarding and fulfilling choice.
Here Are the Advantages of Working as a Freelancer: Explore the benefits and advantages of working as a freelancer, including flexibility, independence, and potential for higher income.
People Also Ask
What Is A Freelancer?
A freelancer is someone who works for themselves and gets paid for their work by other companies or individuals.
How Much Do I Earn As A Freelancer?
The amount of money you earn as a freelancer depends on how much you charge per hour, how many hours you work, and how much competition there is in your field. If you’re working on projects that require more skill or experience than others in your field, then you’ll probably be able to charge higher rates.
If more people are competing for the same jobs, then they’ll be able to charge lower rates because they can offer their services at a lower cost.
What Are Some Benefits Of Being A Freelancer?
Some benefits include: working from home; not having to answer to anyone else; being able to set your schedule, and having the freedom to choose which projects you want to work on.
Is It Possible To Make A Living As A Freelancer?
Yes! It’s awesome. Freelancers can set their hours, choose their projects, and work from home or wherever they want. You don’t have to deal with office politics or commute time, or even wear pants at all!
What Kind Of Jobs Are There?
There are lots of different kinds of jobs! Some examples include writing articles, designing websites, creating graphics, recording podcasts and audiobooks, making videos (like YouTube), building apps (like Uber), managing social media accounts (like Facebook or Twitter), and doing research for companies (like Google), and so much more!
How Do I Get Started As A Freelancer?
You just need to set up your website and start promoting yourself. Just make sure to create a portfolio of your best work so that people know what you can do. And if you don’t have any clients yet, don’t worry you’ll find them!
Is It Hard To Find Clients?
Not at all. The internet is full of people who need help with their projects, but don’t have the time or expertise to do them themselves. You won’t even have to look far just ask around or post on social media to see if there are any opportunities near you.
What Kind Of Jobs Should I Take?
It depends on your skills and interests, but most freelancers offer content writing services, graphic design work, or web development services. You might also consider offering your services as an assistant (for example, if you’re a writer but not an editor) or as an organizer who keeps track of all the details in different projects (like a secretary).
Costantine Edward is a digital marketing expert, freelance writer, and entrepreneur who helps people attain financial freedom. I’ve been working in marketing since I was 18 years old and have managed to build a successful career doing what I love.