How I Freelanced Full-Time For Three Years While Working A Job

Most people aren’t aware of this, but I’ve been freelancing full-time since leaving my corporate job in 2014. 

When I started freelancing, I had no idea how to manage my time, and it was a steep learning curve. It took about five years to figure out how to get everything done, and now that I’m writing this article (on a Tuesday afternoon), I feel like it’s safe to share what has worked for me. 

These are some of the ways that have helped me balance freelance work with everything else on my plate:

Takeaways
The possibility of freelancing full-time while simultaneously holding a job
Strategies for effectively managing time and balancing freelance work and employment
Tips for setting boundaries and creating a schedule that allows for both work commitments
The benefits of freelancing, such as flexibility and the potential for additional income
Insights into personal experiences and lessons learned from freelancing while working
Ideas for leveraging skills and expertise to attract clients and build a successful freelance career
The importance of networking and building professional relationships in the freelancing industry
Strategies for marketing and promoting freelance services to attract clients
Financial considerations and tips for managing finances while freelancing full-time
Overall, how freelancing can be a viable and fulfilling career option alongside traditional employment

Have A Support Network

As a freelancer, you’re going to need a support network. The people in your network will be there for you as you navigate the ups and downs of being an entrepreneur. 

They’ll help you brainstorm, bounce around ideas with you, offer advice, and be there when things get tough.

If you don’t already have one of these networks in place or if it’s not as strong as it could be here are some tips for building one:

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Get Involved In Local Meetups And Events (E.G., Writing Groups)

Join online communities that can connect you with other freelancers or people interested in starting their businesses (e.g., Slack groups).

Start following online content creators who inspire your business mindset or lifestyle goals (e.g., [this podcast](https://youtu.be/Ldz5VJQP8OE)).

Create A Schedule And Stick To It

As you’re building your business, it is important to stay focused and organized.

It’s easy to get overwhelmed with work when you are first starting out, especially if you have a job on the side or are trying to do something like freelance full-time while working a job.

However, as long as you have a schedule in place that works for your lifestyle and makes sure that there is time for other things in your life (like family, friends, and exercise), then things will be much easier to manage over time.

Dress For Success, Every Day

The dress code is more important than you think. Dressing professionally is an easy way to show your clients and prospective employers that you are serious about your career. 

And dressing for success in everyday life will help make sure that you’re comfortable every day. Here are some tips on how to dress professionally:

Dress for the job you want not just the one you have. If you dream of working as a marketing consultant but currently work as a barista at Starbucks, wear clothes that reflect how seriously you take yourself and your career goals. 

This means wearing business-casual clothing instead of jeans or shorts when possible; even if it’s not appropriate at work yet, it will set an example for others around who might be watching what they wear too closely because they don’t want to get fired before their next paycheck arrives!

Dress appropriately for the weather outside both inside AND out! Comfort is king here: if it’s cold outside then bundle up; if there’s snow on the ground then put on boots instead of flip flops (this goes especially true during winter months). 

It may seem like common sense but I’ve seen friends make these mistakes over time especially those who live in warmer climates where sub-60 degree temperatures aren’t normal occurrences. 

And trust me when I say this advice will save them pain down the line when their feet start screaming at them after walking three blocks barefoot across pavement…

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Master The Art Of Saying No, And Mean It When You Do

I know what you’re thinking, “No way! This guy must be a superman to manage all that!”

And while I’m no Superman (as far as we know), the truth is that freelancing can be much easier than people think. 

You just need some good habits, and a few tips on how to handle your time. Those are both things I can help with right now.

It’s important to understand one thing: you have limits just like any other human being on this planet does. 

If you don’t know what those limits are yet, then it’s time for an honest assessment of yourself and what type of work/projects fit into your life best. 

If you want more structure in your day-to-day activities or if working from home is something that would make sense for your personality type and lifestyle then maybe freelancing isn’t for you (yet). 

But if the idea of having complete control over where/how/when you work sounds like heaven – then keep reading!

Don’t Let Your Inbox Get Out Of Control

It’s easy to let email pile up and become overwhelming, but if you’re working full-time and freelancing on top of it, then it’s even more important to not let your inbox take over your life. 

If a client emails you and doesn’t hear back from you for two days, don’t worry about it! There are plenty of ways to communicate with people these days including in-person meetings, Skype calls, etc. That said…

Don’t be afraid to delete emails. Don’t be afraid to unsubscribe from newsletters that aren’t relevant to your business (or any other reason). 

Don’t be afraid to unfollow accounts on social media just because they post a lot or annoy you (especially if they’re posting political content).

Remember That Quality Is More Important Than Quantity

If you work hard, you can make a decent living as a freelancer. But remember that quality is more important than quantity.

If you do things right the first time and deliver what was promised, your clients will sing your praises to all their friends and family. 

They will be so impressed by the quality of your work that they’ll keep coming back for more. 

And if you have impeccable standards for yourself, then your reputation will follow suit–which means more clients knocking down your door than ever before!

Quality matters because it shows respect for both yourself and others (your clients), so don’t cut corners just to meet deadlines or save money on supplies; 

Instead, focus on doing things well from start to finish–the way it’s supposed to be done!

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Embrace Being Uncomfortable

The first step to building your freelance business is figuring out what you’re good at and where you want to go with it. 

There will be times when you’re uncomfortable as a freelancer, but that’s okay because being uncomfortable is how you learn new things.

For example:

You may be out of your comfort zone when you are starting because this may be the first time that you’ve ever done something like this. 

It’s important not to let the fear of being out of your comfort zone to keep you from trying something new! 

You’ll get better at it over time, but only if you give yourself a chance by getting started in the first place.

You will also be out of your comfort zone when learning new skills or working with other people who don’t share your values (i.e., clients). 

But remember: all these experiences will help shape who are as a person and hopefully make us better at what we do!

Set Boundaries For Yourself And Clients

One of the most important things you can do when freelancing is to set boundaries for yourself and stick to them. 

This is a practice that I’ve found useful in any type of job situation, but it becomes especially important when you don’t have an employer enforcing boundaries for you.

Setting boundaries means being honest about how much work your time and energy can handle. 

It means saying no when someone asks more than you want to give and setting limits on how often you have time to meet with clients or complete tasks. 

Setting boundaries also includes setting expectations, for example, telling clients they will receive regular updates on their project during its development phase. 

Rather than just providing occasional status updates via email or phone call without any explanation of what else was going on with your own life at the time (which is something I used to do).

Sticking with these guidelines might seem difficult at first because they may feel restrictive (them). 

But once they become second nature, they become invaluable tools in managing your workload without burning out or feeling overwhelmed by other people’s demands on your schedule!

Create A System That Works For You And Automate What You Can

The most important part of being a freelancer is creating a system that works for you. 

Freelancing full-time requires more structure than working a traditional job because there are so many moving pieces to keep track of. 

You need a clear schedule and some type of support network to help you stay on top of your work (more about those later).

In addition to having the right systems in place, it’s important to automate what you can. When I began freelancing full-time. 

I was still working another job during the day and could only take on one or two projects at night before getting home and tucking myself into bed around midnight or 1 am. 

Since my business wasn’t making much money yet (it didn’t until later), this was enough time for me to get everything done without being overwhelmed with work on top of my other responsibilities like taking care of myself physically and mentally. 

And also have personal relationships with friends/family members who could help me out with things like childcare when necessary.

As my income increased over time and as I became busier with more clients asking for more content from me each month (which meant longer hours), it became clear that I needed better systems in place if I wanted things not just done but done well and done quickly! 

While there were many tools at our disposal back then such as Google Docs & Sheets which allowed us access anytime anywhere regardless if we had an internet connection available nearby their use wouldn’t have been feasible without knowing how exactly they worked together.

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Ask For Help When You Need It (And Don’t Be Afraid To Ask)

In the beginning, I asked for help from friends and family. They were my first clients, who helped me get my feet wet by getting experience with the kinds of tasks that freelancing requires:

• Discussing what your client needs to know about you (your work history, education, etc.)

• Talking about how much time you’ll need for each assignment

Making Sure Both Parties Agree On Price And Payment Terms

From there, I started working with experts in various fields that could help me expand my knowledge base and become more effective at my job. 

This is also when I began using an assistant who turned out to be a virtual assistant (VA). A VA can be someone working remotely or on-site; they may be part-time or full-time; 

They may provide additional support such as answering emails or doing research; they might even have skills in programming! It all depends on what kind of work you do. 

When I first started looking for VAs for myself and then later other people (as a contractor), we had some technical difficulties finding one because there weren’t enough qualified applicants out there yet.”

Do Both A Weekly And Daily Review Of Your Projects

Now that you have a weekly and daily plan, it’s time to review them both.

You need to do a weekly review at the end of each month (or more often if necessary) to make sure your projects are on track, budgeted, and scheduled properly. 

This is also where you can update your progress towards your goals for the year, especially if you have changed any since setting them earlier in the year.

A daily review is a quick check-in with yourself and your business that ensures that everything is going well enough for you to continue focusing on other things or making changes as needed.

Outsource things that aren’t your zone of genius as soon as possible (this includes virtual assistants!)

Outsourcing is a must. It’s not just about getting things done, though that’s important too. When you’re working with a virtual assistant (VA), you’re also outsourcing your brand and reputation to them. You don’t want to give them bad work to do or waste their time by giving them busy work that isn’t valuable to your business or clients.

When you find the right person for the job, be sure they understand what it means to represent your brand and how important it is for their work product to be of high quality and integrity. 

Make sure they know what you expect from them in terms of communication, updates, and progress reporting so that everyone is on the same page as far as expectations go.

It’s always a great idea when hiring someone outside of the office environment (whether an employee or freelancer) for them not only to have access but also to feel comfortable communicating with colleagues via email about projects involving multiple departments at once; 

This way there aren’t any miscommunications between team members due simply because they aren’t sitting next door to each other like traditional office workers might be used to!

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Conclusion

Freelancing is hard work. It’s not for everyone, and it’s not easy especially if you have a full-time job. But in the end, I found it to be well worth my time and effort. 

I was able to double my income, gain more freedom over my schedule (and life), develop new skills, and meet great people who were doing cool things with their lives. 

And most importantly I didn’t have to sacrifice any of those things by quitting my job cold turkey.

Further Reading

Here are some additional resources for further reading on balancing freelance work with a full-time job:

Half Half Travel: Finding Balance Between Freelance Work and Full-Time Employment: Discover tips and strategies for managing your freelance work while juggling a full-time job, ensuring a healthy work-life balance.

Contently: Resources for Freelancing While Working Full-Time: Explore a collection of valuable resources, including articles, guides, and tools, to help you successfully navigate the world of freelancing alongside your full-time employment.

Rock Content: How to Balance Freelance Work: A Guide for Busy Professionals: Learn practical techniques and actionable advice for effectively managing your freelance workload while maintaining productivity and avoiding burnout.

Frequently Asked Questions

How Much Should I Charge?

This is a difficult question to answer. Some freelancers charge $1,000 per project and some charge $10,000 +. 

The most important thing to remember is that the price you set has little to do with the value of your work (in other words, don’t undercut yourself). 

Instead, the amount you charge should be based on how much time and effort it will take to complete each project.

What If I Can’t Find Any Clients? How Do I Get Started?

The best way for new freelancers to find clients is by building their network of contacts through social media and networking events like conferences or meetups where they can meet potential clients in person. 

You don’t need thousands of followers on Twitter or Instagram because most people will connect with their friends first before approaching strangers when looking for help with something like hiring a freelancer so start small! 

Once you have built up a solid reputation as someone who delivers quality work consistently at reasonable prices then things will start taking off from there!

How can I find the right balance between my freelance work and full-time job?

Finding the right balance between freelance work and a full-time job requires careful planning and prioritization. Start by setting clear boundaries, allocating specific time slots for each, and managing your energy levels effectively.

What are some strategies for managing time when freelancing and working full-time?

Effective time management is crucial when juggling both freelance work and a full-time job. Consider techniques such as creating a schedule, utilizing productivity tools, outsourcing tasks, and learning to say no to projects that exceed your capacity.

How do I avoid burnout when balancing freelancing and full-time employment?

Avoiding burnout is essential for maintaining your well-being. Ensure you allocate time for self-care, establish healthy boundaries, practice effective stress management techniques, and prioritize rest and relaxation.

Can I negotiate my workload with clients to accommodate my full-time job?

Yes, it’s possible to negotiate your workload with clients to fit your availability. Open communication and setting realistic expectations are key. Discuss your situation with your clients, agree on manageable deadlines, and maintain transparency about your other commitments.

Are there any legal considerations or conflicts of interest when freelancing alongside full-time employment?

It’s important to review your employment contract or consult with legal professionals to ensure there are no conflicts of interest or breach of contract clauses related to freelancing. Some companies have policies regarding moonlighting or side jobs, so familiarize yourself with your employer’s guidelines to stay compliant.