The freelance life can be difficult to manage, especially at first. Trust me, I know. From managing my finances to getting actual work done, there were quite a few challenges along the way. Here are things (tips and lessons learned) that can help you navigate your transition into a fully-independent lifestyle:
| Takeaways |
|---|
| 1. Embrace the Unique Freelance World |
| 2. Discover the Potential of Freelancing as a Career |
| 3. Understand How Freelancing is Changing the Face of Business |
| 4. Explore High-Paying Freelance Job Opportunities |
| 5. Embrace the Future of Work: Freelance-Centric |
It’s An Emotional Rollercoaster
Freelancing is a great way to meet like-minded people, but it can also be quite lonely. You need to be able to work on your own and push through self-doubt, or you won’t get anywhere. You might feel down about not being able to make as much money from freelance work as you did from a full-time job, or worry that you’re not taking enough breaks throughout the day.
It’s okay if these feelings creep up on you sometimes, but try not to let them take over your entire day because they’ll just make everything more stressful than it already is!
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You’ll Feel Like A Loser A Lot
I know what you’re thinking. “I feel like a loser.”
When I first started my freelance business, I felt like a total imposter. I made things that I was proud of and posted them online, but nothing happened. No one responded to my emails or calls (which were nonexistent). If anything, the silence was deafening.
The truth is that it’s normal to feel like an imposter when starting as a freelancer or any time in your career for that matter because it’s often unclear how long it will take before your hard work pays off using traditional measures such as income or recognition from colleagues and clients alike.
Even if this wasn’t true though, many people struggle with building up their self-confidence because they’re afraid that if they fail at something then others will think poorly of them too; this fear has been dubbed “imposter syndrome.” But don’t let fear get in the way of pursuing what’s important: doing meaningful work with great people!
Entrepreneurial Mindset Is Key
If you don’t have an entrepreneurial mindset, it’s time to develop one. Being a full-time freelancer is similar to being a business owner you’re responsible for all aspects of your work and are in charge of making sure that the business runs smoothly.
It’s important for you as an individual freelance writer to think like a business owner would: You need to be able to set goals and achieve them, communicate with clients effectively, keep track of your finances (especially taxes), and stay organized and motivated, etc.
Get Ready To Hustle
If you’re planning to go full-time freelancing, you need to be ready to hustle. You need to be willing to work long hours and put in extra effort when things get tough. You’ll need a thick skin, too the internet can be an unfriendly place.
I know some people who have been able to make a living as freelancers from their bedrooms (or wherever they happen to live), but most of us aren’t that lucky. For most freelance writers, it’s much more realistic for them to work from home than it is for them not at all so if that’s your situation, don’t despair! Just remember that whatever happens with your business will take hard work and perseverance.
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You’ll Have More Time On Your Hands
One of the most obvious benefits of freelancing is that you can make your hours. You don’t have to commute to an office every day, and if you’re working from home instead, then even less time will be spent traveling.
It’s up to you how much effort you want to put into your job; no supervisors or deadlines are pushing you forward. As long as you meet your client’s needs and deadlines, it doesn’t matter when exactly the work gets done.
Business Growth Takes Time (And Money)
The first thing to remember about building a business is that it takes time. It’s not going to happen overnight, and you will have to invest in yourself if you want the business to grow.
Here’s what that means:
- Investing in yourself means learning new skills, attending conferences, joining mastermind groups, or hiring coaches. If you want your business to be successful, then you have to be willing to learn from other people who have already done what it is that your company does (or something similar).
The more knowledge and experience you have under your belt when starting on this journey, the better off things will go for everyone involved including customers who value quality products created by passionate people who care about what they do.
- Investing in your team means finding great people with good attitudes and strong work ethics who are willing to put themselves out there and work hard every day without being asked twice because they know how important their role is within the organization as well as how much good could come from them sticking around long term with excellent performance reviews and promotions along the way!
Your True Friends Will Be There For You
You will be a freelancer for the rest of your life, so you need to surround yourself with people who are going to help you get through this.
Thinking about working from home as a full-time thing can feel like an impossible dream, especially if you’re used to having all kinds of distractions around you at work. So don’t worry if it seems impossible now just take it one day at a time and keep building those relationships that will help sustain your newfound career path.
The landscape of business is rapidly changing, and freelancing is playing a major role in this transformation. Learn about the impact of freelancing on businesses in our in-depth article on how freelancing is changing the face of business.
Be Prepared To Work Alone
It’s up to you. If you’re uncomfortable working solo, you may have a harder time finding work as a freelancer. You must be comfortable with the idea of being alone and without the structure of an office environment. If this doesn’t sound like something that excites you, then don’t forego pursuing full-time freelance work.
Manage your time better than anyone else in the world. When freelancing, clients aren’t always going to be available at your beck and call when it comes to scheduling meetings or answering calls during business hours which means it’s up to you to make sure things get done on time.
You need to make sure your schedule is manageable so that if a client needs something done at 3 AM (and yes, they will), then you will be ready and willing (and awake) enough to do whatever it takes so that the job gets done right away without any fussing around back-and-forth over emails or phone calls just because someone didn’t plan their day right.”
You’re Gonna Need All The Help You Can Get
You’re gonna need all the help you can get. As a freelancer, you’ll be responsible for managing your own time and creating your structure. You don’t have an office to go back to at 5 PM you’re working when you want to work and doing what you want to do. If you’re not careful, this freedom can easily lead to burnout or other problems like procrastination or poor productivity.
This means that as a freelancer, it’s even more important for us to build systems into our daily lives so we can stay productive and make sure our business is running smoothly with minimal stress from day-to-day tasks (and phone calls).
You’ll Have More Flexibility And Freedom In Your Schedule
You can work when you want to, where you want to, and as much or as little as you like. The best part is that this isn’t just a temporary arrangement if it works for your lifestyle, it could be the ideal way for you to earn a living from home full-time!
This means that if something comes up in your personal life (your kids get sick or one of them needs extra attention), it won’t disrupt your workflow because there isn’t any structure involved.
This also means if someone in another country needs immediate help with their online business and they pay well because they need help ASAP you could use that money right away instead of waiting weeks until the next paycheck arrives at home via snail mail (or worse yet: snail email).
Side Projects Matter The Most
Side projects are just as important as the work you do for clients. Don’t forget about them! You can use your side projects to:
Find your target audience; If you’re a developer, make an app or tool that would be useful and popular with other developers. If you’re a writer, write a book that’s geared toward writers like yourself.
Build your brand; Use your side project to show off what kind of person (and business) you are and reach people who share your values and interests in the process by writing articles or creating products that represent them too!
Gain experience working independently; This is important because it’s something that most businesses struggle with when starting – especially if they’re first-timers on their own without much experience managing their time effectively while also being responsible for paying bills themselves.
The best way I’ve found so far is simply by doing lots of side projects; it’ll help build up some new skills which will come in handy later down the road when interviewing potential customers/clients who may want someone who could handle multiple tasks at once (this happens frequently).
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Fully Commit To It
If you want to be a full-time freelancer, then you have to fully commit to it. You need to give yourself the training, the tools, and the mindset needed to succeed at this business model. The more committed you are, the faster your business will grow and the more chances of learning new things that will help in achieving success in this field.
The best thing about becoming a full-time freelancer is that no boss is telling you where and when you should work or what tasks you should do next. It’s all up to you – whether you want to work 9 am – 5 pm every day or if it’s fine for you just work 8 am – 2 pm every day instead; there won’t be any problem at all!
Your Home Office Becomes Your Sanctuary
Your home office becomes your sanctuary. No boss is telling you what to do, or when to do it. You can take as long as you want on a project because it’s not going to cost you a dime in overage fees. It’s all on your terms, and that’s a wonderful feeling.
But because of this freedom and flexibility, the most important thing to remember is that while we’re freelancing full-time now and we get to work from anywhere with an internet connection we are still working at our jobs! So make sure that your office space is set up for success by keeping these tips in mind:
Invest In Yourself
Invest in your skills and education, so you can reach the next level of success easier and faster. It’s easy to feel like you’re getting nowhere when you’re working on a project and hitting a wall, but if you have the right skills and education, it will be much easier to climb over that wall. Learning new things can make all the difference for your freelancing business, so keep an eye out for ways that you can improve yourself as a professional.
Never stop learning! When people think about freelance writing careers, they often envision writers who are already at the top of their game but what most people don’t realize is that there are many different ways to succeed as a full-time freelancer; it’s just up to you what path will work best for your lifestyle.
For example: If you want more freedom in where and how often you write articles (and perhaps even who), then maybe starting as a ghostwriter is right up your alley instead of trying those 9-5 jobs again.
Take Care Of Yourself! (Including Mental Health)
You’re going to be working a lot, so you must take care of yourself.
Take time to relax. I know this sounds like a given, but unless you’re already doing this and you’re already in the habit of relaxing regularly (and if so, good for you), now is not the time to stop relaxing and get back into your routine. Make sure that when you take breaks from your workday that they are actual breaks no Netflix binge-watching or video games are allowed.
You should be doing things that make you feel good physically as well as mentally: whether that be taking long walks outside in nature; meditating; getting massages; practicing yoga or meditation; going swimming at the gym or pool; etc., these are all ways that will help bring balance back into your life so it doesn’t feel like such an overload with all of the freelancing hours!
Eat well! We often forget about eating healthy while we work because we’re focused on our tasks at hand but make sure that even if it means preparing lunch ahead of time (so it’s there ready for when hunger strikes) then go ahead and do so because what goes into our bodies affects how well our brains function (and vice versa).
Eating healthy foods full of nutrients gives us energy instead of making us feel lethargic/unwell afterward which is especially important when working on projects all day long multiple times per week–you need energy both mentally and physically!
Sleep well! Just because freelance life means being able to set one’s schedule doesn’t mean there aren’t consequences involved with not following proper sleep patterns either we’ve already talked about how important restful nights are when waking up early every day without fail but did I mention how important it is
Get Out There
Attend events, meetings, coffee dates, etc…just don’t be afraid to connect with people who share similar goals and interests as you do. And who knows…you might even make some life-long friends along the way. Just enjoy this wonderful journey!
If you’re feeling a bit nervous about getting out there and meeting new people, don’t be! It’s perfectly normal. Just know that as soon as you step outside of your comfort zone and start connecting with other freelancers, it will get easier. The more events or meetups you attend, the better! It may take some time but eventually, it will become second nature for you to go out and network at least once per week!
So what are some ways in which fellow freelancers can help each other? For starters: you might want to consider attending events together (i.e., conferences), having coffee dates with them over Skype/Facebook Messenger (or even just through text messages), going on hikes together…you name it.
You don’t necessarily need anything specific planned out beforehand either just show up ready to connect with others who share similar goals/interests as yours do. Additionally though…even if there isn’t something planned ahead of time (like an event) happening right now…don’t hesitate from reaching out anyway because chances are very good that someone else might respond favorably too!”
Embrace the future of work, which is projected to be freelance-centric. Uncover the reasons why the future of work will be freelance and how this paradigm shift is reshaping the traditional job market.
Final Thoughts
From what I’ve seen in the past, freelancing tends to be one of those things that people either get into by accident and then fall in love with or actively want to do but are just too scared to start. I hope that this article has helped you become more aware of what it takes to succeed as a freelancer and will encourage you to leap!
Further Reading
Signs to Start Freelance Career: Explore the telltale signs that indicate it’s time to embark on a freelancing journey and take control of your career.
Becoming a Freelancer is a Great Choice – Here’s Why: Discover the compelling reasons why freelancing can be a fantastic career choice, offering flexibility, autonomy, and fulfilling opportunities.
Working as a Freelancer: Gain insights into the experience of working as a freelancer and the unique aspects of freelancing in the translation and interpreting industry.
People Also Ask
How Do I Choose Which Clients To Work With?
This is one of the first questions that people ask when they’re getting started as freelancers and it’s an important one. You want to make sure you’re working with clients who will help grow your business and pay their bills on time.
If you find yourself feeling like they aren’t paying attention to your needs or treating you fairly, don’t be afraid to end the relationship you’ll find someone else who appreciates what you bring to the table!
What Is It Like To Become A Full-Time Freelancer?
It’s hard. Freelancing means you’re responsible for everything, from marketing to managing your schedule. You have to be able to manage your clients and make sure they’re happy with your work, and at the same time keep up with your deadlines.
That’s not even taking into account all of the technical stuff like invoicing, accounting, and tax filing. But it’s also rewarding you get to work on what you want when you want, set your hours, and decide how much or little you want to take on each day.
Sometimes that means working 16-hour days (maybe even more), but other times it might mean taking a few weeks off so you can go on vacation or just relax at home after getting everything done while working from home all year long!
How Do I Know If I’m Ready To Become A Full-Time Freelancer?
If you’ve been thinking about it for a while, and if you’re finally ready to take the plunge, then you are probably ready. It’s a big decision, though, so make sure to think it through carefully before leaping.
What Are Some Of The Benefits Of Being A Full-Time Freelancer?
You’ll have more freedom than ever before. You can work from anywhere in the world, set your schedule, and spend time with your family if that’s important to you (or if they need help around the house!). And don’t forget any more commuting. Just get yourself a nice pair of noise-canceling headphones and get ready for some uninterrupted productivity!
What Kind Of Skills Should I Have Before Becoming A Full-Time Freelancer?
Well, having some skills under your belt is always helpful when starting as an independent contractor but not necessarily required! If you’re just starting as a freelancer or don’t have any experience yet, don’t worry: there are plenty of places on the internet where people post jobs for newbies.
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.