On paper, working from home or a café sounds like the dream. You get to dictate your working hours, decide where to work from, and enjoy the freedom of travel. The important distinction worth making here, however, is that being a full-time freelancer isn’t all sunshine and rainbows. Regardless of what service you provide or what kind of a business you run, the types of problems you might face are similar everywhere – time management, stress, for example, lack of stability, and more. So, to avoid these, here are some 5 tips you might want to take into consideration when pursuing a productive career as a freelancer. 1. Plan ahead This is probably the most important thing you can do as a freelancer to make it far. Traditionally, we associate freelancing with more freedom, while your typical employees enjoy a more stable life. However, once you grow as a freelancer, and develop your skills, your attitude changes. This is not to say that the road is easy. Rather, you should always plan ahead and prepare for whatever may happen. According to Anthony Teixeira, who offers professional French translation services, “It is a mistake to associate freelance work and lack of job stability. Once you realize you are a business like any other, you organize yourself differently.” In other words, if you want to stay ahead of the curve, you need to look at your freelancing job as a business. You’ll go further this way. 2. Quality over quantity As a freelancer, you should always prioritize quality over quantity. This means that as you gain more experience, you will want to focus on your quality clients who pay more and that you get along with better. When you start out, you might be tempted to bid on gigs on the lower end of the pay scale because you don’t have as much experience. While it is natural for you to bid on as many projects as possible at first, it’s important to eventually drop that habit. One high-quality gig is more likely to get you the job (compared to many low-quality ones) and pay you more, as well. 3. Don’t be afraid to say “no” Like the above, this tip can be a hard pill to swallow. Saying no can be hard, especially if you’re low on cash and generous. You don’t want to disappoint people. So, you offer to help as much as you can, not considering the load it’ll put on you. Throughout your career as a freelancer, you’ll learn to turn down work and, ideally, benefit from it as well! When turning down a gig, consider your financial situation, your time, and–most importantly–your mental health and how stressful the project will be. If you’re going to burn yourself out on a project, it’s just not worth it. 4. Track your time Your time is the most important resource you have as a freelancer. Learn to track it properly. There are countless apps and tools you can use […]
