Being a freelancer is becoming more mainstream as the years go by. I’ve noticed more of an understanding from others when I tell them that I freelance and often work remotely; but, there are still some that react with: “wow, lucky you! So, you get to work from bed everyday?”
Let me just answer that real quick: NO.
While I may respond to a few emails from bed here and there, I’m up and working by 9 a.m., just like everyone else – just from a location that isn’t an office.
As a child, I never dreamed of being a freelance writer/communication consultant. At times, I still wonder how I wound up in this position but am grateful that it’s turned out this way.
While it’s something I love, I am still working at odd hours and am learning new things everyday. And, being that this is a relatively new method of work, I’ve had to blaze my own trail through a series of trial and error to learn what is most effective and productive.
The most important things I’ve learned include: have a method of organization, keep irritatingly attentive focus on your finances, and be sure to learn the work/life balance.
First, developing a method of organization has been crucial. I’ve tried different formats of journals and planners and have finally found something that works for me. I’ve created a binder for my work to-dos, personal to-dos, calendars, and finances.
Having all of this in one place makes everything easily accessible. It’s become part of my routine to update my lists and calendars everyday.
This leads me to my finances. I have a folder dedicated to: tax-deductable receipts, paychecks, and a list of work-related mileage. Being that a lot of freelance work is paid on a 1099, you are on your own for taxes.
Keeping everything paper-based in one place, and labeling it as you go, will help you prior to April 15.
I break down my mileage by month, and write notes on each receipt to remember the exact work-related meeting I was out and about for and was required to buy lunch.
Finally, learning the balance between work and life has been an ongoing lesson. While I still respond to the occasional work text or email during off hours, I’ve learned that it’s not the end of the world if I let something small wait until the next morning or after the weekend.
Going through a phase of making myself accessible at all hours led to nothing but stress and burnout. Deciding to make myself take a step back was the best move for my mental and physical health as well as my work. A better you = better work.
