Freelancing 101

     I've been freelancing for over a year now and I'd like to share some tips that I wish I had known when I started. First figure out how you work best. In a short essay, Paul Graham described people working in two ways, as a maker or a manager. The maker is task oriented and needs large chunks of time to complete something whereas the manager breaks up time by the clock. These two types of people are at odds with one another and can be a source of conflict is you're a maker trying to work in a managers schedule and vice versa.

1. Set goals for yourself
Without anyone imposing structure on your life, it is really easy to do nothing. The night before I'll set a goal for the next day. Tomorrow is a writing day and I hope to write two articles for this blog. Or tomorrow is an editing day and I hope to finish editing _____ video.

2. Set rules for yourself
I set rules so that my day runs smoother and so I'm interrupted less. I will check my email (and social media sites) in the morning and the evening and maybe once in the middle of the day, but that's it. Same thing with phone calls, I only return them (if I must) first thing in the morning or in the late afternoon. I  won't check throughout the day because it really ruins my flow.

3. Eat
Working from home, it is very tempting to just graze all day and not eat a proper meal. Of if you're like me, forget to eat all together. Please eat at least one proper meal per day. When I make my work schedule for the day, I will write in a lunch time or a dinner time because if I don't I'll forget.

4. Schedule a day off
I know it sounds silly but with no one overseeing that you have time off, that job falls to you. My rule of thumb is for every 6 days I work I must schedule myself a full day off. For me a day off is a day to relax and recharge, not a day to catch up on household chores. I realize there will be exceptions to this rule but time off is really important.

5. Keep Notes
I keep track of how many hours I work, where I work, and how much I am paid. These notes have been crucial in figuring out how much I am actually working versus how much I need to work to support myself. And when I'm asked to give a day rate I have data to inform my decision about how much to charge. It also helps to know where I'm going when because in any given month I work anywhere from 2-12 different places.

6. Speak Up/Learn to Say No
There is nothing wrong with turning down a job; it doesn't mean that you will never get another job again. Not every job is worth the aggravation. It also means you have every right to contact your employer if you have not been paid in a timely fashion. If I haven't been paid in over a month since the job ended I will usually send the company an email asking about it. I've waited as long as 4 months for payment. Don't be afraid to follow up.

7. Value your Time
My relationship to money has drastically changed. I was always good with money and budgeting/saving for things. However, I always had a safety net aka my parents and student loans. For the longest time the money I earned was for extra things like going to the movies and not for bills. Now most of my money goes towards supporting myself. If I don't value my time no one else will. Valuing my time means I rarely work for free anymore.

8. Comfortable chairs
When I'm working from home I spent an inordinate amount of time in front of the computer and so having a comfortable chair makes a huge difference. If you are working outside the home, having a good sturdy pair of shoes can make a huge difference.

9. Leave the House
I went stir crazy the first few months because I was always in my house. Go outside. Go to the park. Take a walk. Have coffee with a friend. Anything to break up the monotony of the day.

10. Have Fun
Again, you are you're own boss, so make sure you schedule in time to hang out with friends or go out. My work schedule constantly changes so my off days don't always line up with my friends' off days. It is more effort to schedule this time but it is well worth the effort.

There are several books that I found helpful about the topic. As suggested by Rosianna on youtube, Creative Inc by Meg Mateo Ilasco (and it's companion Craft Inc) discussed how to turn a creative venture into a business, how to find clients, how to write an invoice and Important tax info. I've found the book invaluable. I just started reading Craft Inc. My second suggestion is The 4 hour Workweek by Tim Ferriss. Yes I work more than 4 hours per week but the book did force me to think about how I work best and ideas about how to work efficiently and productively. Most of these books are available at public libraries in print and ebook form.

I hope this helps and if you have any other suggestions please leave them in the comments below. If you've read any of these books, What did you think of them?