5 Tips To Tackle Freelancing With a Full-time Job

Working on freelance projects while having a full-time job can be worth the remuneration, but it can get hectic as well.

Give yourself a minute to think about the two following challenges most of us are facing with our current economic situation: (1) no job security, and (2) inflation. These challenges are exactly why even some full-time employees are going for freelance in their spare time. By supplementing your income with extra work, not only can you earn yourself a decent living, but you also have less to worry about when it comes to paying the bills.

The question is, "How do we manage our day jobs along with the freelance work?"Some people jump into the world of freelance without proper planning only to realize later that they have no idea where they are headed with this new career. They slack off, fail to complete their work, hand in poorly done projects, or fail to complete their freelance work during contract-specified working hours.

All of the problems listed above lead to unwanted disputes with the clients and thus a negative overall impression on them. This is why I am going to share with you a practical plan that will help you manage your workload efficiently.

Time Management is the Key

Even though the idea of freelancing seems really sensible, it’s not a piece of cake. If you ask a designer, writer or any other freelancer about their experience, they will tell you that it’s literally impossible – ok not impossible, but difficult to effectively manage – without proper time management. Fail to do that, and it might get all messed up.

For instance, you might be able to slack off one day and make the excuse that you "got caught up with some social obligations" but that will leave you with double the amount of work for tomorrow.

Without a work schedule to follow and the estimated time required for the remaining tasks, you wouldn’t know exactly when to start your work in order to complete the extra amount of work you have to complete that day. This will get carried on to the next and then the next and so on, thereby reducing your productivity and adding to your stress.

What You Can Do

Make a realistic plan and stick to it. By "plan" I mean a specific schedule. For example, it takes me a while to recharge myself and overcome my day-job exhaustion. This is why, I get on with my work at around 9 pm (after several rejuvenating activities) and after 3 hours of regular work (including one or two 5-10 minutes breaks), I’m done with most of the work I have for the day.

Figure out what time suits you best and be specific about when to start or finish and how many breaks to take. Follow this plan vigorously and you will have no problem with your full-time job either.

Go Offline

A lot of people simply can’t help spending a lot of time over the internet, particularly on social networks. When you work from home, you’re free to do what you like, when you like, and for how long you like. Unlike your office network where there are several restrictions and a responsibility to complete work on time, there won’t be limits to browsing at home. For this reason, some spend a little too much time on social media and other websites.

For some strange reason, people, who are well aware of the fact that the time spent in such extra activities will only negatively impact their work and productivity, still choose to spend time doing so. The reason could be because of boredom or a need for change. Whatever the reason, try to put a limit to such activities.

What You Can Do

1. Do your research


2. Save everything that is relevant to your project


3. Go offline

You can also try some distraction-free apps that are quite popular these days. If you’re a social networking addict, you might want to try the Anti-Social app that blocks 30 social networking sites including Facebook, Hulu, Twitter, Tumblr, Pinterest and more. Limitless, Stay Focus, Focus booster, Concentrate, and LeechBlock are also some great applications to track your productivity or minimize distractions during work.

Don’t Take More Work than You Can Handle

Okay, you might be taking extra work because you need more money, but remember, don’t bite off more than you can chew. If you take in more workload than you can manage, then you will not be able to do justice to what you already have. As a result, instead of being productive, you will feel exhausted.

It is necessary to have realistic expectations when you are accepting work. Remember, you’ve got enough on your plate already with your day job, bills and other such obligations. An overfilled plate may look attractive in the beginning, but once you’ve started eating till your stomach’s full, the extra food is simply wasted.

What You Can Do

Think of the mental and physical efforts as your "appetite". If you can only manage three hours of work during the night, you need to have that in mind before you accept projects that will require more time than you can devote.

There is nothing wrong with saying no to your clients, once in a while. If you tell them that your schedule doesn’t permit you, I am sure they will understand. It’s better to know your limits instead of accepting more work than you can handle.

Communicate through Email

Even though communication via phone is more efficient, sometimes it’s better to communicate with your clients through email. Why is this practice better? The reason is that you will be able to save your time.

In my opinion, email or instant messaging is a much more convenient, quick, and efficient form of communication. Plus, you have a history to check back on when either of you disagrees with what has been discussed. A black-and-white proof will always be more convincing than a "did he say or did he not say?"

Also, you won’t have to worry about waiting for your client to "be free", especially when different time zones are under consideration.

What You Can Do

Ask them to email you when they have any questions or require clarification on an idea, draft or sketch, or simply if they want to share their feedback.

You might want to learn to take the opportunity to organize your mailbox better, so you can save time not having to search through threads and threads of history to find what you are looking for, days or months down the road.

Work over the Weekends

During your college life, your full-time classes, travel and other obligations probably took up most of your weekdays. This might have left you with only the weekends to work on the most difficult projects and assignments. Similarly, your nine-to-five day job will definitely take up most of your sunshine hours (and some more to relax) during the week. This is why the weekend is almost always a welcome treat.

The weekend gives you plenty of time to fulfill your freelance commitments and no one except your clients are going to be waiting for your work.

What You Can Do

You can also save your most demanding and high-profile projects for the weekends when you are able to work during the mornings (usually when people are wide awake and fresh).

If you’re worrying about the absence of a social life, think of it this way: you can either get some extra cash in your pocket or a few extra hours to "socialize". Which do you prefer?

Conclusion

Apart from being able to earn more, freelance work will allow you to learn new things and gain more knowledge about a variety of subjects. It certainly requires hard work and effort to build a successful freelance career and it can be demanding on your time in the long run. But you know what’s the best part about all this? It’s when you cash that cheque that your freelance gig got you. Everything will feel worth it then.

Editor’s note: This is written by Preston Pierce. Preston is a marketing professional and a blogger with interest in writing about freelance, designing and writing. He is currently working for a business logo design firm, Logo Ping. You can follow him on Twitter.

5 Tips To Tackle Freelancing With a Full-time Job

5 Tips To Tackle Freelancing With a Full-time Job

Working on freelance projects while having a full-time job can be worth the remuneration, but it can get hectic as well.

Give yourself a minute to think about the two following challenges most of us are facing with our current economic situation: (1) no job security, and (2) inflation. These challenges are exactly why even some full-time employees are going for freelance in their spare time. By supplementing your income with extra work, not only can you earn yourself a decent living, but you also have less to worry about when it comes to paying the bills.

The question is, "How do we manage our day jobs along with the freelance work?"Some people jump into the world of freelance without proper planning only to realize later that they have no idea where they are headed with this new career. They slack off, fail to complete their work, hand in poorly done projects, or fail to complete their freelance work during contract-specified working hours.

All of the problems listed above lead to unwanted disputes with the clients and thus a negative overall impression on them. This is why I am going to share with you a practical plan that will help you manage your workload efficiently.

Time Management is the Key

Even though the idea of freelancing seems really sensible, it’s not a piece of cake. If you ask a designer, writer or any other freelancer about their experience, they will tell you that it’s literally impossible – ok not impossible, but difficult to effectively manage – without proper time management. Fail to do that, and it might get all messed up.

For instance, you might be able to slack off one day and make the excuse that you "got caught up with some social obligations" but that will leave you with double the amount of work for tomorrow.

Without a work schedule to follow and the estimated time required for the remaining tasks, you wouldn’t know exactly when to start your work in order to complete the extra amount of work you have to complete that day. This will get carried on to the next and then the next and so on, thereby reducing your productivity and adding to your stress.

What You Can Do

Make a realistic plan and stick to it. By "plan" I mean a specific schedule. For example, it takes me a while to recharge myself and overcome my day-job exhaustion. This is why, I get on with my work at around 9 pm (after several rejuvenating activities) and after 3 hours of regular work (including one or two 5-10 minutes breaks), I’m done with most of the work I have for the day.

Figure out what time suits you best and be specific about when to start or finish and how many breaks to take. Follow this plan vigorously and you will have no problem with your full-time job either.

Go Offline

A lot of people simply can’t help spending a lot of time over the internet, particularly on social networks. When you work from home, you’re free to do what you like, when you like, and for how long you like. Unlike your office network where there are several restrictions and a responsibility to complete work on time, there won’t be limits to browsing at home. For this reason, some spend a little too much time on social media and other websites.

For some strange reason, people, who are well aware of the fact that the time spent in such extra activities will only negatively impact their work and productivity, still choose to spend time doing so. The reason could be because of boredom or a need for change. Whatever the reason, try to put a limit to such activities.

What You Can Do

1. Do your research


2. Save everything that is relevant to your project


3. Go offline

You can also try some distraction-free apps that are quite popular these days. If you’re a social networking addict, you might want to try the Anti-Social app that blocks 30 social networking sites including Facebook, Hulu, Twitter, Tumblr, Pinterest and more. Limitless, Stay Focus, Focus booster, Concentrate, and LeechBlock are also some great applications to track your productivity or minimize distractions during work.

Don’t Take More Work than You Can Handle

Okay, you might be taking extra work because you need more money, but remember, don’t bite off more than you can chew. If you take in more workload than you can manage, then you will not be able to do justice to what you already have. As a result, instead of being productive, you will feel exhausted.

It is necessary to have realistic expectations when you are accepting work. Remember, you’ve got enough on your plate already with your day job, bills and other such obligations. An overfilled plate may look attractive in the beginning, but once you’ve started eating till your stomach’s full, the extra food is simply wasted.

What You Can Do

Think of the mental and physical efforts as your "appetite". If you can only manage three hours of work during the night, you need to have that in mind before you accept projects that will require more time than you can devote.

There is nothing wrong with saying no to your clients, once in a while. If you tell them that your schedule doesn’t permit you, I am sure they will understand. It’s better to know your limits instead of accepting more work than you can handle.

Communicate through Email

Even though communication via phone is more efficient, sometimes it’s better to communicate with your clients through email. Why is this practice better? The reason is that you will be able to save your time.

In my opinion, email or instant messaging is a much more convenient, quick, and efficient form of communication. Plus, you have a history to check back on when either of you disagrees with what has been discussed. A black-and-white proof will always be more convincing than a "did he say or did he not say?"

Also, you won’t have to worry about waiting for your client to "be free", especially when different time zones are under consideration.

What You Can Do

Ask them to email you when they have any questions or require clarification on an idea, draft or sketch, or simply if they want to share their feedback.

You might want to learn to take the opportunity to organize your mailbox better, so you can save time not having to search through threads and threads of history to find what you are looking for, days or months down the road.

Work over the Weekends

During your college life, your full-time classes, travel and other obligations probably took up most of your weekdays. This might have left you with only the weekends to work on the most difficult projects and assignments. Similarly, your nine-to-five day job will definitely take up most of your sunshine hours (and some more to relax) during the week. This is why the weekend is almost always a welcome treat.

The weekend gives you plenty of time to fulfill your freelance commitments and no one except your clients are going to be waiting for your work.

What You Can Do

You can also save your most demanding and high-profile projects for the weekends when you are able to work during the mornings (usually when people are wide awake and fresh).

If you’re worrying about the absence of a social life, think of it this way: you can either get some extra cash in your pocket or a few extra hours to "socialize". Which do you prefer?

Conclusion

Apart from being able to earn more, freelance work will allow you to learn new things and gain more knowledge about a variety of subjects. It certainly requires hard work and effort to build a successful freelance career and it can be demanding on your time in the long run. But you know what’s the best part about all this? It’s when you cash that cheque that your freelance gig got you. Everything will feel worth it then.

Editor’s note: This is written by Preston Pierce. Preston is a marketing professional and a blogger with interest in writing about freelance, designing and writing. He is currently working for a business logo design firm, Logo Ping. You can follow him on Twitter.

5 Tips To Tackle Freelancing With a Full-time Job

Six Common Freelancing Myths

Just as the freelance industry is exploding with undiscovered, talented (and some not so talented) people, the myths that come with it are thriving as well. It’s funny how I even get to hear opposite views about this profession. While Nancy believes freelancers make tons of money in no time, Drew says that they are barely able to pay their bills and taxes. Jennifer claims that you have all the time on your hands, but then Ross said that the work and stress never ends. Who to believe?

Well, as an experienced freelancer, I believe I have the ability to put those myths to rest once and for all. First, imagine yourself on a stranded island with zero people. Will you die and become a tasty meatloaf for the animals in the jungle? Or, will you have that Robinson Crusoe survival instinct that will allow you to go through every thick and thin to make your way to your destination?

Image Source: The Word Freelance on Wood Stamp via Shutterstock.

You’ll Make Tons Of Money — Fast

True! You may be able to make tons of money fast in any job, but usually that’s not-so-legal (Hush!) work. Freelance won’t give you the big bucks immediately. You have to invest in a lot of your time and effort before that can be happened. Like any other profession you have to build a portfolio.

That means you’ll need plenty of experience, immense skill-set, and some negotiation skills to deal with clients before you start making the big bucks. There is no easy way to go up the ladder. How long it takes you to climb, is entirely up to your determination and the amount of effort and time you invest.

You Get To Be Your Own Boss

While it’s not advisable to have an “employee” mindset when you’re a freelancer, there will definitely be someone you will be working for (and in fact be their employee). The client, who is paying you, will get to make certain choices of his own that you’ll have to adhere to if you’re in the game. Freelancing is a two-way relationship. In order to get the reviews and feedback you want, you’ll have to listen to care for — your clients.

That doesn’t have to mean you are their boss or that they are yours. It just means that there will always be someone you are working with whose requests will have to be taken care of.

Image Source: Creative Man Dreaming via Shutterstock.

However, in the beginning I mentioned that having that “employee” mindset is not advisable. The old-fashioned autocratic style where one says “You do this!” and the other says “Ok, boss”, is the wrong approach. Think creatively and innovatively, and give yourself the freedom to present your own ideas whenever you can. Also, make sure you set limits to how much someone can ask from you. Maybe, the compensation they offer doesn’t worth your time and effort.

I Am An Introvert And I Only Get To Embrace My Loneliness

Agreed, this is a field that attracts most introverts and they love it! However, just like any other job, you have to attain a certain amount of work-social life balance to climb up the ladder. I don’t mean hanging out with your family or your significant-other (unless of course they know a lot of useful people). I mean, you have to network a little to open more windows of opportunities.

Whether you are connecting with prospective clients or just hanging out with someone having experience and expertise, being out there in the world is necessary for any kind of profession.

They’ll Be Paying You Pennies For The Work You Do

This contradicts with the first myth. Neither the first and nor this myth is true. Again, this is something that depends on your own intellect and negotiation skills.

Now, go back to the island and try to imagine where you’ll find food. The coconut tree will be a great option and an easy one. You can just keep batting the branches and a few will drop. It will certainly be a good start, but what about later on when you get bored and it eventually fails to quench your hunger for other nutrients? You’ll need to go hunting for a meatier prize that lasts longer. Sure, it will take some time to develop the hunting skills before you go bustling through the leaves for that animal. But when you’re finally ready, you can strike the bow without worrying about being eaten first.

The initial .5 is good to build a profile. However, in time when you have built your own value and reputation, you’ll be able to get clients that are willing to pay you more for what you do with bigger projects and more time before they finish.

It Is A Stress-Free Job, Unlike Others

Oh no, this one definitely isn’t true. Just because you have some flexibility doesn’t mean you’ll live a stress-free life. In fact, freelancing involves many other stressors that other job’s don’t have. For example, although you get to choose the job you want to do and get hired or fired without a worry about finding more projects, fishing through tons of JDs and applying is stressful on its own.

Image Source: Under Pressure via Shutterstock.

Or, the fact that you have flexible timings doesn’t help to reduce the stress when you have to submit a design project without an excuse about “not being at the office”. The communication gap between a client on the other side of the world can be a cause of stress too, at times, which other 9-5-ers don’t have to deal with.

Freelancing Is For Those Who Can’t Find A Job

Not true! Many freelancers are in for the gig by choice. Some of them have a passion to “write” unlike the traditional journalism style and just want to put that passion to action. Work-life balance is another major reason why freelancers jump into this field. Moreover, there are some really successful people in the field who possess a horde of talent and manage their freelance projects or consultancies along with a 9-5 job.

Concluding

So, next time you hear a Nancy, or Drew, or Jennifer, or Ross talk about freelance, be forewarned! They don’t know what they are talking about. It’s not until you become a freelancer yourself that you can make judgments and give advice on it. What you use and how you use it, to make the best of what’s on that island, is entirely up to you!

The post Six Common Freelancing Myths appeared first on Speckyboy Web Design Magazine.

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Six Common Freelancing Myths