FREELANCING

When I started out as a freelancer, money was one of my biggest concerns. How would I control my financial situation given the unpredictable nature of a freelance income?Would I have enough to get by?

It’s easy to feel worried when you’re used to earning a more stable income but there are specific ways to overcome this problem, safeguard your financial position, and feel less anxious.

It just takes a little time to consider, and put in place, strategies to deal with cash in your business. …

FREELANCING

Freelance work can be irregular, especially at the beginning of your career. But it can also easily dry up when you’re fully established, with what you thought was a firm client base.

Client needs vary all the time, and can suddenly change. You might find yourself with no work at all at some point, but if you’re prepared, you can deal with the problem calmly and effectively.

So what can you do to keep the freelance dream going, and those pennies coming in?

Freelance marketplaces

FREELANCING

Indexing is a great freelance career to build from home. It doesn’t usually require travel or expensive equipment, and can be started with a computer, an internet connection, and the appropriate training or experience.

As a professional indexer you’ll need to understand the subject of a book, and know which phrases the reader might look for. And then you go on to compile the index.

What does a freelance indexer do?

As a book indexer you’ll read manuscripts, understand the main themes and concepts, and build a ‘back-of-book’ index that helps readers find information.

You’re effectively a ‘bridge’ between the author and the reader, understanding the…

WORK FROM HOME

Working from home sounds idyllic, but your days do require a little forethought and planning. If you don’t achieve a balance between work and home life, you’ll burn out and wish you were back in the office.

And you can’t get a better balance than 8:8:8

So what is this magical formula that brings peace and fulfillment to your life?

It’s something I’ve tried recently, and will honestly never go back to my old ways. It’s skyrocketed productivity, brought a sense of order to my working day, and helped me sleep better.

It can do all these things for you…

MENTAL HEALTH

Live simply in the noise and friction
Don’t lose your self to expectation
Of people you don’t even know
Or those you do

Don’t burden your soul
To the point of illness
Incessant chatter, judgement, demands
Impose unnecessary restrictions on your plans

Don’t forget those you love
Who bring you peace and lift you up
So you’re not in this imperfect life alone
At work, at play, especially at home

Be wary of people who spoil your peace
Set careful boundaries to live with ease
It’s up to you who enters your world
So say goodbye to drama and turmoil

…

FREELANCING

You’re in charge of every aspect of your freelance career and business. It’s all in your hands, but don’t worry. Any business skills you don’t already possess can be learned, or gained with experience.

So don’t get caught up in analysis paralysis about what you know and don’t know. Get that freelance business started and you can either learn as you go along, or take one of the many free and low-cost courses available online.

I’ve found these six business skills the most relevant and important to me as a freelancer — I’m sure they’ll help you too.

1. Financial management

PRODUCTIVITY

Do you stumble from each day to the next in a state of total confusion? Make this year the year that everything changes with the help of these great freelance-friendly apps.

They all have a part to play in building up your freelance career, and provide a structure around which to become more efficient and productive.

From storing your favourite reads for later, to a beautiful Tibetan timer that tells you when it’s time to stop work, freelancer apps boost your productivity and make each day more enjoyable.

Here are some of my favourites.

Pocket

FREELANCING

It’s more or less assumed that freelancers are creative beings. We have to build our own businesses, which is a creative task in its own right — right?

Designers, developers, and writers, are just three types of freelancer whose businesses are based around creativity. So what happens if you lose the creative thread that winds around your career and life?

Here are five easy ways to regenerate, rejuvenate, and get those creative juices flowing again.

1. Take a step back from your work

If your brain is struggling to come up with new ideas or concepts, take a step back for a little while. …