Freelance: how not to become a slave to your own independence

Working from home hides several pitfalls you may not know about at first. Solving the problem of the constant deadlines, no weekends and lack of time can be done with the simple organization. Here are some tips for freelancers who want to succeed in this uneasy field.

1. Harsh discipline

After some time of working from home you realize that responsibility and discipline are those two things that hold everything together. Being a freelancer means you have to be even more meticulous and thorough than the most exemplary office worker.

Tips:

• There should be no social networks till 12:00. All the time-managers are right saying that morning is the most productive part of the day.
• Plan your day. It may sound banal, but the easiest way to lead an organized life is to have a datebook. You should plan every hour of your day to be the most productive.

2. Health

Many people complain that it is difficult to have normal lunches in office, but when you work from home… it is difficult to have normal breakfast, lunch and dinner. Even when you are at home and a couple of feet away from the fridge, you remember to eat only when your stomach starts to make noises. And instead of making the most from the home-made food, you eat a sandwich with tea because it saves time.

Office workers have at least normal breakfasts and dinners. Freelancers, on the other hand, often forget about the right food.

Tips:

• Eat on schedule. No one makes you cook very difficult elegant dishes. The Internet is full of simple yet healthy recipes.
• Sign up for a gym. Or you can start running in the mornings or riding a bike. Physical activity is very important for freelancers.
• Take care of your eyes. Many freelancers sit up to 15 hours in front of a monitor finishing a project. Don’t forget to give your eyes to rest and to do eye gymnastics.

3. Communication

Situations differ here. You can be a freelance journalist who interviews different people every day. Then you don’t have problems with live communication. But if you love talking over the lunch, tea, business meetings or while working, you may find it hard at first.

Tips:

• Co-working is a great decision here. There are already many places where you can come and work along with other people. If there isn’t a place like this nearby but you want to get out of the house and see people, go to a café or restaurant.
• Have lunches with your friends or family. They will keep you from feeling lonely sometimes. I got this tip from my friend who works at
EssayJedii.com. She eats lunch with her family at least once a week and feels great about it.

4. Personal space

Personal space disappears once you become a freelancer. Working from home, you realize why some people have a separate room for work. Because if you don’t, your entire apartment becomes your working place. Every bedside-table, book or even your favorite bed will be associated with plans, deadlines and tasks.

Tips:

• Well, the main tip is quite obvious here – have a special place for work in your home. You should have a table, a chair and a lamp for that. No sofas, armchairs, floor or carpets are good for that.
• Co-working, again. It creates working environment and gives you good place to concentrate.

5. Personal time

Starting a freelance work, you get more time for your projects. However, now you need to look for jobs every week, get constant phone calls from clients and get used to unstable income. It all requires additional hours. So you may have to sacrifice your personal time.

Tips:

• Take care of how you look. Surely, you don’t go out much, but don’t become a cave-man.
• You will understand why weekends are so important. In these days, you can do so many personal things you don’t have time for during work days.

Adam Cameron is a full time writer and editor. He enjoys reading, travelling and spending time with smart people.