Freelancefolder

Why We Keep on Freelancing Despite All Warnings

Posted May 23, 2012 in Inspiration

The number of freelancers is growing rapidly despite the fact that many articles and blogs (including Freelance Folder) warn would-be freelancers of the potential pitfalls of freelancing.

I still do think it’s a good idea to warn folks about possible freelancing drawbacks. It’s no secret that some people just aren’t cut out for freelancing.

However, there are also many compelling reasons why freelancing is becoming more and more popular. With all the negativity, it’s important not to lose sight of those reasons.

In this post, I’ll share six of the reasons why we keep on freelancing despite all the warnings. At the end of the post, you can share some of your own thoughts about why freelancing is growing in popularity.
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How to Fit Freelancing Into the Rest of Your Life

Posted March 26, 2012 in Inspiration, Lifestyle

Freelancing is not just a job, it’s a lifestyle.

You’ve probably heard that statement before, and in a sense, it’s true. But lifestyle or not, one of the biggest struggles that freelancers face is balancing work and life.

This is ironic, because the search for work/life balance is one of the primary motivators that drives many to freelancing.

Is work/life balance really possible? The answer is yes–usually, but not perfectly and not always. A balanced life takes some planning.

And of course, there will be some times when you feel that your life is more balanced and other times when you feel that it is less balanced. That’s just normal.

In this post, I’ll provide some tips to help you to integrate your freelancing career into the rest of your life. With a bit of work on your part, you should be on your way to finding a better work/life balance.

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The Psychology Behind Successful Freelancing

Posted March 9, 2012 in Inspiration, Lifestyle

No matter what we tell you about how to become a successful freelancer, the fact remains that a lot of what it takes to succeed comes from inside of you.

Of course, we readily acknowledge a few of the ways that freelancing affects our psyches. For example, we’ve written a boatload of materials about stress. We’ve also written a lot about loneliness.

But stress and loneliness are not the only ways that freelancing affects us. (Of course, we’ll continue to write about stress and loneliness from time to time because those are very real problems that affect a lot of people.)

In this post, however, we’ll cover some of the less discussed psychological aspects of freelancing. We’ll also look at how freelancing can really affect your outlook on life. As you review these mental struggles that we all face as freelancers, I think you’ll come to agree with me that we freelancers are a unique breed.
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How to Find Your Freelancing Confidence Today

Posted March 7, 2012 in How-To, Inspiration

It takes a lot of confidence to jump from an airplane, even if you do have a parachute. It also takes a lot of confidence to jump out of the traditional workplace into the freelancing marketplace.

Do you know what factor really keeps a lot of freelancers from achieving their ultimate success?

If you’re like me you’re probably guessing things like “lack of clients” or “not enough skills.”

While clients and skills are definitely important factors in achieving success, they aren’t the only factors. Surprisingly, confidence (or lack of it) plays a huge determining role in whether a freelancer is successful or not.

In this post, I explain why confidence is important and show you how you can bolster your confidence as a freelancer

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The Freelancer’s Pros and Cons of Early Adoption

Posted March 5, 2012 in Inspiration, Lifestyle

Early adopters are the first wave of users of technology products like software, hardware and social media sites. Of course, the term “early adopter” can apply to nontechnical products and services as well. In this post, we’re limiting the discussion to technology products since that is the area most applicable to freelancing.

If you wait in line to be one of the first to purchase a new product version (such as for an iPhone, iPad, or Android) or if you are among the first to sign up for a new social media site (such as Google+), chances are that you are already an early adopter.

Companies count on early adopters to provide crucial feedback on new products and other consumers count on early adopters to find the bugs and teach them the best way to use technology products and services.

As a freelancer, should you be an early adopter? The answer is, that depends… In this post, we’ll weigh the pros and cons of becoming an early adopter from a freelancing standpoint.

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How to Deal with Freelancing Change

Posted January 11, 2012 in Inspiration, Lifestyle

Change is inevitable.

This is true whether you’re a freelancer, or not. But, because of the nature of freelancing, we freelancers tend to face change and its consequences a bit more frequently than other folks do. That’s why it’s really important to have a Plan B and to keep that plan up to date. Having an emergency fund does not hurt either.

There’s much more to dealing with freelancing change that just having a Plan B, though. You also need to deal with the emotional toll that freelancing change can take on you. Handling the emotional toll of freelancing change is what this post is all about. In it, I’ll share some practical tips to help you keep the inevitable freelancing changes in perspective so you can stay at your best as a freelancer.

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12 Must-Read Freelancing Predictions for 2012

Posted January 3, 2012 in Inspiration

Don’t you wish you could see into the future of freelancing? If you could, you’d know what freelancing trends are coming up and what niches to concentrate on. You’d be ahead of the game on social media too.

But seeing into the future, like mind reading, is an imprecise art (at best). However, it is possible to make some educated guesses about the future of freelancing based on current trends.

So, that’s what I’m going to do for 2012. In this post I’ll share twelve predictions about areas that will impact freelancers in the coming year. At the end of the post, I’d like you to share your predictions too.

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5 Tips to Kick the Perfectionist Habit

Posted December 12, 2011 in Inspiration

Hello. My name is Mike. And I’m a recovering perfectionist.

For a long time, I believed that being a perfectionist was a good thing. I was proud of my compulsion to work and rework even the smallest assignment until it was faultless. What did it matter that it took me hours more than it probably should have? I was a perfectionist. All that mattered was that I nailed it.

When I became a freelancer, however, I realized that my perfectionism wasn’t the big pat-on-the-back that I thought it was. In fact, it was just the opposite. With my eye now always on the clock, I saw that my relentless quest for perfection was making me inefficient. More often than I care to confess, I undercharged clients because I didn’t want to admit the true amount of time it had taken me to complete the assignment. (Note: this is not a good way to run a business.)

Frustrated and anxious, I knew I had to beat the problem or kiss my career goodbye. But how? I was afraid that if I devoted any less time to my projects, I’d make some hideous mistake and ruin my career. I also afraid that being even a smidgen less meticulous might result a failure to meet–no, exceed–my client’s expectations. How could I alter my work habits without sacrificing my high standards?

Well, it didn’t happen overnight, but I did eventually come up with a workable strategy. If you suspect you might be a perfectionist too, consider these five tips to bring your obsessive tendencies under control.

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Stuck in Your Tracks? How to Get Unstuck Today

Posted November 30, 2011 in Inspiration

Freelancing can be a great lifestyle that offers many benefits. However, sometimes even the best freelancers get stuck.

There are many ways a freelancer can get stuck. They can get stuck in the rut of working for low pay. They can get stuck creatively where they find themselves doing the same unchallenging work over and over. Or, they can get stuck when they fall behind technology and current trends.

If this is you–if you’re a stuck freelancer right now, don’t worry. There are ways to become unstuck. In this post, I’ll provide some of those ways to help you get unstuck.

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