Freelancefolder

How to Freelance with Kids

Posted May 3, 2012 in How-To, Lifestyle

Many people are drawn to freelancing because they feel the flexible lifestyle will give them more time to spend with their kids. With summer just around the corner, many schools are about to end their school year and freelancers with school age kids will once again find their kids at home.

While it’s true that freelancing work can be flexible, it can also be challenging to get work done while the kids are home. Just how challenging depends on the kids and the freelancer… But there are ways to make freelancing with kids easier.

In this post, I’ll provide some easy tips for freelancers who juggle freelancing with parenting.

If you have children at home while you freelance, please add your own tips in the comments so that we can learn from each other.

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Will Your Freelancing Business Rest in Peace?

Posted April 11, 2012 in Lifestyle

What will happen to your freelancing business if you die?

It’s the freelancing plan nobody wants to make, but every freelancer needs to think about. If you were suddenly to become critically ill or even to die, do you know what would happen to your freelancing business?

Most of us can’t answer that question. That’s because most of us haven’t really given it much thought. However, the unexpected happens every day. And during a critical illness or after your death your loved ones may really need to access any payments that you are entitled to. For the sake of your loved ones, it’s best to be ready.

I’m not a lawyer, but this post contains some actions that a freelancer can take to make sure that, in a worst case scenario, your loved ones know your wishes regarding your freelancing business and understand how to carry them out.

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10+ Ways to Get a Better Night’s Rest

Posted April 1, 2012 in How-To, Lifestyle

Are you tired?

Chances are that you answered “yes.” Studies show that up to one third of all adults don’t get enough sleep. If you’re a freelancer, chances are good that you’re among the sleepless.

The problems associated with sleeplessness can be severe. They range from overeating to poor driving to irritability. A sleepless freelancer is also more likely to make mistakes in his or her work.

In this post, I outline ten helpful tips to help you get a better night’s rest.

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40 Plus Ways to Unwind and Relax

Posted March 29, 2012 in How-To, Lifestyle

Freelancers are busy. We wear a lot of hats and most of the time we are also juggling more than one project.

The problem is that this can lead to an awful lot of stress if we’re not careful. And too much stress can be the enemy of productivity. The key to reducing stress is relaxation.

That’s why I’ve written this post that includes over forty things that freelancers can do to relax. Some of these will take a few minutes. Others will take a few days. Some may even take a few weeks. But if you’re stressed, it’s worth trying one or more of these ideas.

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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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Part-Time Freelancing–Is It Worth It?

Posted March 21, 2012 in Getting Started, Lifestyle

The growing number of freelancers seems to be a hot topic. Nearly every week I read a news story about how there are more freelancers than ever before (although nobody seems to know for sure exactly how many there are).

What most of those articles don’t mention is that a sizable number of freelancers are part-time freelancers. That means that they have another job and freelance on the side or that they work less than a full workweek by choice. (A full workweek is usually defined as thirty hours.)

In this post, we’ll explore the world of part-time freelancing. We’ll look at some of the reasons people freelance part-time and explore some of the unique challenges they face. Plus, I’ll incorporate tips and advice from five freelancers who work part-time.

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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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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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Making Mondays Work for You

Posted January 23, 2012 in Lifestyle

Are you one of those people who always get the Monday Blues?

Do you have to drag yourself out of bed? Do you feel sluggish and unmotivated all day Monday? And does every thing seem to go wrong on this day?

The Monday blues are common. In fact, a study by the firm Mercer found that 35% of all sick leave is taken on a Monday. In another study, more than 25% of people surveyed said the thought of going back to work on Monday morning was enough to ruin their weekend.

These studies were done among employees, and you’re a freelancer. But I’ll bet if you could take Mondays off, you would.

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