Freelancefolder

Working Under Fire — Do You Like Stress, or Not?

Posted August 19, 2009 in Lifestyle, Productivity

Some freelancers insist that stress helps them get their work done. I’ve heard freelancers claim that they actually work better and have more creativity when they are stressed. Not only do they survive, but they seem to thrive when they are stressed.

Other freelancers see stress as something to be avoided. They go to great lengths to avoid people or projects that could be considered stressful. If asked, they’ll tell you that they do their best work when calm. They may have even left a traditional work environment to get away from stress.

Whichever category you fall into, it’s good to take a step back and examine your situation. Too much stress can be harmful to your health; but, on the other hand, it’s very difficult to avoid stress entirely. Here are a few ways to manage your stress and stay healthy and productive:

[Click Here to Read More...]

Open Thread: What Do You Love/Hate About Your Home Office?

Posted August 17, 2009 in Lifestyle, Open Thread

Last week we got a huge response when we posed this question to our twitter followers, so this week I want to ask the same thing to everyone who reads the blog:

What do you love or hate about your home office?

As freelancers, it’s typical to spend many many hours working out of a single room in the house, often out of a single chair or couch. How much you enjoy working and being in that room will influence how productive you are — and, more importantly, it will also influence how happy you are working at home.

Does your office have a nice window with a great view, or is it boxed in at the back of a building? Is it empty and zen-like, or so cluttered that it’s hard to walk through? Do you like the color? Is your chair comfortable?

Share your story in the comments — tell us what you love and what you hate about your office, and by all means offer any tips you have for making the work-at-home experience better.

[Click Here to Read More...]

Continuing Education – It’s Not Just For Employees

Posted August 3, 2009 in Business, Lifestyle

If you’ve ever worked in the corporate world, then you probably already know that corporate employees sometimes get perks that freelancers don’t.

One of those perks is continuing education.

While many corporate employees receive continuing education as a matter of course, many freelancers choose to “economize” by not getting additional training. I believe that continuing education is something freelancers should include in their annual budget.

Don’t be fooled! Corporations provide for continuing education for their employees because it makes good business sense. In return for paying for classes or other training, the company gets more efficient, more knowledgeable workers.

Continuing education makes good business sense for freelancers too. What you learn through continuing education may even allow your business to market additional services or products.

[Click Here to Read More...]

Seven Lies Freelancers Tell Themselves

Posted July 30, 2009 in Business, Lifestyle

There’s no doubt that freelancing can be tough — freelancers face many obstacles. From finding clients, to meeting deadlines, to keeping skills and equipment current, all the way to being paid: freelancing just isn’t easy.

One of the biggest challenges that we freelancers face, however, is one of our own making. It’s the challenge of being totally honest with ourselves and accepting the reality of certain situations. Without overcoming this challenge, without learning to be totally honest with one’s self, it’s pretty tough to succeed.

You see, we freelancers have many excuses. Usually, we believe these excuses wholeheartedly — which is a bad thing. If we can’t recognize a problem, then we can’t take the steps necessary to solve it.

This posts lists the seven most common lies that freelancers use to fool themselves. Overcome these lies, and you’ll increase your chances for success dramatically.

[Click Here to Read More...]

The Simple Truth About Success

Posted July 28, 2009 in How-To, Inspiration, Lifestyle

Success.

That elusive, intangible thing that we’re all searching for day after day, month after month, year after year.

What is success? How does one achieve success? How long does it take? Is it even possible?

[Click Here to Read More...]

Ten Tips To Stay Motivated — Even When You Really Don’t Feel Like Working

Posted July 27, 2009 in Inspiration, Lifestyle, Productivity

It’s a beautiful sunny day. The temperature is just right, and there’s a slight breeze blowing. You’d love to go outside and enjoy the sunshine, but you can’t. Once again, you’re stuck at your computer because you have to meet a deadline.

(Of course, you could take your laptop outside, but you’d still be chained to work and not really free to enjoy the outdoors.)

As a freelancer, you’ve probably experienced those times when you just don’t feel much like working. Personally, I know that there are times when staring at a computer monitor is absolutely the last thing that I really want to do.

It’s normal to lose your motivation for work from time to time, even if you totally love your job. Giving in to a lack of motivation, however, can lead to missed deadlines and lost clients. To run a successful freelance business, you have to stay motivated.

What’s a freelancer to do when there’s work to be done, but work is the last thing that he or she feels like doing?

[Click Here to Read More...]

Is Freelancing Hurting Your Health?

Posted July 23, 2009 in Lifestyle, Productivity

If you’re not careful, your freelancing work habits can make you sick.

We freelancers, many of whom rely on our computers to make our living, are particularly vulnerable to to unhealthy habits.

At first it might seem that spending long hours at the computer without a break and relying on convenience foods for most of your meals allows you to get more work done. Temporarily, these poor habits may actually seem to increase your productivity.

But that increase in productivity is an illusion. Over time, unhealthy habits will take a toll on your health and ultimately on your business. An unhealthy lifestyle over the long-term is actually a very poor business strategy.

It doesn’t have to be that way — you can make healthy choices and succeed as freelancer. Here are five simple habits that will help you stay healthy and productive:

[Click Here to Read More...]

5 Must-Have Qualities to Become a Top Freelancer

Posted July 22, 2009 in Business, Lifestyle

A few months ago I was sorting through my email when I stumbled across some old conversations with potential clients. I found pitches that looked great, but eventually went stale, and other times when I didn’t think I would get the client but they came back to me enthused and excited.

At first glance, it wasn’t clear to me why some pitches went perfectly and others (even though the prospect had contacted me) didn’t even come close to closing the deal. Then I started to think about the periods of time where I had lots of clients and the times when I was suffering a drought — and I realized that my own behavior at the time was affecting the outcome.

There are certain qualities that we all exhibit from time to time that greatly alter the way we are viewed by clients — and I believe that these qualities are what set the top freelancers apart from the rest. This was clear to see after interviewing and receiving responses from the 6 top freelancers we talked to in last week’s blog post.

Based on my experience, and the information I’ve gathered from working with many top freelancers, I have put together a list of 5 qualities which I think all top freelancers need to have. Hopefully this list will help you in your own endeavors.

In no particular order, the five qualities that all freelancers should aim to have are:

[Click Here to Read More...]

Working With Friends and Family — Can It Ever Work?

Posted July 17, 2009 in How-To, Lifestyle

Sooner, or later, it’s bound to happen. If you’ve been freelancing for any length of time, then you know that eventually your friends and family are likely to request to work with you.

The request can come in several different forms. Your friend or family member might actually want to work with you as a partner or an employee (this is becoming increasingly common in today’s troubled economic times). Or, they could want you to do work for them — typically for less money than the market rate for your services.

Whichever form the request takes, most freelancers that I know dread working with close friends or family since they know that involving relatives or close friends in their business could have serious negative repercussions in their personal lives. However, there are some freelancers who successfully work with friends and family.

[Click Here to Read More...]