Freelancefolder

Should Freelancers Outsource?

Posted November 8, 2011 in Lifestyle, Productivity

Freelancers are used to being the outsourcees, but should freelancers themselves also outsource?

My answer is a resounding “Yes!”

Nobody can possibly do everything well. No matter how talented or hard-working you are, some skills are simply out of your reach. A person who knows what they’re doing would do a  much better job and in a shorter time. You already outsource plenty of things–hair cuts, dental care, car maintenance… Why not the  tasks necessary to manage your freelance business?

Self-employed individuals who try to cut down costs by doing everything themselves may actually be spending more. You have to spend time learning to do something well.

And then it takes you longer to get it done than if you hired someone else. Plus, you may make mistakes that could cost you big dollars.

That’s precious time and effort you’re better off spending by marketing your services and making the clients you have happy.

In this post, I’m going to talk about the top three excuses freelancers have for not outsourcing–and explain how to overcome them.

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What to Expect When You Finally Do Become a Freelancer

Posted October 31, 2011 in Lifestyle

Before you become a full-time freelancer, you tend to have a romanticized view of freelancing.

You imagine waking up at any time of the day, working blissfully in your pajamas, pumping iron at the gym in the middle of the day, and spending many happy hours with your family.

Sorry to burst your bubble, but freelancing isn’t exactly like that. Freelancing will change your life drastically, for better or worse. If you’re not prepared for these changes, you may find yourself regretting your decision to freelance.

Let me look into my crystal ball and show you what changes will happen in all the areas of your life.

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7 Signs That It’s Time to Simplify Your Freelancing Business

Posted October 12, 2011 in Lifestyle, Productivity

We freelancers deal with a lot. Advice, expectations, client demands, family needs, financial pressure–all of these can sometimes combine to make freelancing a very complicated matter.

In fact, sometimes we freelancers make life too busy. If your freelancing life has become too much for you, it may be time to simplify your life and your freelancing business as well.

Do you think this is you? Check the signs below to find out.

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What on Earth Are You Doing Wrong with Your Freelancing Business? Find Out Here

Posted September 27, 2011 in Lifestyle

Freelancing sounds like an ideal “career,” one where you can earn six figures a year and never get out of your pajamas. That’s almost accurate–almost.

Let’s not gloss over the fact that freelancing is not a get-rich-quick scheme (far from it). You won’t become an overnight millionaire (I wish!). And even though you don’t have to shower before work, you will have to work hard.

And if you’re not careful, you could sabotage your own freelancing success. That’s because freelancing doesn’t come naturally. Just because you’re a brilliant designer or an outstanding writer does not guarantee your success in freelancing.

In fact, many freelancers make big mistakes that prevent them from succeeding in this business. There are ways to avoid the common pitfalls that cause freelancers to fail.

That’s what we’re going to examine in this post.

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Is a Balanced Lifestyle Really Even Possible for a Freelancer?

Posted September 26, 2011 in Inspiration, Lifestyle

The three motivators that cause most freelancers to start freelancing are a search for balance in their life, a desire to build and expand a business, or a desire to earn more money.

All of these motivations can be achieved through freelancing, but it is often the first one–a desire for balance–that seems to be the most elusive for many freelancers. And often, balance seems incompatible with the other motivators. It may even seem impossible.

With the many hats that most freelancers must wear and the huge amount of online advice available to the typical freelancer, the goal of lifestyle balance can seem discouragingly out of reach. When you’re a freelancer, there’s no way around it. There’s simply a lot to do.

In this post, I’m going to focus on achieving balance as a freelancer. I’ll share a few questions that will help you determine if you’re really doing all that you can to balance your freelancing with your life. The answers may surprise you and ultimately, help you to find more balance.

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A Fascinating Glimpse Into the Real World of Freelancing

Posted September 21, 2011 in Lifestyle

How much do freelancers earn? How do they really feel about being self-employed? Why do they do what they do? How badly have freelancers been affected by the slowing economy? Would they go back to being an employee if they had the chance?

You won’t find the answers to these questions, or questions like them, in any business publication.

In fact, when it comes to freelancers and their concerns, the popular media seems to completely ignore this critical segment of the workforce! (Which I find baffling, considering how many reporters and journalists are freelancers themselves!)

Policy makers and government officials also have no clue about who we are or what we’re about. The fact that freelancing and self-employment is not part of the unemployment conversation going on right now is shocking.

Well, I’m on a mission to change that! That’s why last month I set out to find the truth about freelancers and the freelance industry as a whole. I surveyed more than 1,200 freelancers in 37 different professions and from every corner of the globe.

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Freelancing Stress 3.0

Posted September 19, 2011 in Lifestyle

Are freelancers more stressed than ever before? Do you feel stress building, building, building…until you feel nearly overwhelmed?

While we freelancers do have some natural stress reduction built into their job (such as no commute, control over hours and projects, not dealing with coworkers, etc., …), there is some evidence that freelancers may be facing more stress than ever before.

If you’re feeling more stressed than ever, you are probably part of this growing trend. You may be facing Freelancing Stress 3.0. Yet, despite the prevalence of stress, we freelancers don’t talk about it nearly enough.

In this post, I’ll explain why you may be feeling more tension now than before. I’ll also gather some resources about handling freelancing stress that you might find helpful.

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Why Crowdsourcing Isn’t All About Spec Work Anymore

Posted September 14, 2011 in Lifestyle, Tools/Resources

There’s always controversy surrounding crowdsourcing. Many people think that it means getting a lot of people to do something for nothing. But as the crowdsourcing industry evolves, there are many companies that look at crowdsourcing as a new way to approach work.

In this post, I’ll discuss what crowdsourcing is and explain how the new hybrid crowdsource agencies have evolved away from the spec model. I’ll also provide examples of four of those new agencies.

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Eating for Energy

Posted September 12, 2011 in Lifestyle

What freelancer couldn’t use more energy nowadays?

I know I sure could!

Imagine what you could do if you had just 50% more energy than you do now. That could mean getting 50% more work done in the same amount of time, or the same work done in half the time.

It could mean being able to pursue your hobbies, launch another stream of income, or simply be much nicer around your loved ones (because you’re not tired and grumpy).

It could mean being able to finish a project even if it means going on two hours of sleep, and still have your creativity intact.

For this post, I did some research on which foods can give us plenty of fuel for freelancing–and the rest of our lives.

I purposefully avoided caffeinated drinks and foods high in refined sugar. While coffee, energy drinks and refined sugar can give us a sudden burst of energy, consuming them in large amounts all the time can have a negative backlash on our health.

Refined sugar and simple carbohydrates, for example, will push your blood sugar level up and give you fuel for awhile. And then, your energy will take a dip and you’ll be sluggish, even sleepy.

So next time you need to work for a sustained period of time (isn’t that every day?), keep these foods in mind.

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