Freelancefolder

What Type of Freelancer Are You?

Posted October 24, 2010 in Inspiration, Lifestyle

There are many different reasons that individuals go into freelancing. I’m sure that every freelancer reading this blog has their own reason for starting a freelance business. If you’re reading this blog hoping to get some tips about freelancing, I’m sure that you have certain expectations that are causing you to look into freelancing.

Over the years, I’ve noticed that there tend to be a handful of common reasons that draw individuals into freelancing. The reason that drew you into freelancing is likely to determine what type of freelance business you own, how you run that business, and what type of freelancer you become.

In fact, I’ve narrowed the list down to four types of freelancers, based on motivation. Of course, any time we print like this it is generalization. Some readers will find that the list fits them to a “t,” others of you will see aspects of yourself in each description. Still, I think that we can learn from such generalizations–a bit of self-examination never hurts.

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Manifesto for a Freelancer with a Family

Posted October 19, 2010 in Lifestyle, Managing Clients

There are countless potential benefits of being a freelancer, and the list increases if you have a spouse and children sharing the experience with you. Many, like me, are lucky enough to work from home and get to experience family life intertwined with their work on a daily basis. However, I have learned that if I don’t make a concentrated and consistent effort to seize this opportunity, it can be very easy to miss the moments that matter most.

In this post, I will share my personal declarations of my commitment to my family in my freelancing business with the hope that my manifesto will encourage you to create your own. Shouldn’t we all be giving the best of ourselves to our loved ones?

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Four Tips for Freelancing through Adversity

Posted October 18, 2010 in How-To, Lifestyle

Your freelancing business and most things in your life may be going well now. You may even think this post isn’t for you since you aren’t going through hard times right now.

You would be wrong!

Everyone hits hard time now and then, including freelancers. When comes to adversity, it’s not a question of “if,” but a question of “when.” That’s just life.

In this post, I’ll explain how you can minimize the impact that difficult times have on your freelancing business. This is the topic that nobody wants to talk about, but every freelancer should consider.

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9 Ways to Celebrate Success

Posted October 13, 2010 in Inspiration, Lifestyle

Sometimes we freelancers get so caught up in trying to achieve our long term goals, we forget to recognize our own successes.

One of my early posts for this blog was Let’s Party! Why Celebrating Success Can Be The Key To Your Business’s Future. In it, I list five great ways for freelancers to celebrate their achievements.

Over two years later, I’m still convinced that celebrating the business successes along the way to our long term goals is critical to protect freelancers from freelancing burnout. Remember, as a freelancer you’re self employed. No boss is going to come along and recognize you for your extra hard work or your exceptional achievements. It’s up to you to take care of this aspect of business.

With that in mind, I’ve decided to list nine more ways that freelancers can celebrate their successes. At the end, why don’t you share how you celebrate your successes?

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Why & How Freelancers Should Exercise (from Fitness Expert Scott Tousignant)

Posted September 1, 2010 in Interviews, Lifestyle

As freelancers, our biggest assets are our minds and bodies. If we get sick, we can’t do any work. If our minds are foggy, we can’t produce our best. Therefore, we don’t make any money or as much money as we could.

Unfortunately, the care of our bodies is not always a top priority for many freelancers. It’s easy to get caught up in all our work–particularly because we enjoy it so much.

Plus, if you work from home, you have fewer reasons and opportunities to get up, walk and move. I know of at least one writer who can sit in front of her computer for up to six hours straight!

That can’t be good for anybody. In fact, research has shown that sitting for most of the day puts us at higher risk for obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and certain cancers.

Scott Tousignant, a fitness expert, recently agreed to share information about the importance of fitness for freelancers. I’d like to share with you a brief excerpt from that interview.

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Open Thread: What Is Your Biggest Freelancing Struggle?

Posted August 22, 2010 in Lifestyle, Open Thread

Freelancing is great lifestyle–you get to pick your hours, your clients, and your projects. You can work at home in your pajamas (or sweats) and you are constantly learning new things.

But, freelancing can also be challenging. Freelancers face many potential struggles–such as where to find your clients, how to manage your time, what to do when you get sick, and more.

Of course, part of the fun of freelancing is also getting to solve those freelancing struggles.

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Five Tips to Help You Protect Your Greatest Freelance Asset

Posted July 16, 2010 in Lifestyle, Productivity

What’s your greatest freelancing asset?

Many would argue that a freelancer’s biggest asset is their time, and to some extent I would agree. It’s very important for a freelancer to use their time wisely.

But, I would argue that an even more important freelancing asset is actually your health. The truth is, you can have a lot of time on your hands, but if you’re too sick to work then all of that free time is not going to help your freelance business.

Worst of all, freelancers don’t have paid sick days. So, for a freelancer being sick usually means a loss of income.

What can a freelancer do to safeguard his or her health? In this post, we’ll share a few tips that you can protect your health.

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How Freelancers Can Save the Environment

Posted July 12, 2010 in How-To, Lifestyle

Freelancing is potentially one of the most eco-friendly jobs out there.

Most of us work at home, which reduces our contribution to the pollution, fuel use, and other possible effects of traveling to and from an office.

In contrast, office employees not only have to use a car or other means of transportation to get to work and back. They have little control of how their colleagues use office resources. They also have little say about which office equipment, building materials or waste management methods are used in their work places.

On the other hand, freelancers have more control and decision-making power over our work environment. In this post, I’ll show you some actions you can take to make a difference.

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Five Freelancing Facts I Could Do Without

Posted July 6, 2010 in Freelance Stories, Lifestyle

I have been freelancing part and full time as a web and graphic designer for over 15 years, and most days I would not trade it for the world. I love being my own boss, working the hours I choose and the joy of being around my family far more often than if I went to an office each day. The positives of my working arrangements far outweigh any negatives I could come up with, so very seldom do I ever even think about them.

Still, there are a few elements to the freelance lifestyle that I could definitely do without. In this post, I will share with you some of my least favorite parts of being a freelancer that I have come to terms with and accepted as facts of the freelance life.

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