2020 was the year of working from home. As more people than ever tasted the potential freedom to be found beyond the office, some naturally chose to try life in the freelancer lane.
Becoming a freelancer isn’t as simple as it seems, however. Here are 6 freelancing tips for beginners when working from home.
- The Home Office
One of the trickiest parts about working from home is setting up an appropriate workspace. Yet this is essential to keeping you productive and free of distractions.
Do what you can to create an office at home, whether that’s a dedicated room or a simple work corner.
- Dress to Impress
How we dress affects how we see ourselves and how we act. When every day is pyjama day, you begin to feel and act less like a functioning member of society.
You don’t need to dress like you’re heading into the office, but make yourself presentable every day, complete with a full hygiene routine. This will remind your subconscious that you’re at work, not play.
- Set a Schedule
Schedules are vital when you’re freelancing. They’re the line between working from home and one endless vacation.
The benefit of being a freelancer is that you can find what works for you. Maybe you prefer to work in the evenings. Perhaps you’d rather split your day into two working chunks. Whatever the case, the important part is that you make a schedule and stick to it, clocking in and out as rigidly as you would in a professional workplace.
- Keep Admin Simple
Unless you happen to be a freelance administrator, you’ll find admin tasks like invoicing and doing your taxes a distraction from your core business.
Here’s where keeping things simple in the admin department pays off. Look for apps and services that can take the pain out of admin, and don’t be afraid to copy what others have done. For instance, here’s a list of pay stub examples for self-employed workers. Don’t re-invent the wheel.
- Assess Your Capacity
You’re one person. Unlike a larger company, you can’t reallocate resources if you bite off more than you can chew—all you can do is work long hours, which is likely to disrupt your work-life balance.
So be realistic about your capacity, and only take on what you can reasonably do. This will also ensure you avoid disappointing your clients.
- Solve Your Work-Life Balance
Speaking of work-life balance: make sure you keep one.
Set a defined start and end time for your day, with an allotted number of work hours per day and per week. Then, on your downtime, ignore emails, relax, and stay out of your office space.
This will allow you to set clear boundaries, and will also make it clear to clients that you aren’t a 24/7 service. Setting expectations for both you and your clients is essential.
The Best Freelancing Tips for Beginners
These freelancing tips for beginners may seem obvious, but freelancers often need a reminder to avoid slipping into bad habits. Pin this checklist up somewhere and ensure you keep to it—and good luck on an exciting new career! Looking for more business hints and tips? Make sure to check back often.
