How to be a freelancer
This is how we like to work
As a freelancer, I often work from home, but this update from the government last night makes me really want to go into an office. I’m not trying to be controversial or a rebel at all. I just want to be able to choose the environment which works best for my workload, best for my clients and best for me. My work is always results driven, but somedays I work best with people around me (thank goodness for shared work spaces in Bath), somedays I work best alone. Somedays I put on loud music, somedays I need silence.
Getting the right balance with hybrid working
Now, office based workers are encouraged to stay at home, whilst round ten thousand of COVID-19 passes by again. How do we get the right mix?
For those freelancers who choose to be home based thats great. But for those who want a hybrid mixture and now can’t (again) what are the implications of that for their ability to do their work, their career prospects, and their personal well-being?
What type of freelancer do you want to be?
There are individuals whose default mode of operation has always been office-free – they either work from home or at their client’s site. There are many different freelance models – those who never even meets their clients face-to-face, to those that work both virtually and at the client’s offices, to those who hold a full time position for a non permanent period of time.
Freelance workers have greater control over what they do
This is true that freelancers sign up to contracts in specific areas where they have the experience and personal motivation to do a great job. But by control I also mean control of their whole working day. My clients get the best of me, but I still collect my children from school and squeeze on a load of laundry as well as completing projects. Lessons learned to the businesses who are currently sending their staff home again, that control equals satisfaction, and satifaction equals results.
Time to Flex
The last two years have taught us all how to be more flexible. I for one have been very flexible with working hours, particulalry whilst working around home schooling during the lockdowns. I think most employers appreciate the trust given to freelancers and know that the job will get completed by deadline, and leave it up to us to know when to complete it. By flex, I do not mean being flexible with the day rate or project rate. You know your worth. Don’t cheapen yourself. Two of my latest large projects have been account management which I have really adored doing, building the indepth strategic relationship with the clients and working beween them and the creatives in two agency side environments has been brilliant and something pre covid that I didnt really think I enjoyed doing.
Join a communtiy of freelancers
Bath, where I live, is a good hub for freelancers with incredible spaces like The Guild and The Drawing Rooms for shared workspaces. I have also recently joined a business hub which I think will primarily have small business and freelance members. We can share ideas, bounce suggestions off each other and hipefully build our network and leads in the future. The one I have joined is The Crescent Club.