5 Things I’ve Learnt Since Going Freelance
Today is the first anniversary of my website launch. HB.com’s first birthday. Ah, they grow up so fast…
I thought this would be a good time to reflect on some of the things I’ve learnt over the last 365 days of freelance life. And when I say learnt, I really mean noticed. There are no game-changing life lessons here. Come back next year and maybe I’ll have come up with some.
By and large, this has been a successful year for me and my business… which is, well, just me. I’ve worked bloody hard and I’m really proud of everything I’ve achieved – not just the projects I’ve completed, but the connections I’ve made, the comfort zones I’ve tested and the groundwork I’ve laid for the future. And in the future, I want to do more of the stuff that’s brought me the most joy this year: more working with local writers; more creative collaborations with talented people; more writing. And while a lot of that can – and I hope will – be generated by the work I put in at this keyboard and out there in the big wide world, opportunities also arise thanks to the generosity of others. (See point no. 4, below.) So, really, my business isn’t just me – it’s all of the people I work with and everyone who helped me, directly or indirectly, along the way. To you, I say THANK YOU.
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Right, enough with this sentimental nonsense. On with my #learnings…
1. Time is tricky
How much of my time do I want to spend working? How much of my time do I need to spend working? How much of my time should I dedicate to this dull-but-essential task vs this fun one that’s definitely not ‘business-critical’? How much is my time worth? Now I know how much my time is worth, should I be wasting it on activities that generate no income… like, say, sleeping?
Where did the time go?
WHAT EVEN IS TIME?
Etc.
(Answers on a postcard, please. I sure as hell don’t have any.)
2. Boundaries are flexible
Firm boundaries are important, they said. So, like the good girl that I am, I got some. The firmest of which was that I wouldn’t work in the evenings or on weekends. Ever. That time was sacrosanct and allowing work to encroach would surely result in a quick trip back to burnout.
At first, those impermeable boundaries were indeed helpful. They helped me to create an obvious demarcation between my old, imbalanced life and this new perfectly zen (haha) existence I was building. And, most importantly, they gave me space to adjust. But due to the aforementioned trickiness of time (no, really, where does it go?) and some startling reaslisations about work (see point number 5), I eventually came to see that I could afford to be a little more relaxed about when and how I worked. When inspiration strikes, working into the evening is worth it… sometimes it’s even a pleasure. Working a weekend will never not be a bummer, but taking some compensatory time off in the week always feels like a treat. As long as you can banish the Am I wasting my valuable time? fear, that is.
3. Silence is scary
When the promising work lead ghosts you. When the client you’ve just delivered work to takes their sweet time responding. (Just like you said they should.) When you share your work online and feel like you’re shouting in a void. (Please, for the love of God, validate me by hitting that 'like’ button.) When the Will I ever work again?! panic-spiral starts and it’s just you, the silence and Spotify’s ‘Calming Classical’ playlist…
These are the only times I pine for the distraction of a noisy, open-plan office. But instead of quitting the new life I am trying to build after quitting my old job, there are three things I’ve learnt to try when the quiet is too loud:
Remember that silence does not equal disdain. At worst, it equals apathy. You’re not being ghosted/ignored/shunned because you’re incompetent and everything you’re doing is STUPID AND WRONG. People are just busy/dealing with their own shit.
Turn off ‘Calming Classical’ and put on ‘All Out 90s’. Seriously, drown out the literal silence with some uplifting bangers.
Leave the house and spend time with good people who Get It.
Or, alternatively, when that doesn’t work, I find that rocking back and forth in a corner helps.
4. People are nice
What a pleasant surprise!
Support, advice and referrals have come from the good friends I always knew would have my back, but also from unexpected old contacts. Opportunities have arrived from former colleagues and associates. Collaborations have arisen from generous word of mouth and relative strangers have taken a chance on working with me. New freelance friends have welcomed me into their midst and offered wise counsel and space to share worries. Clients have been decent, thoughtful and mostly prompt with payments. In short: no one’s been a dick.
I know this sounds too good to be true (and it’s almost certainly too good to last) but this has been my honest experience so far. I’m not saying that everyone I’ve crossed paths with has been a Pollyanna-ish bringer of joy and opportunity, but for the most part, people have been kind, considerate and generous with their time and wisdom. I’m grateful to them all for that – and for reaffirming my faith in humanity. (A bit.)
5. Work is… fun?
Honestly, what a revelation.
Everything else about freelance life instantly became easier once I came to the startling realisation that I was enjoying my work. Boundaries didn’t seem quite so important when I stopped feeling like I needed to protect myself from a harmful work culture. Putting myself ‘out there’ became approximately 50% easier because I was excited to share my work with the world. (Or with the silent void.) Dealing with routine admin tasks and less-than-thrilling projects feels more manageable now I understand that every piece of work I do contributes to the whole – and the whole is mine. And I love it.
I tell you what enjoying your work doesn’t help with: the silence. The more you care about your work, the worse the silence feels. But you know what? Maybe that’s a price I’m willing to pay.
Now, roll on the terrible twos…
~
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