Don’t Underestimate the Work of the Freelancers
Being a freelancer means it is very difficult to predict your working time, as well as your income: today you may have a project to work on, but in a month – you don’t know what will happen. Not long ago, almost everyone used to treat freelancers either as idlers or as unemployed. Even, we, freelancers sometimes treat ourselves like that. Our friends or family members often try to leave us a list of duties they cannot handle because they have to go to work, or ask for help during our working hours, sincerely wondering why we can not do this – after all we are at home sitting in front of the computer!
There are some very important points we have to mention in order to better understand freelancers work. Everything you will read in this article is beneficial for both – freelancers and all the other people who don’t understand that freelancers actually work!
Important advice for every freelancer is to plan your day. Typically, a freelancer needs a different schedule, rather than an office worker – simply because for a while he goes around the apartment, watching a movie or eating. Working hours for every freelancer are different and mostly depend on his character. Many freelancers prefer working at night, while enjoying the great weather outside during the day. If they prefer working during the day, sticking to something similar to office working schedule, their relatives should respect this schedule. They should demand from relatives that they do not disturb them while they are working.
It is necessary to calculate how much your hour costs. Starting freelancing makes sense in the event that there is a “salary” – several permanent projects, purchases or customers that will bring at least $ 500 a month. Using time tracking with screenshots software will definitely help you in this task. If you don’t know how to calculate how much your hour work costs, here is an example: turn on the time tracking with screenshots when you begin working on the project. If the work on this project requires 5 hours of your time, and the budget for the project is $60, then this means you are taking $12 per hour.
Freelancer, in contrast to an office worker, should always remember about advertising and reputation. You can easily forget about it – so it makes sense to arrange promotions, discounts, gifts, reminders for customers.
It must necessarily have a portfolio or business card, where at least some data about you will be listed. It is easier for your customers to send a link to their online resource to their friends.
Freelancer needs an organizer, a scheduler because if he does not have a plan of action, he will forget, confuse and mix up his tasks. Again, if you use time tracking with screenshots, there is no need to worry about mixing your tasks. That’s true, especially, if you are using SCREENish – extremely easy and simple for use time tracking software. You have to select the employer and the project before starting to work on this project. The system will track your time you have been working on the specific project.
The freelancer also needs vacations. Otherwise, he will quickly lose his human form.
He needs socialization – it is important to meet with friends, go to some dance or support some hobby. Just to remember how all other people live, in order to adequately communicate with friends, relatives and – of course – customers;
Sometimes even the most talented freelancer needs other professionals – to do part of the work, promote the project, make advertising, and sell his product and so on. It is important not to confine oneself to one’s capabilities and is not afraid to seek support from other people.
It is necessary to create an alternative version of the budget. Floating – because, as a rule, there are no written receipts of money – these are different amounts at different times.
Author SlavyanaPosted on Categories Outsourcing, Personal development, Project management, Time management & Time Tracking