July 15, 2024
What's helped me in my first month as a full-time freelancer...
I can’t believe it’s already mid-July! Crazy! I’ve been full-time freelancing since June 9th, so I’ve now spent a little over a month chasing my writing dreams. Today, I’m super excited to share with you some of the lessons I’ve learned so far, as well as a few resources that have helped me get started as a freelancer.
What I’ve Learned As a New Full-Time Freelancer:
Making a living with freelancing is not for the faint of heart! I knew freelancing wouldn’t be easy when I quit my full-time job, but I faced a lot of unforeseen time/energy/financial costs when I really dove into the freelancing world. Some of these included:
Profile building on freelance platforms, social media, and/or a website: this takes longer than you’d expect, and as a new freelancer, you’re competing with established freelancers who have more projects under their belt & content already out there.
Marketing via social media, word of mouth, and event attendance: unless you can afford to hire a marketing team right off the bat, you have to learn how to be your own marketer! Emma vs. Instagram Reels was the Battle of June 2024. Think about getting out there on Substack (you’re already here - good for you!), Instagram, Facebook, X (Twitter), and LinkedIn.
Website development: this takes a significant amount of set up time and you’ll have to pay for your website platform and domain for your site to be live!
Heightened stress/anxiety for fear of failure: my biggest fear in freelancing is losing my life savings and financially “failing” at my craft. If you’re feeling the immense weight of these worries, take a look at the “Things to Keep in Mind” section below for some tips on keeping your mind & body healthy!
It’s hard to unlearn your 8-5 workday rules. When I was working a day job, I had a boss to tell me what to do, coworkers to hold me accountable, and the possibility of losing my job if I wasn’t reliable and consistent. Now, I’m my own boss. While that sounds great, it can be challenging: I have to keep myself on track and ensure that I’m getting work done. Initially, when the money isn’t rolling in, that’s a really hard thing to do - it feels like a lot of labor for very little love. Here are some things to keep in mind during this transition:
Work when you work best. If you work best from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM and 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM, that’s ok! Once you aren’t confined to the traditional working hours of 8-5, you can make your own schedule. Of course, be sure not to let that serve as an excuse to get nothing done, but use that flexibility to your advantage! I’m typically an unproductive worker from 1:00-3:00 and 5:00-7:00, so I use these hours to eat, exercise, and rest. Working when my brain focuses best and taking periodic mental breaks increases the efficiency of my working hours.
Try work location switch-ups! If you need to focus in on a project or make client calls, work in a place with minimal distractions. If you need to feel like you “got out of the house” and/or you’re doing more menial tasks (like social media editing, audio editing, or blog/article writing), maybe try a “fun” location for a change of pace. This could be a coffee shop, library, bookstore, park… whatever works for you! You’re not stuck in an office anymore, so ENJOY that and use it to your productivity advantage.
Things to Keep in Mind:
Don’t forget to take care of your mind. One of the biggest roadblocks to my success this past month has been my own stress and anxiety. As a person with Generalized Anxiety Disorder and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, I tend to get hyper-focused on succeeding as a freelancer and quickly transform into a ball of stress. Remember to take a step back when anxiety or stress becomes overwhelming. Take a break and instead do something that calms and re-centers you. Do something (like journaling, listening to music/podcasts, going for walks, exercising, playing with your dog, etc.) that reminds you that you’ve got this!
Don’t forget to take care of your body. My best work days are the days when I eat well, drink a lot of water, and get in a good workout! My biggest hurdle this past month has been sleep consistency. I typically get enough sleep, but I haven’t been going to bed and getting up at the same time each day. My goal for this month is to fix that! Find at least one thing about your physical wellbeing to change for the better today. You now have the ability to adjust your schedule to accommodate your health - use it!
The difference between success and failure in the freelancing space is whether you’re determined enough continue through the initial months - months which will be tough and filled with a lot of rejection.
Resources for New Freelancers:
One of the most inspiring and informative resources I’ve found so far is Amy Suto’s book, “Six-Figure Freelance Writer: A Holistic Guide on Finding Freedom in Freelancing.” In her book, Amy provides a comprehensive guide on how to be a successful freelancer. She offers tips & tricks as well as advice on finding a good work-life balance in the world of freelancing. You can purchase her book here, or check out the full audiobook (for free!) here. (P.S. I promise this is not a sponsored message! I truly found this book tremendously helpful.)
Here’s a blog article I used to study the different freelance platforms and determine which are best suited to my niche, or specialty area. Don’t waste your time signing up for freelancing platforms that don’t match your area(s) of expertise, needs, and interests.
This isn’t a resource, but an important tip: keep track of your expenses & income! You can write off a lot of business expenses when tax season comes around, so be sure to keep a detailed log of what you’ve spent for your business and what you’ve made from it. Please note that I am not giving financial advice (this is just what’s helped me!), and you should talk to a CPA for more detailed financial information!
Final note of encouragement: If you want potential clients to believe in you, you first have to believe in yourself. You CAN do this freelancing thing. It takes a lot of focus, determination, and grit, but if you put your mind to it, you CAN do it!
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