Advice for the New Freelancer

Family Fun Day (Photo credit: Peter Liu – Kaiscapes Media)

Whether you want to be a freelance writer, photographer or (insert career here), I would like to give you some advice to get you started along your path.

1. Find your motivation, and keep it in mind at all times. This may be anything from ‘I need to eat!’ to ‘I want a better life for my family.’ Whatever it is, hold onto it at all times.

Why?

Because sometimes you will want to give up.

2. Stay on course. Sometimes you will wake up and say, I just don’t want to do it today. While this is okay once in a while, don’t let it become habit… at least not in the beginning.

Why?

Because you need to keep your momentum in order to build a successful career. Do at least one quick, easy thing to further your career on these days. This will usually take you out of your funk and get you moving.

3. Be professional, but have some fun with it. Don’t be too serious.

Why?

Because too much stress can be a contributing factor in loss of sleep, weight gain and high blood pressure.

4. Eat well and get your exercise. This is especially important if your career of choice has you sitting a lot.

Why?

To help you stay in shape and maintain overall health. This will lead to a happier you!

5. Stay positive. Keep positive thoughts flowing in your head throughout the day. Do things that keep you happy, such as taking an hour to read or socializing with your neighbors.

Why?

This will also help you to live a happier, healthier lifestyle.

6. Spend time with your loved ones.

Why?

It is important to nurture relationships. This keeps everyone happy.

So, stay on course. Be happy. And strive for a healthy lifestyle. 

These actions will aid you in creating a successful personal and professional lifestyle.

Take a Personal Day!

My last post centered on vacation time necessary to keep our minds clear and focused. Freelancers should also schedule a personal day once every month or two. This day will allow you to focus on other things in your life that need to be done, or may be used as a day of relaxation.

These personal days allow us to give our minds a break as well. They help us to unwind, which we all need to do sometimes. One day to refresh our thoughts. It works. Some of the possible benefits, depending on your career path and environmental situation, include:

• Being more relaxed, not only with your friends and family, but for work as well.

• Less stress.

• Time to get other things done.

• Time to relax.

• Better focus when you get back to work.

• More organized thinking.

Take out your calendar and schedule at least 6 personal days over the course of the next 12 months. Schedule one each month if possible. It is important that freelancers take care of themselves.

Shannon L. Buck

Vacation!

English: Start your vacation with a splash (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Whether your freelance career provides you with a lot of physical activity or uses mostly brain power, you will find yourself needing to take a break at different points in your career. I suggest at least three vacations (or mini vacations) per year.

Why?

Physical activity takes a lot out of you, as does mental activity. Both of these can lead to stress and fatigue. As a freelance writer, I use a lot of brain power. Sometimes I feel as though I may burn out. When I start to feel this way, I take a break. If I have any paid projects that need to be finished, I finish them before I take my break.

A one or two week vacation seems like a great idea, but I have difficulty not performing writing tasks. Or at least some other business tasks. I tend to take more mini vacations. Usually one every month or two.

Doing so allows my brain to rest and recharge. When I get back to the writing business, my mind is clear and I am better able to concentrate on tasks in an organized manner, and with gust.

Schedule your vacations.

Scheduling a full vacation every three or four months, or a mini vacations every month or two, will be helpful. Doing this now, and marking your calendar, will provide you with a guide indicating when you should not schedule paid projects from clients.

• A full vacation amounts to 1 or 2 weeks of free time.

• A mini vacation can be anywhere from 2 to 4 days long.

Schedule your vacations now, taking into consideration important events you would like to attend, and times when your family will also take time off from school/work.

Shannon L. Buck

Staying Healthy

Health (Photo credit: 401K)

Staying healthy is an important aspect of life. It can be difficult to do this when you have a solitary freelance career, depending on your concentration. A writer spends a lot of time sitting. A photographer may not be placing themselves in enough social situations.

There are many areas of your life that contribute to your overall health, and you will want to concentrate on each regularly.

Physical Health: This includes regular visits to a doctor. Set up an appointment now, just to be sure all is well. Be sure to discuss all the ways to stay healthy with your caregiver.

Mental Health: Your mind is important, so you will want to keep it working well. Be positive. Be happy. Learn the skills necessary to do this, and seek help if necessary.

Spiritual Health: Whatever your beliefs, you have to stay true to them. Figure out what you believe, and what you don’t believe.

Family Health: Keeping your family, and your interactions with them, healthy is just as important as keeping yourself healthy. Be sure that everyone is working on the areas where they need help.

Fitness: Being an active person is important to your overall health. Fitness routines help your body to remain strong. Talk to a doctor about how you can best be active.

Nutrition: Eating healthy is also important, and a nutritionist may be helpful in teaching you how to eat healthy for you.

Look at your lifestyle and figure out if there are things you can do to make yourself healthier.

Do them

For more information: National Women’s Health Week

Shannon L. Buck