Freedom and independence come with a price and you begin to realize it as you go further in your career as a freelancer. Being your own boss is nothing but great, yet you sometimes feel you will collapse under the stress. It’s the anxiety that gets you. There is no fixed income and you fear you may not get that many clients for your services. These five things will make a difference and ease your burden:
- Balance
Whatever you do and however it’s going, strive to keep a balance in your life. Even if you think you should be working day and night to secure an income or have a good start, take a step back. Get the sleep you need, eat, meet your friends, do sports. Without these, your mood and health will deteriorate. This will render you unable to work as a freelancer. If you push yourself too hard, soon you’ll be facing a burnout.
- Connections
It’s a fact, solitary people tend to choose to work on their own, naturally. However, you can’t afford to stay away from other people completely. You need them, you have to go out and establish new connections, extend your network etc., because your work depends on this.
- An Idea of who you are
To stand out among countless freelancers, you have to offer something different or be special in some way. Stop for a while and think what exactly do you bring to the table. Find a skill, a trait that makes you valuable. Then, promote yourself based on it.
- A willingness to Try New Things
What you started with may not be a thing for the future. Be willing to experiment to find a more suitable niche or perhaps a better method of serving clients. Flexibility is much needed, because the world around us is changing so fast – especially what’s connected to the online environment. You can’t afford to stay stuck in the same strategy, same niche or work methods. If the market is evolving, so are the jobs. Be ready to try different ways to work or to carry out a task.
- The Negotiation Skill
Every freelancer found it hard at some point to deal with the pricing issue. It’s not always a good idea to have a fixed price for your services, at least not in the beginning when you are trying to prove your worth. You may encounter clients who are truly in need to work with you but don’t have a big budget. You don’t have to lower your expectations and cut the prices to get clients each time, but be willing to negotiate when someone is really interested in what you offer. It’s a strategy that helps you make a portfolio or get a rating.
If you find it too hard to handle it all on your own, you may choose an umbrella company to help with your freelancer work. This has more agencies under its wing and can ensure a constant flow of money.