If you’re working as a self-employed freelancer, the past few months have likely been chaotic for you. You may have lost clients in the wake of the pandemic, or had to accept reduced fees for orders. You may have had to accept less work from some clients while having to watch others go out of business altogether. You’ve worked your way through your contacts list trying to find extra work, only to find that every prospective client is in the same boat. Short on cash, rudderless and with no idea what the future will bring. These are scary times, to be sure. And now that the wheels of commerce and industry are slowly starting to grind back into action, you’ve responded in the only way you knew how… you’ve gone bananas.
By Team Savant
Image: Toa Heftiba
You’ve likely swiped up offers of work like you’re clearing the aisles in Supermarket Sweep. You may have accepted work at a reduced rate just to make a good first impression on a new client. You’ve probably landed yourself in a position where you’ve bitten off more than you can chew. As a result, your working hours have skyrocketed. But it will all be worth it when the invoices come back, right?
Woah There!
Slow down. Take a deep breath. Cool your jets. You won’t benefit yourself, your family or your clients by burning out. We’re all about challenging the cult of speed and learning to do things better by doing them more slowly. Here are some ways to slow down the pace of working freelance so you’ll be happier, healthier, and do produce better work, too!
Take the Hassle Out of Invoices
Creating and sending voices could be easier. But having to chase them up is a stressful and time-consuming exercise that you can do without. Fortunately, there’s software that not only makes it easier to set up invoices, it also takes the legwork out of keeping your cash flow… flowing. Users can set up automated billing cycles for their clients and allow them to enrol in autopay.
Invest in Some Bookkeeping Software
Furthermore, if you spend your Saturdays gathering your receipts in an envelope, calculating your income for the week and adding up your weekly expenses, this is likely time that could be better spent relaxing with your friends or family. Invest in some good bookkeeping software that will store scans of receipts, track invoices and everything else that’s needed to keep bookkeeping hassle-free and compliant.
Be Realistic with Yourself in Terms of Workload
As zealous as you may be to make up for lost time, overextending yourself will do you no favours whatsoever. You’ll find yourself perpetually stressed, anxious and rushing, and the quality of your work will inevitably suffer. Be realistic in terms of what you can achieve before you take on a new contract. It’s the only way to operate sustainably.
Keep Set Working Hours for Your Own Sake and Your Family’s
Finally, in order to manage your working days effectively, you need to establish set working hours and stick to them every day. You’ll find that going over by half an hour one week leads to going over by an hour next week until you’re working 11 or 12 hour days. And nobody can produce their best work with such a punishing schedule.