What I Wish I Knew Before Becoming a Full-time Freelancer

I’ve been a full-time freelancer for over three years now, And I’m going to share with you what I wish I knew before becoming a full-time freelancer.

Being a freelancer is a whole lot different than what most people think it’s going to be like. Before I started working as a freelancer, I was heavily involved in the corporate world. And believed that freelancing would be like my full-time job. It would all be glamorous and exciting, with benefits, bonuses and promotions. However, after working on a big project for about 6 weeks,. I realized that this wasn’t the case for me at all, but by then it was too late to turn back.

I’ve learned a whole lot since then and I’m an expert in many subjects. But every journey has its ups and downs, especially this one. This post is a reflection on what I wish I knew before embarking on my career as a full-time freelancer.

1_Exercise self-discipline

A lot of freelancers I know get into the habit of working “late” or “early,” meaning they work late into the night and leave early in the morning. While this may be necessary for some projects, it’s not always the best way to spend your time.

The first thing I wish I had known is that it’s important to exercise self-discipline. When you’re working for yourself, it’s easy to get sidetracked by other projects or personal things, but if you want to make money as a freelancer. It’s crucial that you stay focused on the tasks at hand and ignore distractions like Facebook or Twitter.

If you work well into the night, then go home early in the morning. And do something fun with your family or friends; if you leave earlier than usual, then take advantage of your time off. So that you can catch up on sleep and get your energy back up for the next day.

2_Learn negotiation skills

Freelance work is competitive and takes a lot of patience. Negotiating for higher rates or better terms is part of the process, so it’s important to understand how to do it well.. Once you’re an established freelancer with a good reputation, clients will be happy to give you what you want; but until then, make sure any negotiations are respectful and fair.

So it’s important for freelancers to learn negotiation skills because this is one of the most important skills in running a business. The best way is by practicing with friends and family members who are also freelancers or entrepreneurs themselves.

3_Find out what you’re good at and focus on that

It’s easy to get caught up in the hustle of getting clients, especially when you’re just starting out. But before accepting any job, ask yourself: “What am I good at?” You might not know yet because you haven’t had time to do it yet, but once you do, you’ll be able to tell whether you have the skills to leverage that skill into a successful freelancing career.

The best way to find out is by doing. Set up an online portfolio and start building your client base by getting work on freelance jobs boards, or even just by cold emailing companies in industries you think you’d like to work in. You’ll find out pretty quickly if this is something you want to do for the long-term, or if it’s just something you can dip your toes in for now and see how it goes before committing fully.

4_Be prepared for rejection

The most important thing is not getting taken advantage of by people who aren’t fully committed to their business or their client’s needs. This means being prepared for rejection and knowing how to respond when it happens.

You should also be prepared for the fact that not every client will accept your proposal or offer a fair price for your services — and that’s okay! Just remember that there are always options available if someone doesn’t want what they’ve paid for or doesn’t appreciate your work enough to give you more than minimum wage (or what they could have gotten from a direct quote).

5_Make sure your boss wants what you want to do

It can be hard to tell if your boss wants what you want to do, so it’s important to find out for yourself. If you’re getting paid for the work that you’re doing, then it’s pretty clear that they have every intention of continuing with your project. But if they are asking you to change directions or even stop working on something entirely, then it’s time for a conversation about what their expectations are and how they would like things to proceed moving forward.

You may have the skills and experience necessary to perform well at a particular job — but that doesn’t mean your boss wants to pay for them. If they’re not willing to pay what it takes to hire you full-time, it might be better for everyone involved if they didn’t hire you at all.

6_Don’t take on more than you can handle

One of the biggest mistakes I made when I started freelancing full-time was taking on too much work too soon. The first few months of my work life were spent trying to build up a large enough client base. So I could make some money without having too many clients asking me to take on too much work .

 This approach worked well for the first few months but then things started getting difficult. Because of how much time it took away from other aspects of my life that weren’t making money yet (like spending time with friends and family).

7_Have some extra savings

If you’re a freelancer, you need to be able to pay your bills on time. That means that you’re going to have to save some money in case something unexpected happens like a car breaking down. Or a trip home that unexpectedly costs more than expected. It’s also important to have an emergency fund so that you can cover any unexpected travel expenses.

It’s important to have some form of savings in case you need to close your business when you are not working. And it will help you pay your bills and keep a roof over your head while you figure out what comes next.

8_Understand the trending news

One of the best ways to avoid becoming overwhelmed is by knowing what’s happening in the world around you. And there’s something important going on in your city, state or country. And it will be easier for you to keep up with it if you know about it beforehand. If there’s something interesting happening in the news or on social media, follow along and learn about it!

If you don’t understand the trends and news in your industry. It can be difficult to make an informed decision about what kind of projects are available at any given time. It’s important to pay attention to what is happening in the world. So that you can keep up with what may be coming next for freelancers like yourself.

9_Control your emotions

Freelancing can be incredibly stressful, especially if you’re new to the industry. But it’s important not to let the stress get to you and make you snap at clients or colleagues. If you find yourself getting frustrated with a client or colleague, take a step back. And try to remember that they’re human too,. And even if they seem like they’re trying to take advantage of you.

As a freelancer, you will be doing everything on your own. You will be working long hours and doing things that you have never done before. This can be stressful, but it is important to keep in mind that this is a temporary situation. And you need to fight through the tough times to get where you want to be.

10_Keep your family and friends

It can be hard for freelancers to balance work and life. Because we don’t have set hours or set days off every week. But this can also be challenging for our families. Who may need our help around the house or with their kids during certain times of the day. So it’s important to be there for them when they need us most.

It is important to communicate with your loved ones about what is going on at home. So that they feel included in whatever decisions or changes need to be made. You should also be available for them when they call or visit. Even if it means staying up late into the night working on projects for clients.

Conclusion

Keep these things in mind, and you’ll already be one step closer to running an effective business. You’ll also be ahead of the curve. Freelancing isn’t always easy, but it can be rewarding if the right steps are taken.