Freelance For Money

Spend Your Free Time Wisely

Posted on 06. Dec, 2009 by Chris Green in Getting Started

Now, I am not the best at taking time off. Being a designer, blogger, business owner, husband and dad… life can be pretty hectic. So i’m writing this as much for me as I am for you.

When I first started out freelancing I seemed to be working every hour God sent. That didn’t change for a long time while I was establishing my name in the marketplace in order to get new clients.

By the time that work started coming to me, I could then charge more and start to have more time off.
The weird thing is though, I didn’t know what to do with the time off. My head was completely in the work.
Freelancing should give you the freedom to pursue other things. So here’s a few things to keep in mind if you’ve got a few extra moments.

Family

To me, family is the most important. You may just be single at the moment so family isn’t at the forefront of your mind, but if you’re a parent like me, you must (in my opinion) focus on using your spare time to build your family strong. They may have to put up with you doing some stupid hours so give them your best when you can.

Just Embrace Time

When your sitting there and you realise you’ve just finished a project early. Whatever you do with that extra time,

accept it as a part of freelancing. Having extra time is a gift and probably one of the reasons that you got into freelancing. Don’t forget that you were crazy enough to make that bold move in to the world of freelance so you can enjoy the fruits of your decision.

Oh, and also, spare a thought for the 9-5ers that don’t have a chance to go for a mid-day bike ride.

Use Time Wisely

Saying all that, don’t go and squander your time just because you can. It’s awesome to have hobbies and interests, but you may also want to think about planning ahead for how you can grow your freelance business.

When you’re relaxed you can often come up with some exciting marketing ideas. If you aren’t in the mood for that, just go do what excites you the most.

Play It Forward

Have you seen the film? You really should. It’s about a boy who comes up with a utopian idea as a project for school. He suggests the concept that every person who benefits from someone else’s good deed should “pay it forward,” instead of paying it back, and in turn offer favors to three other people. The results of which are huge.

So, if you’ve got some extra time, why not give back to others? Just a thought.

Chillax

It’s a word my daughter came up with. It’s somewhere between chilling and relaxing. It doesn’t mean becoming a couch potato, but it does mean taking some downtime for your body and mind to rest. Those batteries can need a good recharging if they’ve been running flat for a while.

Tags: freelance design, Freelancing, relaxing between jobs, time off