Week 23

Last week I read an article on LinkedIn by a freelancer sharing the surprising feelings she’s experienced since becoming a freelancer. One feeling she talked about that really resonated with me, though I didn’t really recognize until then, was guilt.

There are a lot of emotions I’ve had since I started this freelance journey: excitement, pride, nerves, stress, motivated, determined. But one emotion I’ve consistently had, and feel almost every day, is guilt.

Guilt because on top of working 40 hours a week, I spend an additional 20+ hours working instead of spending time with my family. Guilt because there are times I should be writing, but instead I choose to read or watch Netflix. Guilt because when I spend an evening writing, I don’t have time to clean the house, do the laundry, or take care of the dog. Guilt because some weeks I don’t make enough time during the week to log my hours, so I have to spend the whole weekend catching up instead of doing fun things with my partner. Guilt because I haven’t done anything for my own website in weeks because I’ve been focusing on my Upwork clients.

Being a freelancer, especially in addition to working a full-time job, takes sacrifices that sometimes I don’t want to make. However, to build my portfolio, and make a paycheck, those sacrifices are necessary. So how do I get beyond feeling guilty?

I decided to do a quick Google search to see if anyone had any tips out there to help. Turns out, there are more than 1.3 million results to “Feeling guilty as a freelancer.” Apparently, this is very common! So if you’re resonating with this post, don’t feel bad – you’re not alone!

Here are some tips I gathered from a variety of sources to ditch the guilt and make the most of your freelance career:

1. Establish your own routine. If you work a full-time job – like me – you are probably only working nights and weekends for your clients. But as long as you are getting the work done, whether it’s by working two nights or seven, that’s what matters. Don’t miss deadlines and always produce quality work, and your clients have nothing to complain or worry about. It doesn’t matter when or how you’re getting it done.
2. Improve your time management. If you’re sitting at your desk multi-tasking for five hours a night, that’s not being productive. Put your phone away, close your browsers (except ones you need for research), shut the door and turn off any other distractions. You can probably get more done in two hours than you had been in five. It’s a proven fact that multi-tasking is not possible or productive. So instead, spend time focusing on your actual work and you’ll spend less time doing it.
3. Know your self-worth. If a client is constantly emailing, texting or calling you, being unreasonable, or making demands beyond what you’re getting paid to do, drop them! Not every client is right for you, and have confidence in yourself that you don’t have to put up with the wrong ones. The beauty of freelancing is choosing your clients and work, so if you don’t like one, move on to the next! This may take additional time and energy at first, especially if you don’t have clients lined up on a waiting list, but it will be worth it in the end.
4. Up your rates. If you’re earning more money, you can work less hours. If you’re just starting out you may not be at that point yet. But if you’re working on a platform like Upwork, experiment with different applications for clients. Try increasing your rates for a couple applications and see if you can get a bite. It will take time to figure out your sweet spot, but the more money you make the better for you and your time.
5. Know when to say no. If you’re already feeling overwhelmed, don’t take on additional clients. While a greater paycheck and one more client on your portfolio list is tempting, it might be what sets you over the edge. Learn to balance the clients you do have, and once you get that down, then consider taking on another one. Or, if a client that you’re really interested in or pays well contacts you, consider taking them on and dropping off one of your current ones. Only you know the relationship you have with current clients, and the benefits bringing a new one on would bring. But don’t be afraid to say no!
6. Figure out what works for you. Don’t compare yourself to other freelancers. Maybe they freelance full-time and don’t have to worry about 40 hours of their week being spent at a corporate desk. Or perhaps they’ve been doing this for 20 years while you’re just starting out. There will always be someone out there doing better and making more money than you. You won’t be there in the beginning – it took them years to get to where they are now. You’ll get there eventually!
7. Find your support team. Mine is my parents and partner. Yours could be family or friends. Maybe you just have a dog. Whoever or whatever it is, make sure you surround yourself with at least one person who will cheer you on and support your efforts. Find your person to cry to when you’re overwhelmed, celebrate your wins, and talk you down from the ledge when you’re feeling guilty. It’s difficult to do this alone, and having someone to talk to can help you work through your feelings – good and bad.
8. Find a mentor. While you shouldn’t compare yourself to other freelancers, finding one to talk to can be helpful. If they are farther than you on their journey, they can give you tips for how to build clients, balance your work and life, and get through the guilt hump. They can give you advice and guide you through challenges and feelings. They can also help you be accountable. Share with them your goals, and explain how or why you did or did not accomplish them. They can help you through roadblocks or be your cheerleader.
9. Keep a journal. By writing down your thoughts and feelings, even just to yourself, you may be able to talk yourself off your own ledge. Writing can help you work through your priorities, give yourself advice, or provide enough distance from yourself to have clarity. Write like you’re writing to a friend. Give yourself the advice you’d give to someone else in your shoes. By writing about and thinking through your emotions, you can find the cause of them and tackle the issues at the root.
10. Put yourself first. If you don’t put yourself first sometimes, you’re going to burn out quickly. Finding a work-life balance is critical to avoid stress – and then you’ll be no use to anyone. If you burn yourself out, you’ll struggle with continuing to build your business, which will hurt both you and your clients.

Freelancing is challenging, but no one said it would be easy. Working through the different emotions, understanding them, and recognizing ways around or through them is part of the process.