Ask a.k.a: getting & keeping a freelance life

October 27, 2011 — 2 Comments

As a freelancer, how do you balance your time? Is it difficult to not always “be” at work since your home office is in the next room? – Shelley L.

You could ask 10 difference freelancers this same question and get just as many answers. Why? It’s about what works for you.

One of the reasons I picked answered this question is because I found myself assessing my priorities this spring. While claiming I wanted more time for a personal writing project, I proceeded to book copywriting gig after gig, racking up more than 280 hours in a single month.

I also kept comparing myself to other freelancer friends who were billing 60 hours a week or building businesses as weekend warriors (taking new projects on Friday afternoon and delivering them on Monday morning). They were thriving. I was burned out.

With the help of very supportive people in my life, including a fantastic mentor, I started to focus on what I needed to do to achieve my goals and take care of myself. Here’s what works for me (at least for now).  (more…)