New Year Resolutions for a Freelancer

When I decided to leave my job last year and go “freelance”, I wasn’t really certain of what I was letting myself in for. All I knew that was after almost 4 years in the same job, I wanted to have a change – tackle something new and develop my career. 2011 gives me the opportunity to turn over a new leaf, and try and stick to some universal New Year resolutions…

1. Don’t feel guilty
I used to get this feeling when I was studying as well. Because I hadn’t completed as much work as I’d have liked to, or managed to waste an hour on a website that had nothing to do with my coursework, I denied myself activities that I had been planning – going for a walk, going to the park, meeting up with friends, swimming in the local open air swimming pool (it was summer!) – which would have lifted my mood and ultimately made me more productive. People often waste time at work – but they’re in an office environment and its ok! So if you feel you haven’t achieved anything over the course of the day staring at a computer screen, don’t beat yourself up about it. And allow yourself the treats you’ve planned – the drinks with friends, the night at the cinema, the break from work to watch something on iplayer. You can’t work 24/7.

2. Don’t work yourself into the ground
Just because you’re freelance doesn’t mean you should be working all hours. I will often “do” my emails in the evenings and on a Sunday afternoon, but I’m going to try sticking to a 9-6 working week, with set days for different jobs/projects.

3. Manage your Time
This is often a killer, especially if you’re working on a number of different projects - being able to work without being distracted is key. I’m currently trying to only have one email account open at a time (I have three!) and have started using a handy little tool called Leechblock (for Firefox) which means I can set timings for access to certain websites, such as Facebook and Twitter.

4. Get some fresh air everyday
I live in a top-floor flat, and some days the only exercise I will get is walking from the spare room (my office) to the kitchen for a cup of tea, and then walking back again. Make sure you get some fresh air everyday, even if it’s just a walk around the block first thing in the morning before sitting down at your desk, or – what I try to do – a 10-15 min walk after you’ve eaten lunch, which also tends to make sure you have a proper “lunch break” too. Its exercise, its stress reducing, and it means have some real human contact rather than being stuck behind a computer screen all day.

5. Exercise
This resolution ties in with number 2, but exercise can be very important to keep you sane. I’m currently attempting to run 3 times a week, leading up to a 10k race in April. Seeing as I’m unfit and hate getting out of a warm bed in the morning, its amazing how exhilarated I feel after I’ve been running. You just need to keep motivated to carry on doing it (the 10k race is keeping me focussed – my main aim is just to be able to run the whole thing!)

6. Socialise
You’re stuck in the house all day – humans need contact with others, and Twitter doesn’t always count. Keep in contact with friends, and make an effort to see them. Also make sure that you keep in contact with old colleagues and friends (the old devil of networking), and try to attend concerts, theatre, art exhibitions etc. It’s amazing how quickly you can feel out of touch with what’s happening in contemporary culture – I know, hence the resolution!

Obviously, time will tell if I actually stick to these resolutions! I hope you’re as successful, if not more so, than me…