Comments on: 7 tips for freelancing, working at home + being your own boss

By: Morgan Genevieve

Morgan Genevieve — Tue, 09 Jun 2015 20:10:37 +0000

I love this! I just have a few questions!
1. How did you find your clients?
2. Am I wasting my time on sites like Elance?
3. What’s your big, “DON’T DO THIS !” when you first start out?

I’m trying to start myself off in the best direction I can… and I’m scared and nervous and feel like I’m never going to get any work!

By: Archana

Archana — Wed, 04 Mar 2015 23:14:47 +0000

Totally agree with all your statements, especially about how some people think we can just take afternoons off, like it’s no big deal. There does seem to be this need to prove that, yes, we actually do work! Thanks for all your great input, Kat!

By: Kat

Kat — Fri, 27 Feb 2015 01:52:19 +0000

This is so spot on and a great read for anyone working from home or wondering how people do it. I started solely freelancing nearly 8 years ago and although I am now paid as an employee, I still creative direct a quarterly magazine from home. The company doesn’t have an office so the entire staff works from home and somehow we manage to produce a 164 page magazine on time four times a year. When I began working from home I struggled a lot and still do with certain things. At first, it was really difficult not to feel lonely or trapped inside the house. Thank god for the company of my dog and the realization that I needed to escape at the end of the day. Taking breaks, running errands, and making lunch dates are absolutely amazing however, this article is correct in that you feel the need to prove to people that you actually do work. For money. No, you can’t always take the afternoon off when your mom or a friend wants to plan a day trip just because you’re home. And the “must be nice” or “I wish I had a job like that” comments do get annoying. After all, they clock out at night so working at night or getting an email about a corrupted file after 5:00 that needs to be corrected and sent immediately, rarely happens to them. As for work attire, I usually check and respond to emails and do any necessary paperwork for a few hours in the morning in my jammies and then take a shower, do my hair and makeup, and dress up and then dive into the creative design part of it. I find it helps make me feel better about myself which translates to my work. If you’re just starting out working from home, don’t worry, you’ll adjust and it will be wonderful. And yes, everyone will be jealous and want you to let their dog out for them. Thanks for the great read!

By: Adrienne

Adrienne — Thu, 26 Feb 2015 07:25:37 +0000

Loved this post! I definitely wondered how I would handle the leap from they-employed to self-employed. Still relatively new to the game, but the things that helped me were: “getting ready for work”, by which I mean, the actual act of getting properly dressed, hair done and face/teeth/etc washed, before sitting down to my desk. It may be a TINY commute, but I needed it to get my mind to transition from home to work. What I still haven’t figured out yet is time management… Because I set my own deadlines – sometimes I have trouble knowing what to prioritize, and I’ll spend a much too long doing something unimportant… Maybe I should look into that excel punchcard idea! http://Www.eatingliterally.typepad.com

By: Mandy Pellegrin // Fabric Paper Glue

Mandy Pellegrin // Fabric Paper Glue — Mon, 03 Feb 2014 22:34:34 +0000

Thanks for sharing this link on my time management post! It’s good to read some words of advice from others.

By: Archana

Archana — Wed, 29 Jan 2014 07:01:35 +0000

Thanks, Ciera! Discipline is right! It’s a working in progress for me for sure :)

By: Ciera Chantál

Ciera Chantál — Mon, 27 Jan 2014 02:46:40 +0000

This is was a great blog post. Working from home is a great thing, but it does come with its own struggles. I am blessed to be able to do what I truly love but it really takes a lot of discipline & motivation.

By: Archana

Archana — Sat, 25 Jan 2014 23:32:54 +0000

Agreed! Going freelance can teach you a lot about yourself. I don’t think I ever truly understood how I work best until I went at it solo. An interesting process for sure. Thanks for reading!

By: Archana

Archana — Sat, 25 Jan 2014 23:31:48 +0000

Thanks so much, Catarina! As a freelancer you really do need to wear a lot of different hats. It can be exhausting! It’ll get easier (It tell myself that too)!

By: Jessica (Packard) Klein

Jessica (Packard) Klein — Sat, 25 Jan 2014 20:59:32 +0000

Hi Jini!

I began freelancing very early in my career but at the same time, I am still working part-time on the side for some steady income. For me, styling and designing interiors is something you can run with if you have the talent and love for business. In my opinion, in my field, I don’t believe you have to reach a level of success under another designer to be able to take the leap. I definitely think it’s great to have some good projects under your belt and experience to make sure you are cut out for what services/product you are providing – but if it’s what you truly want in life…I say you just kind of know when you know! :) Good luck to you with all of your endeavors!!