Embracing the chaos
I process way more things on a daily basis since working for myself nearly four years ago.
Some things I never would have dreamt might enter my mind prior to the change. I feel like I’m constantly forgetting something and then a millisecond later I comfort myself with the thought this is a normal state in the generation we live. I’m totally normal right??
Being a freelancer can be a lot of work, I spend a lot of time thinking about:
Scheduling workflow
Accounting
Finding new clients
Maintaining relationships
Diversifying
Future proofing
There are always a few balls flying in the air at any given time and I’m going to be honest, this kind of chaos used to make me VERY uncomfortable. As a natural state of being, our optimum mode of play is to have everything ordered, structured and as painless as possible, right? I’m the first to point out most of my posts on this blog are about developing structure and some organisation to my own business in the hope that my sharing may have some level of impact to other designers out there. When I started my blog, I wanted to let designers know (especially green ones) there’s a bit more to consider than meets the eye and share ways on how to minimise the chaos.
Seeking balance
If you know me, I think you’d agree I’m generally pretty relaxed. I tend to rely on comedy even in the most stressful of times. Next time I’m talking to you and I say ‘everything’s great’ and then follow up with ‘it’s also opposite day’, this is my understated way of communicating a current state of mild to medium stress. That joke never gets old for me. Comedy is always the answer.
The toughest part of the job as a sole trader is finding good clients and keeping them. I don’t care what anybody says, work will never just fall into your lap, and if it does don’t ever think it will stay there forever. It takes work.
But you know what? Nearly four years in and I wouldn’t have it any other way. The perks balance it all out. I’ve written a bit about the pro’s and cons of freelance and finding balance. I’d like to add another ‘pro’ to the list if I may? It’s this: I feel like I’m doing some of the most creative work so far in my career, no kidding. To me that’s a major pro.
While I’m here there’s really only one additional ‘con’ I’d make to my previous posts on the realities of working for myself and it’s the actual cost of holidays. Taking a break is essential but the cost hurts way more than just a week’s accommodation at the Sunny Coast. I also lose a week’s income at the same time, ouch. To limit the damage, I try to take small camping breaks regularly and if I have a week away, my laptop goes too. I answer emails and get the small jobs done at night and schedule bigger projects once I’m home. It’s just the nature of the beast.
Strategies
I realise in my search for any kind of balance these days involves embracing the chaos and looking at it straight in the eye, in all of its messiness. Half the battle is won just by doing that.
The next steps in my search for some sanity involve the following things in order:
Taking as much time as I need to think about the problem I’m currently staring down
Avoiding knee jerk decisions at all costs (if there’s time sleep on it)
Segment and prioritise, tease out bite size pieces
Tick things off one by one.
These days, a balanced week for me looks like 2-3 days onsite at a design studio and 2-3 days working in the comfort of my home. This is a regular kind of week even though no two weeks are ever the same. I get the benefits of social/creative conversations working in a design studio and also some quiet time working at home.
Some tips you ask?
Expect the unexpected and always be ready to move. It doesn’t matter even if you don’t know where to yet, there’s strategy in being ready. Just as an example, do you have a basic proposal template ready that you can refine to send to your potential new client in a speedy fashion?
Get outside of your own head. Until a week ago I was thinking just because every January is a bit slow due to Christmas and the summer holidays, this year must be the same. Well, not according to my books ladies and gentlemen, I had a quick look randomly and it was nice to realise it wasn’t as bad as I thought.
Remember, no man is an island. Find people you can talk to regardless of whether they have the same skills or different to you. Sometimes explaining your process to people that don’t understand our industry can be really useful.
As a freelancer there’ll always be quiet days. Our industry is cyclical so while it’s busy and the sun is shining it’s wise to plan financially for a rainy day or two.
‘The truth is there are a ton of road bumps every day throughout your entire journey. What matters is how you react to them. You have to dust yourself off and get up every time you hit a bump in your path and move forwards.’ Studio founder and creative - Benny Gold
What if the plan changes?
Let’s say you’re a full time employee and you are let go. What if you’re freelancing and kids turn up? When it comes to any kind of change, courage is essential to look reality straight in the eye and seeing every facet of the situation clearly. Doesn’t mean it won’t hurt though. Periods of change often bring stress and pain with it.
Here are a couple more quotes to soothe the pain:
‘The only constant in life is change’ - Heraclitus
‘Great things never came from comfort zones’ - Neil Strauss
So, what if you’re the one to change the plan? If you’re the one to change the plan then hopefully you’ve got time to prepare for the change. Give yourself some time to nut out the situation and build something solid.
Getting through the hard times
I find the quiet times the hardest. There’s always a few jobs I’m waiting on for content… waiting for feedback on concept designs… I’ve quoted a couple of projects and waiting on approval. Waiting… and waiting. Then the mind talk starts. Could the nation’s bushfires have affected my industry so quickly? Maybe. Is my email down? Nope. Website down? Nope.
‘Through all these years there are also ebbs and flows – sometimes you are manically busy, sometimes you are really quiet. The quiet times can be hard and sometimes scary, but as long as you are still pushing yourself forward, and using that time to work on something personal or just do things, which will help your work in other ways – such as travel, visiting galleries, and so on – then they are just as important as the really busy times.’ - Beci Orpin
What to do? Touch base with your regular contacts, do some social media activity, refresh your website with some recent work, make some meals for people you know, and like Beci said, visit a gallery. Beyond that, think about some side hustles or continue working on a creative project you’d put up on the shelf. Buckle up and ride the storm, it won’t stay quiet for long.
Please give these a read, there’s some gold here:
https://www.creativebloq.com/features/how-to-cope-with-a-freelance-apocalypse
https://millo.co/40-tips-for-brand-new-freelance-designers-2
https://magazine.artstation.com/2015/02/10-tips-surviving-year-freelance-artist/
https://www.creativebloq.com/advice/everything-you-need-to-know-about-going-freelance
Have I missed anything important? Want to share your story? Use the comments section to get in touch.
First published Feb 13, 2020