Walking down the road from a certain place on a certain day, I knew I needed more than food or extra coffee. I was stressed to my bones and had a weird sick feeling in my body.
There is this saying that goes thus ‘As busy as the bee’. Truth be told, another phrase could also be made like this ‘as busy as the freelancer’. Maybe that seems a little off but its content is true. Most freelancers can relate to this ‘busyness’ – that there is neither day nor night for the freelancing dude. You are just up at night and up at day.
Have you decided to take a little nap on the couch one day and got woken up by your message tone and phone vibration about a task or job that needs be completed soonest? Or have you went on junk food for days just to be able to meet up with schedules? Just a busy world!
There is a bitter truth about continuing on this kind of lifestyle – You gradually, unknowingly degrade your body. Yes, you may look good outside but on the inside, what’s really happening?
I was watching an episode of the season 4 of Silicon Valley (the movie) not too long ago. In one of the Episodes, Richard received a report from his doctor saying there has been a shrink in his stature due to stress. And yes though it’s already known, stress isn’t good for you.
When was the last time you took a good meal or had a good sleep? Those long hours facing the computer screen on loads of coffee doesn’t help your body. So what’s the way out?
At some point, I thought maybe this is the cross for the good or the pain for the gain but I discovered that ‘where there’s a will there is a way’.
LET’S GET TO THE WAY.
Time is the problem; a good calendar is the tested and working solution. It could be Google calendar or any a to-do reminder app. Does that sound off for you? Consider a manager in a large corporation who doesn’t plan the affairs and economics of the company. And consider another manager who has the market statistics and makes plans based on those stats? I believe you already know the manager who may not work in an official position for a long time.
If you are to enjoy freelancing you got to make time for everything. You could give 5-10 minutes thrice a week and exercise those bones. You could as well plan your work hours before the coming day, take ten minutes of meditation and some minutes to cook a meal using your mums’ recipe. You can also have fun with friends at least once in a while. Freelancing is a blessing not a CURSE! It comes down to how willing you are to plan your day and fit in those bits into your calendar plus having the discipline to follow them.
See yourself as the manager of your own body (company) and like that good manager, plan for it.
I guess you get it now.
Let me make this a little real. John has say, 20 jobs/client requests. He needs to have completed them within the next 24 hours and each of these jobs should require not less than 50 minutes. Fifty minutes multiplied by twenty is already seventeen hours leaving just seven hours. He uses four hours to rest his head and now is left with three. This is considering the ideal situation which is usually rare. At the end we see John has just a few hours left for friends & family, video games, cooking that meal or even starting a relationship. John needs to:
LEARN TO OUTSOURCE.
As common as it is in the freelancing world, a good number of freelancers don’t do this. There is someone out there who can do this job for you at a cheaper price; all you have to do is make sure it meets the clients taste. Outsource early (that’s where plan comes in) and you could edit whatever needs editing early and deliver on time. This will provide you with all the time you need for other things.
Sure, what has been said here has worked for me but may not be the exact solution for you. It comes down to understanding your circumstance and making plans to fit in. As already said freelancing should be enjoyed.
In conclusion, keep up the vibe, earn the cash, live healthy and don’t forget to up vote. Happy freelancing.