Exactly eight months ago yesterday, I worked my last day at the company I’d been at for over five years. I say ‘worked’... There wasn’t much work left to do by that point. But I did spend the day tidying up my desk (no small feat - I won the award for Messiest Desk at the Christmas party for three years running!), saying goodbye to my team, and having a long lunch with my best work buddies.
Handing in my notice was one of the scariest things I’ve ever done, especially as I’d handed it in without another job to go to. That was something I’d told myself I’d never do, and yet there I was, about to leave a secure, well-paid job for the unpredictable, unknown world of self-employment.
It’s been some ride over the last eight months, but I have no regrets. I’m still learning every day, but I thought I’d jot down a few of the things I’ve learned over the last wee while. You never know, it might be helpful to someone, especially if anyone’s considering taking on some freelance work during these strange times of social distancing, self isolation, and furlough.
Hustle hard
This is one of the things that scared me most about freelancing. The thought that I’d have to sell myself to strangers and brag about my skills was daunting. I hate doing anything like that. But guess what? You won’t make any money as a freelancer if you don’t just suck it up and go for it.
And here’s the thing: it’s really not that bad. You’re just dealing with people after all, and most of the time there’s no need for the hard sell. Just build up relationships, use your connections and respond to requests for freelance copywriters, and things should start to fall into place. Which brings me to my next learning…
2. LinkedIn is amazing
Seriously. I never bothered much with LinkedIn before I went self-employed, and you still won’t see me posting on the platform on a daily basis. But I’ve found it to be so useful for making connections I’d never have otherwise made, and for finding work.
3. Freelancing is lonely
Seems obvious, right? But I didn’t quite realise how much I’d miss the daily chit-chat of colleagues until I didn’t have any. There were a million times when, working in an open-plan setting, I’d be desperate for an office of my own. But now that I work from home, being around other people is definitely the thing I miss most.
There are a few solutions to this. Some people get an office space, or make use of co-working spaces. There are loads in Edinburgh and (once we can all leave our houses again) I plan to check out a few different spaces to see if any suit me.
I didn’t want to make any big commitments initially, though, so I’ve been breaking up the time I spend working at home with working in coffee shops. Yes, it gets expensive, but a couple of coffees every day is a small price to pay to keep me sane!
My favourite coffee shop, Williams and Johnson
4. Find a community
I’ve also tried to build up a community around me. I don’t know a huge number of other people who are self-employed, so I created a group on Facebook for freelancers and people who work from home to get together once a week for a co-working day.
It’s been really nice to have some company and a bit of chat throughout the day. I’d thoroughly recommend connecting with like-minded people. If you’re in Edinburgh, you can join our group, or there are plenty of other similar ones in other cities.
5. Create a routine
I still struggle with this one. But I try. One of the great things about working for yourself is that you don’t have to stick to a routine, but, as many of us are finding whilst we’re confined to our homes during the COVID-19 pandemic, most people thrive on routine of some kind or another.
Whether that’s working 9-5 or keeping to a strict schedule of workout classes, find what routine works for you. Personally, I don’t keep to a specific day-to-day schedule, but I do always plan what yoga classes I’m going to attend throughout the week, and build runs into my schedule. I like the flexibility this gives me, and it also ensures I get out of the house and see people on a daily basis.
6. Get a proper working space
To start with, I was just working from my dining table. Then I got a desk and a proper desk chair - what a game changer! My flat is tiny, so I don’t have the luxury of having a separate office space, but I’ve found that even this dedicated space makes such a difference to my mindset and productivity.
My desk - no messy desk awards here!
7. Get help
There’s a lot of things to think about when going self-employed, and I didn’t have a clue about any of it, from tax returns to business expenses. I’ve done a few courses with Business Gateway, and I can’t recommend their services enough.
They offer free courses in everything from handling the financial side of things to digital marketing and social media, and the courses I attended really helped me to get a handle on what it actually means to be self-employed.
If you know anyone who works for themselves, then speak to them! We’re all in this together, and I’m sure no one would mind helping out a pal in need of some advice.
I’m sure there will be plenty more lessons in the next four months as I approach a full year of working for myself (every day’s a school day, right?). There’s certainly been a lesson or two during this coronavirus crisis. But I’ll save those lessons for another blog post…