A recent convo with a friend has me thinking. I mentioned that I always make a point of being at my laptop by 9am at the absolute latest so I can get a jump on the day and be available when clients need me (also so I can wrap things up around the time my friends finish work so I can socialize with them).He raised a valid point, though: "Isn't one of the benefits of freelancing that you don't have to be chained to your desk like a 9-5er? Can't you work whenever you want as long as you meet deadlines?"
"But," I sputtered, "My clients expect a timely response! And people already this image of freelancers rolling out of bed at noon and working in their PJs. I'm determined to defy that stereotype!"
"Yeah, but can't those freelancers still be successful? I'm sure there are people like that who make a very decent living."
Huh. Am I missing the point of freelancing? I don't respond to late-night requests (even if I happen to be on Gmail, I don't want to set a bad precedent), and I'll admit that I sometimes take an afternoon gym break or run an errand if all my assignments are on track. (And OK, after my last breakup I played hooky and went to the movies for a day, but I would have been totally inefficient at my computer anyway.)
But if it's during the business day, then I make sure that clients' needs are met first. Even that time a few weeks ago, when my Mom had emergency eye surgery and I dropped everything to meet her at the hospital and bring her back to my apartment so I could watch her (she's fine now, thank goodness!), I raced back home to take care of an invoice issue. See, I worry that if I took the "free" in freelance too literally, my clients wouldn't take me seriously and my income (not to mention my productivity) would drop like the stock market did in 2008.
Am I being paranoid? How much freedom should freelancers allow themselves? Should we embrace the embrace the opportunity to work when we feel like it? Or stick to a regimented schedule? Any thoughts?
Flickr photo courtesy of Jeezny
20 comments:
I work better at nights, so that's when I do the bulk of my work. Moreover, my clients are based out of at least five countries, so it would be impossible to please them all anyway.
I have a within 24-hour response time to e-mails, but I don't think any editor expects freelancers to get back to them immediately (or even within hours). If there's an emergency or an editor needs an immediate response, they have my cellphone number.
I do set my own hours and take days off whenever I like. So far, it hasn't affected my business one bit.
Susan, I think one benefit you have as a freelancer is to set your own schedule and setting boundaries on when you work. It sounds like you do that (not answering e-mails 'after hours'). The key is whatever those hours are what you decide them to be -- and being clear with your clients on when you are available. There may be a time when you want to only work on certain days, or start later, or start earlier. It's all about what works for you. You have the unique advantage of being able to balance however you want.
I have a similar work schedule, although I don't think of it as a 9-to-5 or anything like that. I know that I work best at certain times of the day, so I spend those times in front of the computer.
That said, I tend to spend at least a couple of hours during the same time frame working on the weekends, mostly so that I can kick off early during the week if need be. I think it's all about finding a schedule that works for you.
I don't think you're missing the point of "free" at all. You've picked your schedule, let your clients know, and make it work. The misconception from non-freelancers is that we all sit around in our PJs watching movies all day. I have a similar schedule (9-6 or so), but I can freely change that when I want, quickly adjust if something needs to get done, or if I just want to go see a movie or have a long lunch with a friend. The point is, you have to work to get paid, but you choose your schedule. That's the "free" part.
I have two words for you: Blackberry email.
I can send template letters to potential clients through my BB from the treadmill, I can answer current clients from the lunchroom at my hubby's office, I can answer calls in the carpool line.
I'm a night person. I get sooo much hard work done between 8p and 11p with my husband watching TV across from me... But my kids are in school 9-3 so, other than the occasional spin class/Friday ditch, I'm here too, just out of convenience.
I know for a fact that my total work hours equal out to half time (~900 hours per year).
It sounds like you've picked the schedule that works best for you. For me, I'm most productive in the early morning and the evenings so that's when I do most of my work. But during business hours, I'm usually never too far from my computer and my cell phone is always with me in case a client needs to reach me. This has worked so far, and maybe one day I'll get a Blackberry like Allena suggested to improve efficiency even more!
What you're describing is a matter of professionalism. Work is, as my mother says, a four letter word, therefore it isn't "free." You're being responsible for your work product and your client's needs. I agree with Colette - you're deciding the hours and setting the boundaries. Good work!
I'm mean clients' (plural!) needs... :-)
I think the key should be being as effective as you can be. My thoughts:
- Work during your "golden hours" Darren Rowse and others have written about these as our peek productivity times. If yours in 9-12 in the morning, embrace it.
- Limit the amount of email, and responding to it quickly. I try (and sometimes fail) to only check email two or three times a day.
Anyways, I freelance part time now, and I try to wake up as early as I can. We'll see if it works.
Like Mridu, I work with clients in so many different time zones that I don't feel any 9 - 5 local time pressure. I also try to stick with a 24 hour response time and it's always worked out well for me. That said, I do the actual writing whenever I feel like it so I take major advantage of the "free" in freelancing!
Jen put it perfectly -- you're picking the schedule that's best for you, and that's what freedom is all about. It's not necessarily about working at different times and in different places all the time. It's about doing what you want to do.
For me that's getting up at 4am and working from 5am-noon. I'm most productive then (meaning I get more done and maximize my billable hours to earn more), and when noon rolls around I get to go out and enjoy the sunshine while most people I know are still stuck in the office until it's dark again (no SAD for me!). I couldn't choose that schedule working a standard job.
There's also the freedom from the hellish commutes (used to drive 1.5 hours each way!), the freedom to stop and start as you want to, and the freedom to deviate from your schedule if you really do want to. I have days where I sleep in till 6 or 7, and I can choose to make a short day of it or just work into the afternoon a bit.
So I'm not sure where the lack of freedom idea comes from. There's no freer way to live and work imo.
Great topic. I don't think freelancers are as free in time schedules as they are in picking projects. To me, that's the real freedom. I don't typically have to do a project if I don't want to.
I'm not a freelancer, but as a grad student I also set my own schedule. I think the important thing is whether you get the job done on time. If you do that, then nobody will care when you did it or what you were wearing.
Wow, I'm fascinated by all these responses! I vastly prefer freelancing to a traditional office job, and I think one of the great things about it is that the time I spend at my computer is because I chose to, not because some boss wants me to put in facetime (I hate the concept of facetime!). Many of you made good points, especially the freelancers abroad who can't be at their computers 24/7, and I think Chantal's point about picking projects is a good one, too.
For anyone considering a BlackBerry or iPhone, I have the BB Pearl, and I absolutely love it! It's great for dashing off quick emails or catching up on my Google Reader, but it's not designed for heavy typing (so I wouldn't actually file a story on it or write the Great American Novel).
Susan, like you, I'm punctual. I show up for a regular job when here I am, a freelancer. I've spent the last six years trying like hell to be available for my clients during their business hours. Why? Email reaches me at any time, anywhere. I've gotta loosen up myself. :)
As many have said, freelancing is less about working odd hours and more about setting your own hours--even if that ends up being 9-5.
I don't know many people who could work different hours every day and still stay on top of things. Most people end up with some kind of regimented schedule--although I like being able to take an extra-long break, an afternoon off, or a nice vacation without having to consult my boss. And when I feel like adjusting my schedule (whether to work with clients on another continent or because I feel comfortable working fewer hours), I can do so. That's what the "free" in freelance means to me!
I like to think I'm flexible with my time, but the truth is, I focus better when I'm on a regular schedule. Plus, if I don't work while my son is in school, it will be difficult for me to find quiet blocks of time later.
With that said, if I want to run to the supermarket or library or to get my hair done, I can do so without worrying about work.
As Allena attested, a smart phone works wonders. My Droid enables me to keep emails under control when I'm away from my desk - and even blog if that's what I feel like doing.
Thanks for the discussion.
I've been freelancing for almost 17 years. Wow! Didn't realize it has been that long!
What works for me is working hard when I have to (re deadlines) and enjoying some lax time when I deserve it (i.e. after having earned it.)
I also don't fight my natural rhythm. I know that I do my best work after lunch: between 1-5 pm. So if I've got writing to do that really requires concentration or creativity, I always attempt it during that time, and do other stuff in the mornings.
I appreciate the flexibility and freedom of freelancing and so some days I am in my pjs until noon -- but that probably means I've just been jamming on a piece for three or four hours. Like you, Susan, I get up and get to it.
The beauty,though, is sometimes I do take a break to hike the hill, go to yoga, volunteer, and then I just make the time up at the other end of the day.
The problem with a home office: You could work 24/7 if you didn't set boundaries.
For me, discipline is important. I find my creativity is at it's peak in the early morning - so I schedule my most important work for the first one or two hours of the day. After that, I work from a to-do list of the next most important things to get done - to keep me on track.
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