Comments on: Four Reasons Why I Don’t Want to Be a Freelancer Any More http://freelanceswitch.com/freelancing-essentials/four-reasons-why-i-dont-want-to-be-a-freelancer-any-more/ Freelance Advice and Freelance Jobs - FreelanceSwitch Sat, 06 Sep 2008 00:09:41 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5 By: 5 Tips For Building Your Portfolio Career : Brazen Careerist - A Career Center for Generation Y http://freelanceswitch.com/freelancing-essentials/four-reasons-why-i-dont-want-to-be-a-freelancer-any-more/#comment-25858 5 Tips For Building Your Portfolio Career : Brazen Careerist - A Career Center for Generation Y Wed, 23 Jul 2008 06:00:58 +0000 http://freelanceswitch.com/?p=962#comment-25858 [...] as soon as possible, and accept that despite all your planning, there may be times you can feel the worst of them circling overhead. (When that happens, my policy is fake it ’til you make [...] […] as soon as possible, and accept that despite all your planning, there may be times you can feel the worst of them circling overhead. (When that happens, my policy is fake it ’til you make […]

]]> By: Can Freelancers Return to Salaried Work? « Meandmydesigns http://freelanceswitch.com/freelancing-essentials/four-reasons-why-i-dont-want-to-be-a-freelancer-any-more/#comment-25451 Can Freelancers Return to Salaried Work? « Meandmydesigns Mon, 14 Jul 2008 11:56:06 +0000 http://freelanceswitch.com/?p=962#comment-25451 [...] Return to Salaried Work? Recently, Logan Strain wrote at Freelance Switch about the four reasons he doesn’t want to be a freelancer anymore. It’s probably true that most people are not born to [...] […] Return to Salaried Work? Recently, Logan Strain wrote at Freelance Switch about the four reasons he doesn’t want to be a freelancer anymore. It’s probably true that most people are not born to […]

]]> By: 7 Tips for the Perfect Career Transition « Meandmydesigns http://freelanceswitch.com/freelancing-essentials/four-reasons-why-i-dont-want-to-be-a-freelancer-any-more/#comment-25277 7 Tips for the Perfect Career Transition « Meandmydesigns Thu, 10 Jul 2008 14:33:08 +0000 http://freelanceswitch.com/?p=962#comment-25277 [...] Career Transition Let’s face it. Some freelancers don’t always want to be freelancing. Some want out. How about you? Is freelancing what you really want to be doing, long term? Is it a means to an [...] […] Career Transition Let’s face it. Some freelancers don’t always want to be freelancing. Some want out. How about you? Is freelancing what you really want to be doing, long term? Is it a means to an […]

]]> By: thinkerpool.com: » 7 Tips for the Perfect Career Transition http://freelanceswitch.com/freelancing-essentials/four-reasons-why-i-dont-want-to-be-a-freelancer-any-more/#comment-25107 thinkerpool.com: » 7 Tips for the Perfect Career Transition Tue, 08 Jul 2008 00:09:49 +0000 http://freelanceswitch.com/?p=962#comment-25107 [...] face it. Some freelancers don’t always want to be freelancing. Some want out. How about you? Is freelancing what you really want to be doing, long term? Is it a means to an [...] […] face it. Some freelancers don’t always want to be freelancing. Some want out. How about you? Is freelancing what you really want to be doing, long term? Is it a means to an […]

]]> By: 7 Tips for the Perfect Career Transition - FreelanceSwitch - The Freelance Blog http://freelanceswitch.com/freelancing-essentials/four-reasons-why-i-dont-want-to-be-a-freelancer-any-more/#comment-25105 7 Tips for the Perfect Career Transition - FreelanceSwitch - The Freelance Blog Tue, 08 Jul 2008 00:00:26 +0000 http://freelanceswitch.com/?p=962#comment-25105 [...] face it. Some freelancers don’t always want to be freelancing. Some want out. How about you? Is freelancing what you really want to be doing, long term? Is it a means to an [...] […] face it. Some freelancers don’t always want to be freelancing. Some want out. How about you? Is freelancing what you really want to be doing, long term? Is it a means to an […]

]]> By: that graphic guy http://freelanceswitch.com/freelancing-essentials/four-reasons-why-i-dont-want-to-be-a-freelancer-any-more/#comment-25098 that graphic guy Mon, 07 Jul 2008 19:06:04 +0000 http://freelanceswitch.com/?p=962#comment-25098 great read! Freelance is not for everyone... I gave full time freelance a try and did ok made enough to pay the bills but I want more. Now I have a 9 - 5 that gets me through the month and the freelance is what's paying for my families future. I wish you the best Logan in what ever road you take to provide for your family. great read! Freelance is not for everyone… I gave full time freelance a try and did ok made enough to pay the bills but I want more. Now I have a 9 - 5 that gets me through the month and the freelance is what’s paying for my families future.

I wish you the best Logan in what ever road you take to provide for your family.

]]> By: Angela Stringfellow http://freelanceswitch.com/freelancing-essentials/four-reasons-why-i-dont-want-to-be-a-freelancer-any-more/#comment-25041 Angela Stringfellow Mon, 07 Jul 2008 00:13:15 +0000 http://freelanceswitch.com/?p=962#comment-25041 It's certainly not pleasant to think about the potential drawbacks to what most of us think of as a dream job, but it took courage to put such a realistic post on this site, and I applaud you for that. While freelancing certainly has its challenges, and it's not easy managing a home business while trying to raise young childrn, there are things you could do to make your life a little easier. I cut my hours practically in half when I started outsourcing my back-office operations to an employer of record organization, MBO Partners</a>. I no longer had to spend countless hours on all those tedious tasks that I wasn't being paid for, like invoicing and collections. Tax managment suddenly became much simpler, and through MBO I had access to group health insurance benefits and a retirment savings account. So, not only did I gain valuable time to spend with my son, but I also gained additional hours I could spend doing billable work for my clients, so my income increased as well. It’s certainly not pleasant to think about the potential drawbacks to what most of us think of as a dream job, but it took courage to put such a realistic post on this site, and I applaud you for that. While freelancing certainly has its challenges, and it’s not easy managing a home business while trying to raise young childrn, there are things you could do to make your life a little easier. I cut my hours practically in half when I started outsourcing my back-office operations to an employer of record organization, MBO Partners. I no longer had to spend countless hours on all those tedious tasks that I wasn’t being paid for, like invoicing and collections. Tax managment suddenly became much simpler, and through MBO I had access to group health insurance benefits and a retirment savings account. So, not only did I gain valuable time to spend with my son, but I also gained additional hours I could spend doing billable work for my clients, so my income increased as well.

]]> By: Dave R http://freelanceswitch.com/freelancing-essentials/four-reasons-why-i-dont-want-to-be-a-freelancer-any-more/#comment-24995 Dave R Sat, 05 Jul 2008 22:53:29 +0000 http://freelanceswitch.com/?p=962#comment-24995 Great post by Wanderson Siqueira (and great name!!). Logan, you're definitely doing a lot wrong it would seem, so maybe need to spend time working out a schedule, reviewing the rates you're charging, and then enjoying life. Work had during the work, relax during the non-work hours. Great post by Wanderson Siqueira (and great name!!). Logan, you’re definitely doing a lot wrong it would seem, so maybe need to spend time working out a schedule, reviewing the rates you’re charging, and then enjoying life. Work had during the work, relax during the non-work hours.

]]> By: thinkerpool.com: » Can Freelancers Return to Salaried Work? http://freelanceswitch.com/freelancing-essentials/four-reasons-why-i-dont-want-to-be-a-freelancer-any-more/#comment-24960 thinkerpool.com: » Can Freelancers Return to Salaried Work? Sat, 05 Jul 2008 05:18:51 +0000 http://freelanceswitch.com/?p=962#comment-24960 [...] Logan Strain wrote at Freelance Switch about the four reasons he doesn’t want to be a freelancer anymore. It’s probably true that most people are not [...] […] Logan Strain wrote at Freelance Switch about the four reasons he doesn’t want to be a freelancer anymore. It’s probably true that most people are not […]

]]> By: Wanderson Siqueira http://freelanceswitch.com/freelancing-essentials/four-reasons-why-i-dont-want-to-be-a-freelancer-any-more/#comment-24517 Wanderson Siqueira Mon, 30 Jun 2008 14:09:08 +0000 http://freelanceswitch.com/?p=962#comment-24517 Dear Logan, I´ve been freelancing since 2005 and I´ve never worked so little and earn so well, but I´m a very disciplined person to keep my life under control. Right down I gonna share my day to day with you and our friends here in Freelance Switch. 06:10 am - I wake up , take my breakfast and go to gym. 06:40 to 07:30 - work out. 07:40 to 08:20 - take a shower, get dressed the same way if I would work at a company, turn on my computer and surf on the main news web sites to get updated. These sites are:nytimes.com, aol.ca, reuters.com, uol.com.br, globo.com, yahoo.ca, thestar.com. I like to know what is happening in Canada, USA and Brazil. 08:20 to 12:00 - work 12:00 to 13:20 - my lunch time! At least once a week a use to meet friends to have lunch, go to shopping mall, by something, go to supermarket, go to bank, to a library or simply walk on the street to see people. I also use to sleep when I have lunch in my home. It´s my way to keep good energy to start to work again. 13:20 to 18:00 - work. I usualy finish my job at 18:00 every day, I just work after this hour rarely, only when I have an urgent job or when it become more complex that I expected. 18:00 to 23:00 - My free time when I use to improve my skills studying, researching and prototyping. It´s a very important time because I believe if I have a good domain of my tools I gonna take less time to do my tasks and I´ll earn more money in less time. But I don´t spend my free time only in front of my computer, I spend this free time with my wife, take a walk with my dog, visit friends, watch movies and etc.. Weekends - Rarely I work on the weekends, this is a very estimated time to me, it means to have fun and relax, actually diving, running, traveling, visiting friends, family, going to cinema etc.. By the way, when I need to learn a new software or techniques, I use to study on saturdays from 08:00 to 12:00. TIP 01 - FREE TIME I Never, never, never, answer business phone calls after my work time, I say from 12:00 to 13:20, after 18:00 and on the weekends. It´s my time, if I don´t have time to have lunch, if I don´t have time for me and my family, I would need change my concepts. TIP 02 - ANSWER MACHINE My answer machine get in the game to help me during this time. I have a secret to share with you and I hope any of my clients don´t ready this post. My fiends and family knows that I don´t answer the phone after 18:00 and on the weekends. It´s a strategy to force my clients to understand and respect my time. So because of this, my friends and relatives need to identify themselves when my answer machine pick up the phone call. They use to say something like "Hey Wanderson it´s me your mother pick up the phone boy!!!" Maybe you´re wondering, but if your client call to your mobile phone? I just keep my cold blood and don´t answer the phone and call him or her back as soon as possible. If I was not a freelancer working on my home but an agency? They would call to an agency Saturday at 20:00? Of couse not? Feelancing is a bussines and the first person that need to understand that is YOU. TIP 02 - QUALITY OF LIFE Dedicate a quality time to your health, working out, running, swimming, praticing a marcial art, yoga or something that keep your body and mind trained. Drink watter, eat fruits and pay a close attention to your soul and mind. TIP 03 - GOD ABOVE EVETHING Before to start to work, thank GOD for the privilege to work as a freelancer and for the good life,for the good family and good friends you have. BUSINESS SIDE OF THINGS Have contracts! I have 03 clients that pay me monthly, so it keep my bills payed without problems. These contacts usually cover up site maintenance, graphic design and web design projects. The stuffs that the companies always need. So, as I have a stable revenue from my usual clients and I always have new clients that give me a plus on my revenue with fast projects. For instance, this month, a new client approached me with a project, an e commerce web site. The payment form will be 8X of $2.000 + a monthly contract of $800,00. So, during 8 months I gonna have a plus on my revenue of $2.800,00, but the project will take 02 months to be deployed, after this I gonna have other projects to do, adding more revenue. To my $2.800,00. HOW NOT TO WORK SO HARD I believe that the key to not work 20 hours a day 7 days on the week is to consider 02 points: To be mastered on your tools to take less time as possible on the tasks and organize your time efficiently. Don´t check your email every 10 minutes, block people that disturb you on the instant messengers, turn on your iTunes and listen a good sound and work relaxed and happy. FINAL THOUGHTS It´s not the absolute truth, that´s my way to run my business and my life and it´s working for me so far. My intention writing this post is not to show you the right way to live or work, but just to share with you may day to day. I hope this post can help you and other readers. Sorry for type mistakes, I´m not a native English speaker. My name´s Wanderson Siqueira, a happy freelancer designer based in Rio de Janeiro www.wortek.com.br Dear Logan,
I´ve been freelancing since 2005 and I´ve never worked so little and earn so well, but I´m a very disciplined person to keep my life under control.
Right down I gonna share my day to day with you and our friends here in Freelance Switch.
06:10 am - I wake up , take my breakfast and go to gym.
06:40 to 07:30 - work out.
07:40 to 08:20 - take a shower, get dressed the same way if I would work at a company, turn on my computer and surf on the main news web sites to get updated. These sites are:nytimes.com, aol.ca, reuters.com, uol.com.br, globo.com, yahoo.ca, thestar.com. I like to know what is happening in Canada, USA and Brazil.
08:20 to 12:00 - work
12:00 to 13:20 - my lunch time! At least once a week a use to meet friends to have lunch, go to shopping mall, by something, go to supermarket, go to bank, to a library or simply walk on the street to see people. I also use to sleep when I have lunch in my home. It´s my way to keep good energy to start to work again.
13:20 to 18:00 - work. I usualy finish my job at 18:00 every day, I just work after this hour rarely, only when I have an urgent job or when it become more complex that I expected.
18:00 to 23:00 - My free time when I use to improve my skills studying, researching and prototyping.
It´s a very important time because I believe if I have a good domain of my tools I gonna take less time to do my tasks and I´ll earn more money in less time. But I don´t spend my free time only in front of my computer, I spend this free time with my wife, take a walk with my dog, visit friends, watch movies and etc..
Weekends - Rarely I work on the weekends, this is a very estimated time to me, it means to have fun and relax, actually diving, running, traveling, visiting friends, family, going to cinema etc..
By the way, when I need to learn a new software or techniques, I use to study on saturdays from 08:00 to 12:00.

TIP 01 - FREE TIME
I Never, never, never, answer business phone calls after my work time, I say from 12:00 to 13:20, after 18:00 and on the weekends. It´s my time, if I don´t have time to have lunch, if I don´t have time for me and my family, I would need change my concepts.

TIP 02 - ANSWER MACHINE
My answer machine get in the game to help me during this time.
I have a secret to share with you and I hope any of my clients don´t ready this post.
My fiends and family knows that I don´t answer the phone after 18:00 and on the weekends. It´s a strategy to force my clients to understand and respect my time. So because of this, my friends and relatives need to identify themselves when my answer machine pick up the phone call. They use to say something like “Hey Wanderson it´s me your mother pick up the phone boy!!!”
Maybe you´re wondering, but if your client call to your mobile phone?
I just keep my cold blood and don´t answer the phone and call him or her back as soon as possible. If I was not a freelancer working on my home but an agency? They would call to an agency Saturday at 20:00? Of couse not? Feelancing is a bussines and the first person that need to understand that is YOU.

TIP 02 - QUALITY OF LIFE
Dedicate a quality time to your health, working out, running, swimming, praticing a marcial art, yoga or something that keep your body and mind trained.
Drink watter, eat fruits and pay a close attention to your soul and mind.

TIP 03 - GOD ABOVE EVETHING
Before to start to work, thank GOD for the privilege to work as a freelancer and for the good life,for the good family and good friends you have.

BUSINESS SIDE OF THINGS
Have contracts! I have 03 clients that pay me monthly, so it keep my bills payed without problems.
These contacts usually cover up site maintenance, graphic design and web design projects. The stuffs that the companies always need.
So, as I have a stable revenue from my usual clients and I always have new clients that give me a plus on my revenue with fast projects.
For instance, this month, a new client approached me with a project, an e commerce web site. The payment form will be 8X of $2.000 + a monthly contract of $800,00.
So, during 8 months I gonna have a plus on my revenue of $2.800,00, but the project will take 02 months to be deployed, after this I gonna have other projects to do, adding more revenue. To my $2.800,00.

HOW NOT TO WORK SO HARD
I believe that the key to not work 20 hours a day 7 days on the week is to consider 02 points:
To be mastered on your tools to take less time as possible on the tasks and organize your time efficiently. Don´t check your email every 10 minutes, block people that disturb you on the instant messengers, turn on your iTunes and listen a good sound and work relaxed and happy.

FINAL THOUGHTS
It´s not the absolute truth, that´s my way to run my business and my life and it´s working for me so far. My intention writing this post is not to show you the right way to live or work, but just to share with you may day to day.
I hope this post can help you and other readers. Sorry for type mistakes, I´m not a native English speaker.

My name´s Wanderson Siqueira, a happy freelancer designer based in Rio de Janeiro
http://www.wortek.com.br

]]>