How to Not Lose Yourself in a Steady Gig

Photo by Ordinary Guy.

Most of us rely on steady jobs to help us make it financially as freelancers. Whether your steady client is a “bread and butter” client, or is a bit more watered down in pay, these gigs can be valuable to tide you over between larger projects.

I’m a big believer in steady work, also known as part-time jobs. They provide a constant cash flow, and give you valuable exposure in your industry that you may not get while project-hopping.

But there are downsides to working for clients on a regular basis. Especially if you want the diversity of freelancing but somehow find yourself “stuck” in a job that financially supports your freedom to freelance but doesn’t give you the time to explore projects and promote yourself. Read on to learn how to combat these trials.

Problem #1: You’re fried after working the gig on a day-by-day basis.

While most of my steady gigs don’t require me to work every day, there are some that have regular hours. I’ve always tried to keep a habitual gig. Most recently, mine involves waking up much earlier than I’d prefer. By the time I’m done with my day’s work, I don’t want to do anything else.

The easiest way for me to battle this was to get in a routine. Since I’m up earlier in the day and exhausted when I’m done with a three- to four-hour shift, I use the time after to get things done around the house or run errands. I don’t delve right back into work unless I have to. Knowing that I need that break is essential and has helped me get a second wind to tackle more work later in the day. Also, I found a gig that I don’t do every day. This way, I get days to sleep “in” and focus completely on random projects on days off. It’s the perfect balance for me, because I want a steady job but also like to keep freelance projects rolling in.

Problem #2: You don’t have time to explore other work.

I once had a part-time gig that pretty much turned into a full-time gig working from home. That would have been great if I didn’t want to freelance, but I did. I managed to complete the jobs and others that came in, but I had little time to seek out other work. That was fine at the time, actually, because I wouldn’t have had time to complete other jobs since I was working so much. It was a vicious cycle and I was happy when that gig ended. To this day, I still miss the money—but I appreciate being able to dabble in other projects.

If you find yourself unmotivated to keep exploring other work (or market yourself, as we’ll discuss next), try setting a block of time aside in your day planner for job-hunting. Sometimes I give myself an hour and then I’m done with it for that day or week. It helps to fit job-hunting in as a duty because then you’re more likely to complete it like other tasks.

Problem #3: You don’t want to market yourself anymore.

If you have a great gig that you’re loving, why market yourself? The question should be: Why not market yourself? I’ve been in this position a few times myself. While I’m not a beginner anymore and the work does came in on its own, I have had a tendency to put marketing on the backburner when I was swamped between my steady gig and other projects. It’s so easy to forget marketing that you don’t even realize you’re doing it until projects dry up and it feels like you’re back to square one. If you don’t market yourself properly and often, that can happen!

I try to look at every job as temporary, and never put all my eggs in one basket. Even though I’m working a steady gig now, I set aside time to market myself—even when I’m overwhelmed with work. You never know when you won’t have that steady gig, or when your individual projects will stop coming in. And if you stay with your steady job for too long and don’t devote yourself to anything else, you’re really not a freelancer. You’re just a full-time employee. This works for many people, but if you like the diversity of projects, be sure to put yourself out there so you can get more in. Again, set aside a window in your planner and complete marketing just like other tasks.

Problem #4: You turn away good projects.

There’s nothing wrong with saying no to a project; in fact, you should practice picking and choosing your jobs and you should know your limits. But if you’re turning away work that pays well or can open up doors for you, you have to ask yourself where you want to go with your steady gig. Is it beneficial to work this gig, or will you be better off in the long run to explore other avenues? Do you want to be a full-time employee (preferably one that works at home?) or do you want the assortment of projects that come with freelancing? Also, if you’re turning away work because you don’t have time (or you really like your steady gig), is it hurting your business? Do you want a freelance business anymore?

It’s vital to assess what you want to do. Maybe you’ve freelanced for a while and you like the reliability of the steady gig. In that case, it may be time to focus on that one job. But your chances of getting back into freelancing are better if you’re continuously out there. So if clients keep getting “no’s” from you, they could eventually stop calling. Again, see if you can balance your freelance projects with your steady job. If you took the regular gig to keep steady money coming in, yet still want to freelance, look for a gig that offers good pay and part-time hours. This way, you have more time to devote to freelance projects.

Problem #5: You forget to keep up with administrative tasks.

Nothing sounds better than direct deposit, right? Right. So if you don’t have to keep up with invoicing to get paid for your steady gig (many I’ve had put you in as a regular employee, so you get paid automatically) you may forget to invoice at all. If small freelance jobs are still coming in, you could be forgetting to get paid for them or delaying your checks. Always set aside time for administrative tasks, such as invoicing and paying your taxes. You never want to get behind on these kinds of things, no matter how cool a regular job is.

Having a steady gig isn’t a drag, and it is possible to balance a money-maker with your love of freelancing. The key is to figure out what works for you…what kinds of jobs you like, what kind of schedule you work best with and what kind of freelance career you want. Once you evaluate your priorities, you can work in a flexible steady gig that will give you enjoyment—and a golden steady paycheck as well.

Kristen Fischer is a freelance writer living at the Jersey Shore. Her first part-time job after breaking out of 9-to-5 life was as a copy editor working the night shift at a local newspaper.