Freelance problems in the middle lane
It so happened that just over a month ago, the company in which I had been working for the past eight months collapsed. I can tell you about the reasons and guilty people next time, but now I’ll only tell you about the consequences.
So, having become free from office ties, I remained at a crossroads - what to do next?
Going to work in the office meant forgetting about vacation until next year, and this option did not suit me categorically. But it was also impossible to leave at once somewhere for rest due to family circumstances.
In order to benefit from the released time, it was decided to temporarily go to freelance. What in vain to sit at home, if you can earn money. For access to freelancing completely - you need at least one regular customer. And I have it. And not one. Therefore, nothing could stop. :)
And now, a month later, I can finally sum up some of the results.
Or rather, even - to think about the problems and methods of their solutions, and answer the main question - “Is it worth it?”
And now the points:
With the current level of orders - the income is about the same as I was in permanent work, but much lower (I hope so far) the level of wages for which I plan to look for a new job. (I justifiably plan - for I already have offers for this level)
Here, of course, it all depends on how lucky with the projects. And actually how many of them will be all.
Motivation is harder.
The advantages of motivation include:
By cons:
In general, the motivation is higher than it was at work in the office, but only because of the ill-conceived motivation system (or its complete absence) in those jobs where I had the opportunity to work.
But with time, everything is very bad.
It would seem - this is freelancing - when you do not want to - you can not work.
But in practice, everything turned out to be much more complicated.
After all, there was another “desire” - I want to quickly finish and get money and pleasure from a job well done.
And it seems that here you get, and make a weekend for a few days.
But when you finish - they offer you another interesting project. And with a good budget. And the weekend is postponed until the end of the new project. So you sit "at work" seven days a week.
')
+ Of course a definite plus - the lack of binding to the place of work. There is no need to drive through the city in traffic jams, you can even go for a few days to work in the country.
- But there is a minus - there is no special movement. He got out of bed - sat down at the computer - and that was all.
+ There are no office staff around - nobody turns on the music, when it bothers you, nobody speaks loudly, etc.
- But this is also a minus - sometimes it becomes boring sometimes without communicating with “alien” people. Yet man is a social being.
- There is no need to change the situation from home to office - and this situation is boring.
The rest I thought was not particularly significant, to talk about it in a brief article.
I do not consider advanced training, as I take projects of varying complexity, and also “reading something new” is for me one of the degrees of recreation — I do it with pleasure and interest.
After thinking a bit, I came to the conclusion that most (if not all) of my problems in freelancing can be solved by setting a clear work schedule. At what this schedule should contain - morning walk (or reading a book or other distraction) before the "work". The exact time of the end of the "working day". Clearly defined "weekend". In the free time in the evening - finally return to your favorite sports training, and more often to meet with friends. On the "weekend" to go to the country, and even more, sometimes to transfer there several "working days".
The task of building yourself into a schedule is certainly not an easy one. But it is even interesting. Let's see what happens. :) In the "office", such problems are solved more easily - it does not matter whether you are the main or subordinate - but still there is some kind of social responsibility. Yes, and linger at work is not so fun. And it is easier to go to the city to meet friends. Anyway, you have to go somewhere. :)
In conclusion, I will say that although I cannot name the first month in freelancing so brilliant - I perceive the experience as clearly positive. And it seems to me that this is a good school of self-organization and help in finding out what you really need for productive work and life. Now I even think about being there (on freelancing) and staying for a while. Well this, of course, if I manage to solve at least some of the above problems. :)
PS: I think that all of the above is not new, but I hope that someone will still be interested in real personal experience. :)
So, having become free from office ties, I remained at a crossroads - what to do next?
Going to work in the office meant forgetting about vacation until next year, and this option did not suit me categorically. But it was also impossible to leave at once somewhere for rest due to family circumstances.
In order to benefit from the released time, it was decided to temporarily go to freelance. What in vain to sit at home, if you can earn money. For access to freelancing completely - you need at least one regular customer. And I have it. And not one. Therefore, nothing could stop. :)
And now, a month later, I can finally sum up some of the results.
Or rather, even - to think about the problems and methods of their solutions, and answer the main question - “Is it worth it?”
And now the points:
Money
With the current level of orders - the income is about the same as I was in permanent work, but much lower (I hope so far) the level of wages for which I plan to look for a new job. (I justifiably plan - for I already have offers for this level)
Here, of course, it all depends on how lucky with the projects. And actually how many of them will be all.
Motivation
Motivation is harder.
The advantages of motivation include:
- The more you have time to do - the higher the material return.
- All projects are like a personal achievement and therefore you want to do it as best you can.
By cons:
- If there is a certain level of income at the expense of a certain number of projects - why rush further, if there is enough money. This conditional minus depends on the mood and interest of a particular order.
In general, the motivation is higher than it was at work in the office, but only because of the ill-conceived motivation system (or its complete absence) in those jobs where I had the opportunity to work.
Time
But with time, everything is very bad.
It would seem - this is freelancing - when you do not want to - you can not work.
But in practice, everything turned out to be much more complicated.
After all, there was another “desire” - I want to quickly finish and get money and pleasure from a job well done.
And it seems that here you get, and make a weekend for a few days.
But when you finish - they offer you another interesting project. And with a good budget. And the weekend is postponed until the end of the new project. So you sit "at work" seven days a week.
')
Common pros and cons
+ Of course a definite plus - the lack of binding to the place of work. There is no need to drive through the city in traffic jams, you can even go for a few days to work in the country.
- But there is a minus - there is no special movement. He got out of bed - sat down at the computer - and that was all.
+ There are no office staff around - nobody turns on the music, when it bothers you, nobody speaks loudly, etc.
- But this is also a minus - sometimes it becomes boring sometimes without communicating with “alien” people. Yet man is a social being.
- There is no need to change the situation from home to office - and this situation is boring.
The rest I thought was not particularly significant, to talk about it in a brief article.
I do not consider advanced training, as I take projects of varying complexity, and also “reading something new” is for me one of the degrees of recreation — I do it with pleasure and interest.
Ways of development and problem solving
After thinking a bit, I came to the conclusion that most (if not all) of my problems in freelancing can be solved by setting a clear work schedule. At what this schedule should contain - morning walk (or reading a book or other distraction) before the "work". The exact time of the end of the "working day". Clearly defined "weekend". In the free time in the evening - finally return to your favorite sports training, and more often to meet with friends. On the "weekend" to go to the country, and even more, sometimes to transfer there several "working days".
The task of building yourself into a schedule is certainly not an easy one. But it is even interesting. Let's see what happens. :) In the "office", such problems are solved more easily - it does not matter whether you are the main or subordinate - but still there is some kind of social responsibility. Yes, and linger at work is not so fun. And it is easier to go to the city to meet friends. Anyway, you have to go somewhere. :)
In conclusion, I will say that although I cannot name the first month in freelancing so brilliant - I perceive the experience as clearly positive. And it seems to me that this is a good school of self-organization and help in finding out what you really need for productive work and life. Now I even think about being there (on freelancing) and staying for a while. Well this, of course, if I manage to solve at least some of the above problems. :)
PS: I think that all of the above is not new, but I hope that someone will still be interested in real personal experience. :)
Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/36921/
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