How do fellow freelancers maintain a steady flow of work? Is there such a thing? Can work be scheduled 4-5 months in advance with clients?
Feeling exhausted by freelance work (graphic design) having done it only for around 5 years, and now wondering whether it’s time for a change in work, i.e. studio. Any advice for getting projects scheduled for further ahead? How do people maintain a healthy work life balance when it all seems to come at once?
Replies15
- @Lucy Watkins I will message you after Easter/School holidays, you got some great replies and advice there!X
- @Lina Hellgren Bullock that would be great Lina - I’d love to see if your skills could work for me :)
- @Benjamin Shrimpton much shorter term, 2-6 weeks usually! Advice for hunting down longer term projects would be great.
- In my team we worked with remote consultants for years, always with clear specific pre-planned timelines, but perhaps that’s unusual….after many years in a corporate fashion world, at times also very exhausting, I’m really keen to freelance/work as consultant, so I guess I will feel the reality of once started! Get in touch though if you want free how yo optimise planning advice, happy to share my skills! X
- How long do your projects take? We have project that take 3 months to even onboard and kick off. If you have several of those per year, you'll be paralleling projects comfortably.
- @Ana Beatriz Fernandes thank you Ana, and good luck with freelancing! it seems there's a lot of good advice and opinion in here. Regarding resources to look into, it would really depend on what you're looking for! the subject is so broad, there's lots of unusual things I'be come across!
- @Richard Depesando thank you so much Richard, you've laid it out very clearly. I think I know where I want to be...!
- @Marco Beyermann thanks so much Marco - I appreciate the honesty!
- Maintaining a steady flow of work as a freelancer can be challenging, but there are some strategies that can help:
- Build a strong network: Developing and maintaining relationships with potential clients, peers, and other professionals in your industry can help you secure a steady stream of work. Attend networking events, participate in online communities, and stay in touch with previous clients to stay top of mind.
- Diversify your client base: Relying on one or two major clients for all your work can be risky. Instead, try to build a diverse portfolio of clients and industries to help mitigate the risk of losing work.
- Market your services: Ensure that your website, portfolio, and social media profiles showcase your work and communicate the value you offer. Be proactive in promoting your services to attract new clients.
- Plan ahead: Try to schedule projects in advance as much as possible, and allocate time for both short-term and long-term projects. This can help you avoid being overwhelmed by too many projects at once.
- Be responsive and reliable: Clients value freelancers who are responsive, reliable, and deliver high-quality work on time. This can help build trust and lead to repeat business and referrals.
In terms of scheduling work 4-5 months in advance, it is possible with some clients, especially if you have an ongoing relationship with them. However, it may not be feasible for every project, so it's important to be flexible and open to changes in scheduling.When it comes to maintaining a healthy work-life balance, it's important to set boundaries and prioritize self-care. Set realistic goals and deadlines for yourself, and don't be afraid to say no to projects that are outside your bandwidth. Take breaks throughout the day and disconnect from work when you're not working to avoid burnout.If you're feeling exhausted by freelance work, it may be time to reassess your career goals and consider exploring other options, such as working for a studio or agency. Remember that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to freelance work, and what works for one person may not work for another. Take the time to reflect on your needs and priorities, and make changes accordingly. - Hi Lucy a solution could be working freelance for long contracts (4-6 months): in this way you can plan ahead and work full time. Or working with recruitment agencies specialised in freelancers that can find you contracts before your current one is expired. If you have personal clients or work on spot projects it can be difficult to have a steady flow of work. Personally I found that having retainer clients for one/two day a week gives me peace of mind to enjoy the downtime and use it for holiday/portfolio update/studying/bureaucracy stuff/rest.
- I would say from my experience there is not such a thing as steady flow of work as a freelance. Sometimes it's busy, sometimes it's quiet. It's hard to plan ahead and it can be very frustrating specially hen you have a partner or family.It's a tough one. I think steady work equals full time Mon -Friday work which sounds good but can became very monotonous, especially for creative people.Keep connecting to people when things are quiet and it eventually pay off.
- Lucy, I wish I could give you the practical answer you're looking for, but there isn't one. After over 25 years as an independent my only conclusion is that freelancing is at the very least, an intrinsic state of mind and way of being. I've worked in-house and the things I miss most (continuity, support, someone actually briging the work to my desk, paying my wages and dealing with all that nasty stuff like tax and pensions etc) are no match for the freedoms, the opportunity to forge my own path, my aversion to internal politics and my own self knowledge of who I am and how I work. I love variety and hate being confined - so it's a freelancer life for me. If you want contituity and security - build relationships with SME's so they use you regularly, trust you and respect your decisions to turn projects down occasionally. Choose sectors you love working in, build up your own knowledge and experience in that sector and become a resource for your clients. I used to do a of of work in fashion and was able to plan ahead with their seasonal workflow, the same thing happens in parts of the financial industries. Gain knowledge so you know when you're likey to be 'on' and 'off' time. By definition, the work that gets 'outsourced' to freelancers is unstable - there will always be projectas cancelled, moved about, extened and condensed - that's just the way it is. You will always be beholdent to changes in the economy, market wobbles and sudden 'shocks'. Peversely - most people I know - including myself - found Lockdown professionally easy, we were used to the new way of working - most in-house people I know had a really bad time. Look at your own personal strengths and shape your practice around them. Just don't think it's every going to be a stable way of life - it isn't.
- @Geoffrey Bunting That was very bleak of me, but yeah, there are major ups and downs in freelancing and everyone I associate with tends to experience the same thing. Troughs of work that last months, then windfalls that can be overwhelming. It all takes careful planning and management, good communication to make sure your workflow is spread out to avoid burnout, and embracing fallow periods as a way to chill. It's easy to overwork as a freelancer, especially when you're stressed at having no work.David Pearson gave me some great advice about freelancing: don't go more than 18 days without taking a day off, seeing other people, etc.
- Steady workflow and freelancing aren't two terms that really go together.
- Hey Lucy,I've started freelancing recently so would love to see people's advice on this!In any case, your work is lovely :) I love your focus on sustainable eating. Do you have any resources or websites to recommend on that subject?Best,Ana
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