5 tips on how to thrive as a remote freelancer

COVID-19 has completely changed the work culture. Companies were forced to allow employees to work from home, allowing a community of freelancers to thrive. Hiring freelancers also came with its benefits for companies, namely, non-requirement of employees in the office, which reduces overheads, more flexibility, less micromanagement, and taking up multiple jobs simultaneously.

Freelancing provides a greater degree of independence to a person. A freelancer is not bound to one particular entity for work, meaning a person can take the utmost advantage of their capabilities and time. But how to survive as a successful freelancer in this competitive world is the question of the hour.

Here are some of the tips I would suggest as a freelancer to rise in this changing work-life:

Health

Health is wealth. If you are healthy, you can climb Mt. Everest, but if you are not healthy, climbing the stairs up your bedroom can be a problem too. Since most of the time, freelancers work from home, ensure you have a comfortable and ergonomic seating arrangement for the work. Take strolls in between. Hit the gym, do yoga, run, play a sport or anything that suits your schedule.

Work hours

Manage your time efficiently. Make sure that your day is scheduled appropriately so that you can make most of your time and also have a work-life balance. As we are open to all days of the week, it does not mean we work throughout the week. Take a rest day, at least one. This will make you more focused once you are back and will make you more productive.

Finances

There is no fixed pay, meaning the finances have to be very well planned. There can be no pay when there is no work. Remember to save, estimate your expenses and calculate taxes. And not to forget the EMIs, insurance, and bills.

Learn

Learn from past experiences. Different clients have different requirements. Make sure you are through with all of it and deliver it as per the schedule. This will help you build your reputation and which in turn helps fetch new clients.

Responsibility

Take responsibility, and deliver as promised. Explain the process to the client and make sure to clear all the doubts. Stick to what actually works rather than over-commitment. And ask for feedback so that you can be in sync throughout.