Contract Worker - Freelancing Experiences

A 9th Way Freelancers Disrespect Their Own Time

by Rico on May 4th, 2008

Steven does a great job of covering the 8 ways freelancers disrespect their own time (over at FreelanceSwitch.com). Here’s my addition to his list: Not Planning for the Future. Freelancers who don’t plan for the future are basically disrespecting their time, because they aren’t making sure that the time their spending now will have maximum gains in the long-term.

With so much work to do (especially if you’re balancing a day job and freelance work), it’s easy for freelancers to forget to

1. Save
2. Get insurance
3. Invest

Obviously, the common factor with these three actions is that they have the future in mind. You save money for a rainy day, get insurance to protect your savings, and invest your money to ensure a steady income when you decide to retire. Unless of course, you want to work until you die?

Aside from the financial aspects of planning for the future, freelancers also need to be aware how their current work will define their future career. Are they taking on projects that, aside from making full use of their skills, can be used to increase their own professional profiles? In other words, will their work have long-term benefits for their freelance careers?

Freelancers have great control over their schedule. It would be to their great benefit if they took advantage of this, not only maximizing their present situation, but creating a better future for themselves as well.

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POSTED IN: Living as a Freelancer