10 Work-Life Balance Tips For Freelancers

Table of Contents

• 10 Work-Life Balance Tips for Freelancers
• Key Takeaways
• Conclusion
• FAQs

Freelancing sure sounds like a hassle-free career choice. Still, it comes with the baggage of being excessively good at time management, having exceptional communication skills, and maintaining an optimum work-life balance. 

There are a lot of advantages of freelancing overworking as a full-time employee, but the most major downside of being a freelancer is that work-life balance becomes a tough cookie. But with the help of the right work-life balance tips, freelancing can become a full-time career choice that you will never regret. 

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10 Work-Life Balance Tips for Freelancers

If restoring work-life harmony seems like a difficult task at the moment, here are a few easy-to-implement tips for better work-life balance. 

1. Find out what you are working for

Make sure you are clear about your reason for working, whether full-time or freelancing. One of the most important work-life balance tips is knowing your goal. If earning money is the only reason for freelancing, you might lose focus quickly with time. But having a clear goal in mind, like wanting to purchase a new vehicle or house, learning from a particular freelance gig, building a portfolio by working with a specific brand on a gig, etc., can help you channel your time and energy better and in a more regulated manner.

2. Imperfection is okay

It is equally crucial that you cut yourself some slack from time to time. However, this does not mean you must laze around and find excuses to postpone work. What we mean to say is do not beat yourself over achieving perfection in what you do. Stop overanalyzing things after a project or gig has been completed. Embrace imperfection.

3. Enjoy your work

The best part of being a freelancer is working on your own terms and at your own place of convenience at a time that suits your schedule. Since you have the element of flexibility in your work life as a freelancer, enjoy it. Divide your work into time slots or assign yourself days of the week to complete specific tasks. Do not overburden yourself by stretching a project throughout the day and then throughout the week. Add intervals where you can take a walk, enjoy some music, meet a friend, or sit and read a little. With optimum breaks, work becomes fun.

4. Family time is necessary, too

One of the timeless work-life balance tips is to ensure time for your family and friends in your freelancing schedule. As a freelancer, managing multiple clients and working on various gigs at the same time can be stressful as well as time-engaging. Social interactions are a remedy for work stress. Set aside hours each day or on the weekends to visit family and friends and spend some quality time with them. This can also increase your productivity while working.

5. Use a calendar

Next on the list of work-life balance tips is using a calendar. A calendar is an effective tool to ensure work-life harmony. While you can make plans to catch up with friends, enjoy “me-time,” and balance work and life, you cannot make that happen without a calendar. 

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You can make two separate calendars – a professional one and one with reminders about personal events, celebrations, etc. Or you can also merge the two into a single calendar. Staying organized is always a good idea. Using a calendar lets you keep in touch with work deadlines and never miss any submission dates or important meetings. 

6. Set routine

While your schedule flexibility is one of the best things that you enjoy as a freelancer, it is important to maintain a daily routine. Sure, you do not have to work nine to five, like a full-time employee, but freelance projects and gigs also need a similar dedication, at times even more. To ensure a healthy work-life balance, create a daily routine for yourself, where you assign yourself a few hours to work. Intersperse this routine with short breaks. 

7. Outsource a few tasks

Depending on the nature of your work, it is okay to outsource a few portions of it. If a tedious project is taking up a lot of time, and you feel it might not be a one-person job, utilize platforms like Upwork, Fiverr, etc., and find other freelancers who might be willing to take up certain sections of the work or tasks that you have listed, for a remuneration. 

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If a specific project seems daunting, you can even hire an assistant for a short time who can help you run other important errands while you manage the task. It is okay to outsource work; you do not have to burden yourself with everything and dread doing it all along. 

8. One thing at a time

A crucial work-life balance tip is to focus on a single task at a given time and channel your efforts towards accomplishing it. While it is alright to feel overwhelmed when you are burdened with a lot of work or when a gig comprises several small tasks, you can only deal with the job if you approach it in a composed manner. Getting overwhelmed and then panicking is not going to help. For example, write one article at a time. Move on to the next only when the previous task is complete. 

9. Say no to excessive work

No one wants to refuse a well-paid freelance gig coming their way! But, if you already have your hands too full with work, you need to step back and evaluate your chances of completing that project on time. If you feel you have too much to do now, say no. Accepting additional work and being unable to manage it later will only lead to increased stress levels and further deteriorate your peace of mind. If you cannot handle the workload, be honest and upfront about it with the client.

10. Prioritize your health and mental peace

A well-balanced freelance lifestyle cannot be built on the grounds of illness and stress. Eating healthy, getting an optimum amount of sleep and rest, taking the required number of breaks between work, and taking care of your mental health is crucial. If you are not fit mentally or physically, you cannot be productive at work. Meditate, walk, exercise, read, make sure whatever relaxes you, ensures your fitness, makes you happy, and gets enough time in your schedule. 

Key Takeaways

• Being a successful freelancer requires being excessively good at time management, having exceptional communication skills, and maintaining an optimum work-life balance. 
• It is important to be aware of your reasons for working, whether a freelancer or a full-time employee.
• Set aside hours each day or the weekends to visit family and friends and spend some quality time with them. Infuse social interactions in your freelancing schedule.
• A calendar can not only help you organize your professional and personal life better, but it also helps you stay in touch with work deadlines, thus ensuring that you never miss any submission dates or important meetings. 
• To ensure a healthy work-life balance, create a daily routine for yourself.
• With the help of freelancing platforms like Upwork and Fiverr, you can outsource some of your workload.
• If you cannot handle the workload, be honest and upfront about it with the client.
• A well-balanced freelance lifestyle cannot be built on the grounds of illness and stress. Eat healthy and rest well.

Conclusion

With the mentioned work-life balance tips and some discipline, freelancing can be turned into an opportunity of a lifetime that is both well-paid and enjoyable. However, make sure your commitments fit your lifestyle, and you are fully aware of your ability and productivity. Do not over-commit and allot time to yourself and your family. Make sure you have time for the things that you love!

FAQs