How to be Your Own Boss & get Away with it!

No one ever tells you that freelancing isn't all about just sitting at home, relaxing and getting your work done. It's more than just all that 'fun' and 'freedom' people generally associate it with. Yes, freelancing gives you independence but unless you know how to manage certain aspects of your life together and understand how to act like an independent business person, you might as well say goodbye to your freelancing business altogether.

We have already discussed some of the most important aspects of the freelancing career in the earlier posts, including the necessity of keeping a balance between work and play. The next most significant thing for your freelancing career is understanding your independence and appreciating it.

Understand Your Limits
Remember to take charge of your work when you are freelancing. This does not necessarily mean that you try and control each and every aspect of your work but knowing how far you can go. The key point here is to know your limits. Setting boundaries is essential if you don't want people walking all over you (and yes that includes clients). Know what you can do and what you cannot. Be your own boss and get away with it by being firm about your limits, to clients or otherwise.

Create Boundaries
Whether its work or play, as long as you have limits created for yourself there is no chance that things will get out of hand. Also once you have created these boundaries, remember to be firm about them and not sidetrack from them at any given point. The best way to go about is to generally 'notify' people (around you or the ones you are working for) when something comes up. This is one of the best strategies to-date, especially in uncertain situations. Now suppose that you want to take a break from work but are unsure as to the future projects that your client might send. In such a situation, sending a notification of your unavailability for the next few days or a week would help clarify matters before hand and save you and your client a lot of trouble.

Take Charge
Taking charge of your work is as important as taking charge of your life. In fact, for a freelancer it means taking control of your life and understanding not just when to but also when not to compromise. So become your own boss, starting today! Set boundaries, be firm yet polite and consider what to compromise and when. By doing this you will not just earn your client's respect but will also save yourself from a lot of probable future hassle.