{"id":24,"date":"2017-12-12T16:00:00","date_gmt":"2017-12-12T14:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/timingapp.com\/blog\/starting-out-as-a-freelancer-steps-to-do-now"},"modified":"2025-12-17T11:23:40","modified_gmt":"2025-12-17T10:23:40","slug":"starting-out-as-a-freelancer-steps-to-do-now","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/timingapp.com\/blog\/starting-out-as-a-freelancer-steps-to-do-now\/","title":{"rendered":"Starting Out as a Freelancer? Here Are the 5 Steps You Need to Do Now"},"content":{"rendered":"

You just quit your job! Congratulations, and welcome to the freelancer club. Before you put on your pajamas and enjoy trashy TV, though, you need to set yourself up for success.<\/em><\/p>\n

Fear. Excitement. More fear. A desire to eat a lot of carbs. The emotions you\u2019re feeling if you\u2019ve just handed in your notice are complex ones. And tempting though it might be, now isn\u2019t the time to sit back and relax. Self-employment, small business ownership, or freelancing isn\u2019t as simple as putting an ad in the paper and watching the money come in. Done right, freelancers are significantly happier<\/a>. Done wrong, freelancing can burn you out, burn out your bank account, or both.<\/p>\n

How do you avoid that, and make the learning process of becoming your own boss as easy as possible? Here are the first five steps you need to take. Not tomorrow, or next week, but now. Which brings us directly to the first point.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

1. Commit All the Way<\/h2>\n

Setting yourself up as a freelancer often requires preparation. If you begin your business or freelancing career with the mindset that it\u2019s just something to try, you will never succeed. Resist the urge to send out resumes, or look at other options. Right from day one, you should throw your Plan B out of the window. Having a backup will only hold you back from taking the risks you need to take in order to succeed. If you find yourself not fully committing to your plan, then ask yourself if it\u2019s something you really want to do.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s like Yoda said, \u201cDo. Or do not. There is no try.\u201d Whether you\u2019re a writer, a developer, a designer, or a Jedi in the making, actively deciding that you want to make it work no matter what life throws at you is the only way to ensure you won\u2019t quit. No matter how rosy the future is looking at the moment, hard times will be coming. There\u2019s no such thing as \u2018getting lucky\u2019 and landing that million dollar dream contract in week one, so get mentally prepared now to fight through.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

2. Track Your Time, for the Sake of Your Work and Your Life<\/h2>\n

Do you remember that feeling before you left your job, when it would suddenly be 9p.m. on a Sunday \u2014 and you didn\u2019t have a clue where the weekend had gone? That\u2019s about to be your life. Going to get a cup of tea suddenly takes an hour because you became distracted by calling a friend, going for a walk, or opening Facebook.<\/p>\n

If you invoice at an hourly rate, then you\u2019ll probably be tracking already. If not, then it\u2019s good to get into the habit of time tracking anyway, so you know how long you\u2019ve been working on different projects. A common mistake when you leave the 9 to 5 is just that \u2014 you leave the 9 to 5. Suddenly you\u2019re working everyday from 9a.m. till 1a.m., and you\u2019re not sure where the time is going. If you feel like you\u2019re burning out, read our article<\/a> on how to rescue your work-life balance. Timing<\/a><\/em> is the perfect app for finding out where you\u2019re losing time and what your days really look like. It will also help tremendously with billing your hours.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

3. Learn to Say No<\/h2>\n

One of the most valuable pieces of advice I was given when starting my own business was \u2018try to only work with people you like.\u2019 It\u2019s been so useful to remember; I should get it tattooed on my forehead \u2014 or maybe just framed above my desk. Working with people you like, and saying no to those you don\u2019t, will help cultivate long-term working relationships, make work a pleasure, and<\/em> save you the stress and anxiety of people who micromanage, ask for things you can\u2019t do, or cause you a headache in some of the numerous ways unique to bad clients<\/a>. If you\u2019re not sure what constitutes a bad client, don\u2019t make the mistake of thinking this is normal treatment, but do some research on what you should expect<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Saying no from the beginning will save you a lot of time and stress in the long-run. Whether it\u2019s working to a deadline you know you can\u2019t meet, work you know isn\u2019t your strength, or a client offering too little money. It\u2019s extremely tempting to say yes to every offer when you\u2019re just starting out, especially when rent and bills are looming. Start saying no without feeling the need to justify your reasons (it\u2019s your business, after all), and you\u2019ll be setting yourself up for a stress-free and profitable future.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

4. Know Your Value and Your Limits<\/h2>\n

Imposter syndrome is something that afflicts most entrepreneurs at some stage, especially when you\u2019re just starting out. Take time to read<\/a> about what it is, and you\u2019ll suddenly realize that the voices in your head telling you that you\u2019re not good enough or that you\u2019re a fraud, etc. are something perfectly normal \u2014 and definitely not voices you should be listening to. If you\u2019ve started down this road, then it must be because you have a specific skill or are passionate about something, and that\u2019s not insignificant. You\u2019re not going to know everything at this stage, or ever.<\/p>\n

Warren Buffet, the most successful investor in history, has one main piece of advice: \u201cYou are your own best asset.<\/a>\u201d Never sell yourself short or accept payment you know is less than you\u2019re worth. Similar to knowing your value, knowing your limitations from the start is important. Trying to diversify too much, or too fast, shoots many freelancers in the foot early in their careers. It\u2019s far better to pick one thing and specialize than to branch out into too many things, disappointing your clients and yourself.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

5. Invest in the Right Tools and Software<\/h2>\n

Even if you\u2019re just working from your laptop, start-up costs are never zero. The right software from the beginning can help set you up for a profitable future. From an effective time tracking app like Timing<\/a><\/em>, to productivity software, bookkeeping tools, or writing tools<\/a>, these all cost money and are an investment you shouldn\u2019t be scared of making from the beginning. If you were setting yourself up as a masseuse, you wouldn\u2019t buy a kitchen table to massage your clients on, so this isn\u2019t the time to be cutting corners.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s also an element of fun and excitement to this stage, as it can help make the steps you\u2019re taking feel real. If you\u2019re even half as nerdy as I am, paying for a new type of software is exciting \u2014 I like learning all about the tips, tricks, and integrations involved, and if I\u2019ve paid for it, I\u2019m far more likely to dedicate the time to learning to use it.<\/p>\n

Don\u2019t let yourself rush into things; take time now to set yourself up properly using the steps above. It\u2019s worth checking in regularly, too, since a lot of this advice isn\u2019t valuable just at the start of your freelancing career but for years to come.<\/p>\n

\n

Have you downloaded your free Timing trial<\/a> yet? It\u2019s the fastest way to begin working on this list, and making sure you\u2019re developing healthy habits that will last for years.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

You just quit your job! Congratulations, and welcome to the freelancer club. Before you put on your pajamas and enjoy trashy TV, though, you need to set yourself up for success.<\/em><\/p>\n

Fear. Excitement. More fear. A desire to eat a lot of carbs. The emotions you\u2019re feeling if you\u2019ve just handed in your notice are complex ones. And tempting though it might be, now isn\u2019t the time to sit back and relax. Self-employment, small business ownership, or freelancing isn\u2019t as simple as putting an ad in the paper and watching the money come in. Done right, freelancers are significantly happier<\/a>. Done wrong, freelancing can burn you out, burn out your bank account, or both.<\/p>\n

How do you avoid that, and make the learning process of becoming your own boss as easy as possible? Here are the first five steps you need to take. Not tomorrow, or next week, but now. Which brings us directly to the first point.<\/p>\n

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