Going freelance of any sort takes a lot of nerves! It is very daunting going out into the world, by yourself without much of a fallback. However, freelancing can be the best thing you’ve ever done! You get to chose your hours, decide what work you want to do and just be your boss! Which is great in so many ways! There are a few things however that you will need to adapt to when you first make the move. Here is a list of stuff you need to remember when first going freelance. Paying your taxes correctly! There are so many reasons why it is great to go freelance! So don’t let any of the harder things stop you in making that choice. One of the aspects of going freelance that can be pretty daunting is the face that you have to do your taxes totally on your own. It is not too difficult, just make sure you keep all the invoices you ever make or just a note of every penny coming your way. The last thing you want out of this experience is the tax man knocking on the door! It’s just not worth it to not do it properly! If you think it’s too stressful, you can always hire an accountant. There are also options online where you can use an online VAT calculator, which will make it a whole lot easier. Pension and sick pay Unfortunately, when you leave a job where you are working for someone else, you are also leaving some of the worker’s rights that come with working for a company. These include getting a pension and of course, sick pay or holiday pay. It is not the end of the world though; you will just have to work out how to do your own pension. This can be a good thing as you will simply have to organise things yourself. Try and get a bit more work in if you know you’re off on holiday soon. Just make your adjustments, and you’ll be fine! Getting dressed every day When you work from home, the temptation of just staying in your pyjamas is very high. No one is there to see you; no one will know if you never get dressed and let’s face it, you will be a lot comfier sitting in bed with your pyjamas on and your laptop on your lap. Is this the most productive way to work though? Absolutely not. You should try to get a bit of a routine going, just so that you can stay focused! Start by getting dressed every day; it makes you feel more professional! If you can, sit at a table as well. You’ll feel a lot more like you’re at work and this will get you in the right headspace. Change up your working space If you are going a bit crazy working from home, you should consider going to work elsewhere. Maybe one day, you work in a coffee shop or a nice cafe! It’s important not to feel like you are trapped or always at home, you don’t want to go crazy because of your new freelance adventure! ]]>
Becoming a Freelance Blogger – Initial Steps
