Who doesn’t love an extra income? Definitely everyone would want some extra flow of cash. But is it even possible? You have a full time job taking up most of your day and giving you a fixed salary. Where is the time left for some extra work and taking up any freelancing project? “Well, this is actually possible if you manage it properly,” says Renu Sharma, Bike Rider by passion and Web Designer by Profession.
Full-time work and freelancing can go hand in hand if you know the secret to manage both the work properly. If you are not able to manage your time efficiently both your full-time and freelancing can go blunders. However, despite the pressure and time limitation, you have your plans right, balancing both the works can be possible. Renu Sharma, shares insights on how to balance full-time job and freelancing.
Balancing Full-Time Work And Freelancing
Freelancing is a luring option, after all, who does not like to be their own boss. But at the same time it can be daunting too. You will probably not want to take the risk of switching from a reliable fixed income, to uncertainties of freelancing. In this case, people generally start with doing both at the same time.
They take up small freelancing projects, while working as a full-time employee. Once their freelancing base is set, they might quit the full-time job and make freelancing as their profession. But what until then? How to manage your time and balance both? Renu Sharma, the biker girl and a Web Designer gives some tips.
- Be Upfront:
People usually hesitate in talking about their side income. They want to keep it a secret and do not want to face what the management might say. But Renu Sharma suggests, it is always a good idea to be upfront. There is no point in keeping a secret, they always leak out. Instead, before approaching the management of your full-time employment, check your contract to make sure you are violating any clauses of not working for any third party. And then assure them that your freelance projects will not affect the current work in the company.
- Do Not Overexert Yourself:
Though the extra income is addictive, you need to make sure how much time you can actually commit for your freelance projects. Most of your day is occupied in the office, you come home exhausted, with another heap of freelance work waiting for you. Renu Sharma advises that, do not be afraid to turn down projects. You need to stay healthy to keep working. If you compromise on your sleep hours to finish your freelancing, you would soon be losing on your productivity for both full-time and freelancing. Only take projects, how much you can handle.
- Do Not Ignore Either Of The Works:
If you think you can quickly steal an hour during your full-time job to finish up your freelancing. Or if you think an hour extra at the office is ok, you will cope up the freelance work later. Both the approaches are wrong. Do not ignore one project for another. Each of them are equally important. Make a schedule and stick to it. No freelancing during office hours and no office work during freelancing.
- Take It Slow In The Beginning:
Time management is the most crucial issue in balancing your life between a permanent job and self-employment. Therefore, you just need to pick up as many freelance projects as you can handle while still performing better in your full-time role. “Especially at the beginning, always adopt a policy of slowing down self-employment and working with a limited clientele. If you think you can handle more projects without compromising the quality of full-time work, gradually increase the number.,” says Renu Sharma.
“Make the most of every minute by taking on no more than you can handle, plan your work carefully, stick to the schedule and focus fully on the job at hand. All of this will help you earn more money as a freelancer, gain better experience at full-time employment and build a reputation that will serve you both now and in the future,” concludes Renu Sharma.
