Being a freelancer is already hard enough made even harder by adding new tasks and complicated operations when it comes to contacting, interacting and communicating with others. But the truth is that freelancers know better than anyone else what collaboration is all about, because being a freelancer means having to co-work with others, whether they are clients, customers, providers, etc, you always need to send files, emails, manage contacts, share, . Obviously, there’s a need to count on reliable tools and resources to work, but how about the planning and strategy to make it easier?
I’m surprised by how many freelancers collaborate in a very intuitive way, without even noticing they are doing so, they simply call it work. But knowing that you are “collaborating” could probably help you understand why sometimes things go wrong, why communication fails, why organizing tasks seems sometimes like an impossible issue to get resolved in time. Make no mistake, getting organized means nothing but giving a few thoughts on how you do things with others and how you manage your time and resources; so start right there, before you interact and start working. Let’s see some tips:
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- Start by changing the way you visualize your work: you are not working alone, being a freelancer, self-employed or work-from-home doesn’t make you “lonely”, therefore you need to define how you are going to collaborate, communicate and share.
- Think “business” and not “solo”, pay attention to details, to your own brand and reputation
- Networking is a must to get new contacts, you’ll always need to have more contacts, do not just sit and be content with your regular clients, look for new ones, and of course, do not take any client for granted
- Organize time and schedule tasks so that you don’t get lost in different issues and “to-dos”. Discipline is the key to a well-done job, so write down a must do list and prioritize.
- Get a working space if you are working from home, and let everyone else in the house know that once you are there, you are not home, you are at work.
- Set your goals and track everything you do and how you manage to work with others: this will help you understanding what you are doing better and the things you need to work on.
- Chose the tools and resources that best fits your needs, do not get overwhelmed by the many apps and gadgets in the market: you need to collaborate with others, which tools are better for your needs?
Freelance means and implies collaboration, no matter how you come to it, you co-work, co-create, cooperate, contribute, share, communicate… Are you taking it into account so that you can easily resolve issues, optimize your time and empower your creativity?
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