Nowadays, it is normal to see young working adults taking freelancing jobs while working full time due to the increasing cost of living.
For instance, you could be offering photography service or managing a blog while maintaining your accounting job at the bank on weekdays.
Juggling between your freelancing work and your full-time job can be tricky as we only have so much brain power and energy to keep up with both of them.
Still, if you are determined to balance these two jobs, here are some mistakes you should avoid:
Not being realistic
There is nothing wrong with dreaming big but you should know that your freelancing success (while maintaining your regular job) will not happen overnight.
You should be realistic about work and time, as well as the effort that you will have to put into freelancing without neglecting your full-time job. It may be difficult at first, but you will eventually enjoy the fruits of your labour.
As a first step, try to come up with small attainable goals without putting too much pressure on yourself. Start slow and then steadily build your freelancing work as you go.
Not being organised
Not being organised with your time and energy will put you under more stress.
So if you are freelancing on something that has a strict schedule such as web design or writing, plan far in advance, and always let your clients know if you are going to miss a deadline (however, try not to miss deadlines frequently).
Not keeping things separate
When freelancing, try to keep in mind that your regular job is your number one priority.
You should not do anything to jeopardize your full-time job as you still need it to sustain yourself while growing your freelancing work on the side.
Do remember that you should keep your freelancing work far away from your full-time job. For instance, do not pursue your freelancing work during company time or use any of their resources to work on it.
When at your regular job, focus on that and save the freelancing for after hours.
This is a weekly column by SarawakYES! – an initiative driven by Faradale Media-M Sdn Bhd and supported by Angkatan Zaman Mansang (AZAM) Sarawak – to provide advice and stories on the topics of education and careers to support Sarawakians seeking to achieve their dreams. Join us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
First published in the Borneo Post in print on 30th May 2020.
