You may already have a full time job, congratulations on that as it is not the easiest thing to do nowadays, but you find you have extra time after work hours, or even on the weekends, that you could be making better use of. Picking up some freelance work would be a great way to fill those extra hours, but could you really juggle the added responsibilities on top of your full time commitments?
Why freelancing is a good idea
Assuming your full time contract allows for added work in similar fields, freelancing is an interesting opportunity. If you find yourself with free time on your hands then being able to leverage your professional knowledge to not only add to your monthly income, but also bolster your professional portfolio, and make new connections in your field of expertise, is a useful way of filling it.
Yes you can handle the added workload
The main thing you might worry about when considering taking on extra work in the form of freelancing is whether or not you can handle these added responsibilities, without your full time job being affected. The answer to this is, yes, of course you can, with the right organisation, planning, and approach. Also, don’t fret over filling your free time with more work, the benefit of freelancing is the ability to only take jobs you are passionate, and excited about.
Carefully plan your schedule
The best way to ensure that your added workload won’t interfere with your full time responsibilities is to sit down and carefully plan out a daily schedule for yourself. Whether this is by writing it out on paper, utilising your digital calendar, or downloading a specific app for the purpose, as long as it works for you, do it. Carefully distribute the time at your disposal so that everything gets the required attention, including moments to rest and relax as these are equally important. By having a plan, and sticking to it, you can ensure that adding some extra work on top of your full time workload won’t negatively affect your performance.
Don’t take on more than you can handle
Once you get started with freelancing you may find yourself swept up in the excitement of earning extra income, and try to pile on as much work as possible in your fervour. The important thing to remember is to never take on more than you can handle, no matter how enticing it may be to do so. If your services are in demand the likely reason will be due to your ability to provide quality work, and not the quantity you can churn out. By taking on too much at any given time you will drastically reduce the quality of work you are producing, which can negatively affect your chances of repeat business moving forward. Also, let’s not forget, the more strain you put on yourself, the more impact that will have on your full time job performance as well, which is something you want to avoid.
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Take some time off
When engaging in freelance work, it is also important to give yourself some time to rest. You want to avoid the potential for professional burnout that could occur from taking on too much extra work on top of your full time duties. By affording yourself adequate time away from any form of professional exertion, whether that is simply relaxing at home, spending time with loved ones, or engaging in hobbies, you can ensure that you remain on top form professionally, and avoid any potential burnout.
Freelancing is a great way for you to subsidise your monthly income, make new connections, and add to your professional portfolio, but if approached incorrectly, could have a negative impact on your full time job. Always keep in mind that your day job is what pays the bills, at least until you decide to transition to freelancing full time (if that is indeed your desired trajectory), and so any additional work you take on needs to be in addition to, not at the expense of, your existing responsibilities.
