		{"id":28033,"date":"2016-09-20T21:01:10","date_gmt":"2016-09-20T13:01:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hongkiat.com\/blog\/?p=28033"},"modified":"2022-10-09T18:39:22","modified_gmt":"2022-10-09T10:39:22","slug":"avoiding-pitfalls-of-freelancing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hongkiat.com\/blog\/avoiding-pitfalls-of-freelancing\/","title":{"rendered":"Freelance Beginner Tips: The Pitfalls to Avoid"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>If you\u2019re still unsure whether or not to pursue freelancing, chances are you\u2019ve contemplated what life is like as a full-time freelancer. You\u2019ve probably heard of the <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hongkiat.com\/blog\/freelance-advantage-disadvantage\/\" rel=\"noopener\">many splendid perks of freelancing,<\/a> but you\u2019re still dying to know if it\u2019s really all sunny and greener \u201con the other side\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>Like most professions, <strong>freelancing has its own downsides<\/strong>. How you manage these problems on your first year can dictate how successful you\u2019ll be in the long run.<\/p>\n<p>In this post you\u2019ll find out the <strong>common pitfalls that trip freelancers up during their first few years on the job<\/strong> and what you can do to avoid them.<\/p>\n<p class=\"recommended_top\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<strong>Read Also:<\/strong>\u00a0\n\t\t\t\t\t<a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hongkiat.com\/blog\/calculate-breakeven-point\/\">Guide to Calculating Breakeven Point for Freelancers<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<h2>1. Getting stuck with low rates <\/h2>\n<p>Setting your first rates for your freelance business can make you feel uneasy. Charge too high and you risk losing potential clients \u2013 charge too low and you\u2019ll have a hard time paying your own bills. So <strong>how do you make sure you\u2019re being paid for what you\u2019re worth<\/strong>?<\/p>\n<p class=\"note\"> <strong>Recommended Reading:<\/strong> <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hongkiat.com\/blog\/get-clients-to-pay-your-rate\/\" rel=\"noopener\">5 smart ways to get your clients to pay your rates<\/a><\/p>\n<figure><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/assets.hongkiat.com\/uploads\/avoiding-pitfalls-of-freelancing\/no-money.jpg\" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" alt=\"\"><figcaption><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.freepik.com\/free-vector\/businessman-without-money-concept_765206.htm\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">IMAGE: Freepik<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h3>What to Consider:<\/h3>\n<ol>\n<li><strong>Experience<\/strong> \u2013 The best way to determine the value of your services is to look into your experience. Did you <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hongkiat.com\/blog\/degree-vs-self-learning\/\" rel=\"noopener\">go to university<\/a> or took up an <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hongkiat.com\/blog\/tag\/self-learning\/\" rel=\"noopener\">online course<\/a> to <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hongkiat.com\/blog\/learn-web-design\/\" rel=\"noopener\">obtain the skills<\/a> you have? How many years have you been freelancing? What is the quality of work you can deliver?<\/li>\n<li><strong>Competition<\/strong> \u2013 Freelancing is a lot like <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hongkiat.com\/blog\/new-freelancers-common-problems\/\" rel=\"noopener\">starting your own business<\/a>. You need to be updated with the highs and lows of your industry. To set fair rates, you have to look into your competitions. How are other <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hongkiat.com\/blog\/getting-more-design-projects-tips\/\" rel=\"noopener\">freelancers acquiring clients<\/a>? How much are they <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hongkiat.com\/blog\/tips-tools-charging-your-clients\/\" rel=\"noopener\">charging<\/a>?<\/li>\n<li><strong>How Much You Need To Earn<\/strong> \u2013 Calculate the annual salary you\u2019d like to earn on your freelance business. How many hours would you like to work a week? Make sure that your rate will help you earn enough to pay the bills and fund your lifestyle.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h2>2. Freelance Burnout <\/h2>\n<p>Many freelancers <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hongkiat.com\/blog\/juggling-multiple-freelance-clients\/\" rel=\"noopener\">work more than they should<\/a>. Because of <strong>lack of time management<\/strong>, they find themselves working all day and all night. And because they don\u2019t want to run out of projects, they\u2019ll probably say YES to any gig that comes their way.<\/p>\n<p>If you overwork yourself, there\u2019s going to be a time soon where you\u2019ll <strong>reach your breaking point<\/strong>. And even without a boss to fire you, you\u2019ll still have clients who you\u2019ll disappoint.<\/p>\n<figure><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/assets.hongkiat.com\/uploads\/avoiding-pitfalls-of-freelancing\/deadline.jpg\" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" alt=\"\"><figcaption><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.freepik.com\/free-vector\/employee-stressed-at-work_901587.htm\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">IMAGE: Freepik<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h3>What to do:<\/h3>\n<ol>\n<li><strong>Take copious amounts of break<\/strong> \u2013 After long hours of working, move away from the computer and refresh your mind. Even machines bog down if they are <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hongkiat.com\/blog\/reboot-humanity\/\" rel=\"noopener\">pushed beyond their limits<\/a>. <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hongkiat.com\/blog\/freelance-signs-to-break\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Designate times for break<\/a>, and stick with them.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Don\u2019t stay on the same project for too long<\/strong> \u2013 It can be exhausting to work on the same project for weeks. As a freelancer, you have all the freedom to pick your projects. If this isn\u2019t possible because of your commitments to the client, you can try to vary the repetitive work with something interesting once in a while.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Schedule work wisely<\/strong> \u2013 When you\u2019re an established freelancer and get many work requests, the next challenge would be finding time for everything. It\u2019s going to be hard if you don\u2019t schedule everything in a doable time frame. This also means you should know <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hongkiat.com\/blog\/saying-no-to-clients\/\" rel=\"noopener\">when to say no to a client<\/a> who wants you to slave away for work with little pay.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h2>3. Isolation <\/h2>\n<p>Depending on your personality, experiencing isolation due to your freelance career can <strong>affect your mental and emotional health<\/strong>. If you\u2019re not an <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hongkiat.com\/blog\/introverts-are-awesome\/\" rel=\"noopener\">introvert<\/a> who pretty much enjoys alone time \u2013 chances are you\u2019ll find yourself <strong>starved for human interaction<\/strong>. And unless you rented a <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hongkiat.com\/blog\/top-coworking-spaces-usa\/\" rel=\"noopener\">coworking space<\/a>, most of the time, <strong>you\u2019ll be working alone<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<figure><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/assets.hongkiat.com\/uploads\/avoiding-pitfalls-of-freelancing\/office.jpg\" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" alt=\"\"><figcaption><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.freepik.com\/free-vector\/cartoon-office-desktops_778703.htm\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">IMAGE: Freepik<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Even when you\u2019re working at home, sometimes because of your hectic schedule <strong>you\u2019ll hardly have time to talk and spend time with family<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"note\"> <strong>Recommended Reading:<\/strong> <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hongkiat.com\/blog\/freelancers-lack-of-support\/\" rel=\"noopener\">How to cope with lack of support for your freelancing career<\/a><\/p>\n<h3>What to do:<\/h3>\n<ol>\n<li><strong>Set days off<\/strong> \u2013 Don\u2019t let your social skills take a hit just because you\u2019re <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hongkiat.com\/blog\/working-from-home-tips\/\" rel=\"noopener\">working from home<\/a>. Lack of human connection can cause depression which can affect your work performance. So stop working once in a while, and make time for your personal pursuits.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Co-work with other freelancers<\/strong> \u2013 Today this is possible with the help of various sites which allow <a rel=\"nofollow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.meetup.com\/topics\/freelance\/\">freelance meetups<\/a> that host events and designate working environments for different kinds of freelancers. Co-working spaces made just for independent contractors can minimize the effects of isolation a freelance career can bring.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h2>4. No Union or Laws to Fall Back On<\/h2>\n<p>Unlike full-time employees who can remind their managers its payday or are entitled to file a wage-theft complaint, <strong>freelancers don\u2019t have enough legal recourse<\/strong>. Part of this is because <strong>work is done remotely<\/strong> and <strong>most contracts don\u2019t have binding jurisdictions<\/strong> accompanied with them.<\/p>\n<figure><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/assets.hongkiat.com\/uploads\/avoiding-pitfalls-of-freelancing\/isolation.jpg\" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" alt=\"\"><figcaption><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.freepik.com\/free-photo\/top-view-of-a-workplace-s-drawing_902845.htm\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">IMAGE: Freepik<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>In fact, according to a 2014 survey commissioned by the <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/blog.freelancersunion.org\/2014\/09\/04\/53million\/\">Freelancers Union<\/a>, about <strong>70% of freelancers reported that they have experienced being stiffed by a client<\/strong> at least once in their freelance career. So how do we make sure that no projects go unpaid?<\/p>\n<p class=\"note\"> <strong>Recommended Reading:<\/strong> <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hongkiat.com\/blog\/freelance-contract-clauses\/\" rel=\"noopener\">8 contract clauses you should never freelance without<\/a><\/p>\n<h3>What to Do:<\/h3>\n<ol>\n<li><strong>Research the client or company<\/strong> \u2013 Before saying yes to a job, do a little background check on the client. Hopefully, you\u2019ll see good reviews and not stories of freelancers who were left unpaid by said company.<\/li>\n<li><strong>State payment terms and contracts early on<\/strong> \u2013 Do not ever commit to a gig without a written contract. Your contract should include a detailed outline of the project, your rates, and delivery dates. You should also highlight payment schedule, along with interest charges for late payments.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h2>5. Distractions <\/h2>\n<p>When you\u2019re working from home, <strong>every day may seem like a holiday<\/strong>. If you don\u2019t have self-discipline, it\u2019s easy to <strong>fall into procrastination<\/strong> and waste valuable hours of work. Soon you\u2019ll find yourself chasing deadlines and feeling so tired you\u2019ll feel like giving up.<\/p>\n<p>The success of your freelancing career will ultimately <strong>depend on how good you can keep away from these distractions<\/strong> in order to stay focused.<\/p>\n<p class=\"note\"> <strong>Recommended Reading:<\/strong> <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hongkiat.com\/blog\/tools-to-stay-focus\/\" rel=\"noopener\">7 tools to eliminate distractions at work<\/a><\/p>\n<h3>What to Do:<\/h3>\n<ol>\n<li><strong>Find quiet space for work<\/strong> \u2013 Distractions usually come in places where there\u2019s lots of background noise such as TV, conversations, and music. When setting up your home office, pick a room or corner at home where you can achieve full concentration.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Gamify your productivity<\/strong> \u2013 Applying game mechanics to your productivity strategy can make work a lot more fun. You can create your own game where you set your rules and prizes OR you can use the help of applications like <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/habitica.com\/static\/front\">Habitica<\/a> or <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.superbetter.com\/\">SuperBetter<\/a> that turn each completed tasks to points and rewards.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h2>A Bright Future Ahead<\/h2>\n<p>\u201cFreelancing isn\u2019t for everyone \u2013 but <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/blog.freelancersunion.org\/2016\/06\/16\/freelancing-isnt-for-everyone-but-it-will-be-soon\/\">it will be soon<\/a>\u201c. The global marketplace is emerging with institutions and policies which make it more viable for people to pursue a freelance career.<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>\u201cThe old system, which ties people to a job for 40 years so they could afford retirement, is slowly fading.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Now, there are more and <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hongkiat.com\/blog\/unusual-money-earning-opportunities\/\" rel=\"noopener\">more ways to earn money<\/a> with the use of your skills and experience. By avoiding the pitfalls mentioned above, and <strong>maintaining good work ethics<\/strong> there\u2019s always a good chance you can succeed in your freelance career.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>If you\u2019re still unsure whether or not to pursue freelancing, chances are you\u2019ve contemplated what life is like as a full-time freelancer. You\u2019ve probably heard of the many splendid perks of freelancing, but you\u2019re still dying to know if it\u2019s really all sunny and greener \u201con the other side\u201d. Like most professions, freelancing has its&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":372,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3410],"tags":[3780,3502],"topic":[4523],"class_list":["entry-content","is-maxi"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v22.8 (Yoast SEO v27.6) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Freelance Beginner Tips: The Pitfalls to Avoid - Hongkiat<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"If you&#039;re still unsure whether or not to pursue freelancing, chances are you&#039;ve contemplated what life is like as a full-time freelancer. You&#039;ve probably\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hongkiat.com\/blog\/avoiding-pitfalls-of-freelancing\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Freelance Beginner Tips: The Pitfalls to Avoid\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"If you&#039;re still unsure whether or not to pursue freelancing, chances are you&#039;ve contemplated what life is like as a full-time freelancer. You&#039;ve probably\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.hongkiat.com\/blog\/avoiding-pitfalls-of-freelancing\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Hongkiat\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/hongkiatcom\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2016-09-20T13:01:10+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2022-10-09T10:39:22+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/assets.hongkiat.com\/uploads\/avoiding-pitfalls-of-freelancing\/no-money.jpg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Armela Escalona\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@hongkiat\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@hongkiat\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Armela Escalona\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"7 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.hongkiat.com\\\/blog\\\/avoiding-pitfalls-of-freelancing\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.hongkiat.com\\\/blog\\\/avoiding-pitfalls-of-freelancing\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Armela Escalona\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.hongkiat.com\\\/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/c4e0bd9edec692bd7ac42f3bfab41fc3\"},\"headline\":\"Freelance Beginner Tips: The Pitfalls to Avoid\",\"datePublished\":\"2016-09-20T13:01:10+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2022-10-09T10:39:22+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.hongkiat.com\\\/blog\\\/avoiding-pitfalls-of-freelancing\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":1271,\"commentCount\":2,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.hongkiat.com\\\/blog\\\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.hongkiat.com\\\/blog\\\/avoiding-pitfalls-of-freelancing\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/assets.hongkiat.com\\\/uploads\\\/avoiding-pitfalls-of-freelancing\\\/no-money.jpg\",\"keywords\":[\"Freelancers\",\"Freelancing Tips\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Freelance\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.hongkiat.com\\\/blog\\\/avoiding-pitfalls-of-freelancing\\\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.hongkiat.com\\\/blog\\\/avoiding-pitfalls-of-freelancing\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.hongkiat.com\\\/blog\\\/avoiding-pitfalls-of-freelancing\\\/\",\"name\":\"Freelance Beginner Tips: The Pitfalls to Avoid - Hongkiat\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.hongkiat.com\\\/blog\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.hongkiat.com\\\/blog\\\/avoiding-pitfalls-of-freelancing\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.hongkiat.com\\\/blog\\\/avoiding-pitfalls-of-freelancing\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/assets.hongkiat.com\\\/uploads\\\/avoiding-pitfalls-of-freelancing\\\/no-money.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2016-09-20T13:01:10+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2022-10-09T10:39:22+00:00\",\"description\":\"If you're still unsure whether or not to pursue freelancing, chances are you've contemplated what life is like as a full-time freelancer. 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