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Aragorn: The Superior Freelancer?

By Wolf Vanberg

Popular media often informs me of 3 things: 1. Cats are cute and/or funny and I should watch videos of them 2.The internet hates everything and 3. That the freelancing economy continues to grow from strength to strength. Perhaps unsurprisingly it’s that last point that got me thinking (once I stopped watching the cat gifs) about the direction that the “on demand” labour market is heading.

To simply state that the current and indeed, escalating embrace of freelancers by the global job market might represent a complete “paradigm shift” is akin to stating “You know, I’m starting to suspect this Nietzsche fella, might have been a bit of nihilist” while chatting to a bunch of philosophy graduates… But if the “Nine to Five” God is dead, then who should I (as a young freelancer in the wild) place my trust in to set me off on the right path?

As a geek, that question has lead me on a galactic spanning adventure after a number of Sci-Fi legends. From everybody’s favourite smuggler Han Solo, to the pride of the Federation Captain James T. Kirk each have their own special brand of wisdom to share when it comes to the art of freelancing.  But as time goes on, the vastness of the modern globalised job market is starting to feel less open star system and more tangled mess of shifting trees…

If the many potential problems facing freelancers today (shifting tax laws, client networking and the day to day running of your business) do indeed hang like the drooping branches of an ancient willow blocking the path, your path, in the dark and equally deep forest better known as “Potential Opportunities” I would argue that you need a pathfinder, a scout, or “Ranger” if you will and it’s no secret, that the Ranger known as “Strider” to those who frequent the small village of Bree (It’s just east of Shire in case you’re wondering) is awesome.   

Perhaps better known as Aragorn, the King of Gondor or the hero of the War of the Ring. This man of the north showcases a number of traits that are not only useful, but are perhaps even superior to those of Solo or Kirk in the realms of freelancing. While handy to those looking to slay an Orc or two, these traits remain more than useful to those of us with simpler aims… Like paying off our tabs at the local coffee house, because the barrister has started making treats.

Being a freelancer doesn’t mean becoming a social outcast

Turning back the clock to a time before Peter Jackson, Aragorn spent his time protecting the borders to his ancestral lands. A Ranger’s life is indeed a grey one. Grey cloak, grey weather and grey to dark outlooks on life and yet, they take pride in what they do. Scorning social contact (to the untrained eye) and forever “on the job” and training all the time. Aragorn stands tall, regardless of being seen as an “outcast” or to put it a simpler way:

Nothing stops Aragorn from dealing with a situation, not even crippling social anxiety over what others believe he does for a living.

In freelancing terms, it’s almost the polar opposite of Han’s “Larger than Life” style of self-promotion which I’ve argued is a must for building a client base. However, for the new freelancer on the block, simple yet positive results can do far more for your brand. Sometimes it’s just about how you made the Kessel Run, not how fast…

Freelancer Today, Entrepreneur of Tomorrow

Facing facts, Kirk walked through the Academy, smiled his way into a command and never truly felt responsibility till the plot points. Aragorn was born and raised with a sense of responsibility for his people, a sense that was only tempered by his time as a Ranger. The skills the future king acquired “in the field” undeniably served him well during his reign. Peace came to the lands of man and prosperity was enjoyed by all.  Some people are born James Tiberius Kirk, others have the legions of Mordor thrust upon them or:

Aragon’s time as a Ranger (Freelancer) gave him the skills needed to be King (Entrepreneur) and to successfully rule a kingdom (Business). 

Freelancing is simply one of the best ways to throw your hat in the entrepreneurial ring. Thinking about it logically, you’re already a business owner. As a freelancer you own, manage and actively invest in the business of you. The industry skills you’ll gain from managing project after project will help to forge you into a respectable and indeed, responsible business owner. Not unlike how the forging of Andúril helped to shape Aragorn into the King of Gondor.  

So Long, And Thanks For All Fish (Repeat business because I’m successful now)

General geekiness aside, while Kirk and Solo’s special brands of wisdom retain their respective uses - Aragon does indeed appear to be, the superior freelancer in at least 2 key fields important to the growth of young freelancers in the wild:

Social perception

The responsibility of business ownership

In conclusion, the sage advice for new/potential freelancers I’ve gleaned from this little Gondor themed adventure can best be summarised as:

Working remotely or writing day and night in your PJ’s doesn’t make you the town’s token crazy person who talks to themselves, because the rats stopped listening. Don’t worry about how others view what you do, you actively made the choice to freelance, it’s not for everybody so be proud of the fact you’ve come this far.

You don’t have time to give everybody you know a powerpoint presentation on “how all this freelance nonsense works” Because you’re too busy with the day to day running of your business. Networking, Brand Marketing and cash flow, it’s all on you now. It’s a skill set you could build upon beyond freelancing.

So stand up, and handle every problem that comes your way. Scatter brained client? Provide focus, looming deadlines? Rack up a bigger coffee tab and finish on time. Orc attack? Stab them in the face.

To this day, Wolf Vanberg struggles with crippling coffee based debt.

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Eight Little Things That Keep Clients Loving You

by Gordon Laws

For those in the creative industry, a good freelancer is a very valuable thing indeed. Someone who can understand a task, add real perspective, insight and solutions as to how it should be dealt with, and then deliver it solidly and on time. Such a creature is rarer in what can be an ocean of mediocrity than one might think. Freelancers abound, but good ones are thin on the ground.

But what constitutes a “good one”, exactly? Or, perhaps, more poignantly, what constitutes a “good one” from the perspective of an employer? Talent, dependability, consistency… these are all obviously important. But, there are many other aspects to client-relationships that the freelancer might not be able to see from their side of the table. Aspects that can make a significant difference to a client’s perception of one’s long-term value.

I’ve had many clients over the years. Thankfully, most of them seem to quite like me. Here are a few things I’ve learned along the way that help me to keep it that way… 

Welcome Those Short Turn-arounds

As a freelancer, you’re going to get briefed suddenly, with very short turn-around times. Sometimes, it will be a heaven-sent remedy to a worryingly quiet week. More often, though, it will put you out and see you cancelling your plans for the evening. Or worse, for the whole weekend. You will grumble and you will moan. Just make sure you do so internally, because your client does not care, nor should they.

It’s part of the price you pay for working for yourself and keeping your own hours. It’s only logical that clients are going to call for help when they realise they’re over capacity and can’t manage on their own. They’re unlikely to call in reinforcements when they’re completely calm and have weeks of lead-time to work with. Either take the job and thank them for it, or explain that you regret not being able to accept due to prior commitments. Don’t take the work, whilst launching into a long tirade about how badly it inconveniences you.

Quick tip: Clients finding themselves in need of fast, reliable help represent opportunities to prove that you are an asset to them, to be called upon whenever need arises. 

Check In. Say Hi.

If you have regular clients – especially those with whom you’ve become friendly – check in now and then and say hello. This is not to suggest that you should try to become their “best buddy”, befriend them on Facebook and invite them round to watch the Champions League Semi-Final, but send an email asking how they’re doing from time to time. Ask how work is going. Share some interesting industry-related links or ideas you’ve stumbled across which you thought might especially interest them. Perhaps even ask them for a small piece of advice or opinion regarding a matter within their field of expertise. Everyone likes to have their insight and wisdom acknowledged and most are surprisingly willing to share it.

The point is to remain top of mind, and build a relationship, without coming off needy and insincere. If you can keep establishing yourself as top-of-mind and come to know your client a little better, it will likely result in more work and better equip you to come up with proactive solutions.

Quick tip: Send your better clients a friendly email once a month with a link to something that you thought they’d find interesting, and a general inquiry as to how they are doing. 

Offer Solutions

Those who’ve served time in agencies will know that creative briefs often leave a lot to be desired in terms of clarity and structure. Sometimes, proposed creative strategies also miss the mark. It’s easy for teams who are close to the work to get far down the road, having missed a fundamental oversight in their thinking. It’s also highly probable that you’re being brought onto the project because things have become tight on their side (see “Be Glad of Short Turn-Arounds” above).

Do not march onto the battlefield pointing out all the holes in their plan. No one wants to call in the cavalry, only to have them arrive and explain just how much worse things actually are than originally thought. The rule of thumb is; before one can point out a problem, one must also offer a potential solution. Politely suggest your idea, then gently explain why you think it’s necessary.

Quick tip: No one likes a problem. Everyone likes a solution. Bring solutions as a means of pointing out problems.

Follow Up

A similar point to “Check In. Say Hi” above, but worthy of its own mention in that this one pertains specifically to actual jobs that you’ve worked on. After a job is done and you’ve allowed a week or two for the deadline dust to settle, contact your client and ask them how it went with the project and whether all is rosy on their side. It’s another opportunity to keep yourself on their radar and shows that you’re personally invested in not only your work, but also the client’s wellbeing.

You might find that some changes need to be made, which perhaps the client was going to handle internally, but rather decides to brief to you. Or, you might find (as I have done many times) that the client reports all being well with the job in question, but that there’s a new one in or coming in which you might be able to help with.

Quick tip: Build and maintain relationships based on more than just a “need” basis. Become a member of the team. Become top of mind. 

Go Face-to-face

One of the great upsides of the Digital Age is that it has enabled freelancers to work remotely, often servicing clients in different cities or (as I like to do) even on different continents. Between email and the phone, it’s possible to service clients effectively without actually ever needing to set foot in their office. However, “possible” does not necessarily mean “ideal”.

It’s good to meet with your clients in person at least once, if possible. Especially at the outset of a new business relationship. Ideally, at the start of every new job. If distance dictates that a real-world meeting isn’t possible, try to revert to a face-to-face platform like Skype. Despite building a familiarity that isn’t really possible with back-and-forth written correspondence, a lot more can often be covered in a direct, face-to-face chat than with email alone.

Quick tip: Make sure that your client can put a face to your name and get a sense of your personality. It will help you to stand out in their memory, as well as effectively clearing up a great deal detail to do with a project.

Take One for the Team

I’m vehemently opposed to doing work for free, or as a barter in exchange for the promise of paid work later. I don’t advise that creative freelancers “pitch” to prospective clients, nor that they dramatically cut their rates to help a client land new work of their own if they can’t pay for it. It cheapens the industry, lowers the standard of work, exploits young people and sets precedents that work against everyone.

That said, when a client treats you well, pays you on time and provides you with regular, ongoing work, go the extra mile for them when you can. If they need a few extra changes made, they’ve accidentally failed to brief in a small element of the job, or they’ve missed something that you’ve spotted, don’t make a fuss about money. Be cheerful, offer to help and do so proactively. If you’re part of a team, sometimes you need to prove it.

Quick tip: A good client is worth looking after, because there are a lot of less-than-good ones out there.

Agree on Project Fees

Billing per-hour seems to be a widespread Creative Industry norm in most countries that I’ve encountered. It’s always struck me as a little counterintuitive given that very few people work at the same pace. Some will steadily grind a job out over many days, whilst others prefer to let the pressure build before accomplishing a great deal in a short, intense, exhausting burst. I say; as long as the outcome is of suitable quality, it shouldn’t make a difference.

Still, clients will often ask for your costs in terms of what you charge per hour. Fair enough. It’s a good barometer for how “expensive” a freelancer is, relative to others on their books. It can work against you, though, if you work quickly, which usually comes with a great deal of experience. It doesn’t make sense to charge the client more because it took you days of staring despondently at the wall before you cracked a brief. Similarly, you should not be penalised if you crack the best idea you’ve ever had within seconds of receiving the brief.

My solution is to carefully scope the job, then determine the price that’s fair to both you and the client. Then, if necessary, backward-engineer it into an amount of hours at your set rate. After that, if you finish quickly, good for you. If you struggle through a surprisingly tricky brief over a series of long nights, then you bear the burden. Either way, you and your client know what the costs are upfront, and when the work is due. No surprises.

Quick tip: Agree on a price that’s fair and reasonable upfront. Set a clear deadline. Then, work at a pace that suits you.

Be Honest

This one sounds obvious. In a sense, it is. Being a criminal is obviously not advisable under any circumstances. But, where good, regular clients are concerned, a little bit of added transparency goes a long, long way towards building enduring relationships. There are two examples that spring to mind…

On one occasion, I received payment for a job that seemed oddly high. It had been a good six weeks since completing the work and getting the invoice out took another week or two after that, so I wasn’t entirely sure whether if my hunch was correct. I double-checked and realised that I had – entirely by accident – done my sums wrong and overcharged by a few hours. My client did not notice, nor flinch. But, he was very pleased when I told him, apologised and credited his account with some additional time that I discounted later. The goodwill earned certainly outweighed the money involved at the time.

On another occasion, I quoted for a job that looked like a solid day of work. Upon closer inspection, I realised that it was a simpler task than I’d first estimated and took me only an hour or two. When I sent the work through, I told my client I’d overestimated the scope of work and that I would not be charging the full amount. She was impressed by the gesture and thanked me, but insisted I invoice as planned as “the costs had already been signed off.” I bought her a coffee and when I saw her next and reminded her that it was “my round”.

Quick tip: Freelance jobs come and go, but your reputation stays with you.

Gordon Laws is an award-winning British copywriter, creative director, brand strategist, journalist and public speaker, living in South Africa. He is also the co-founder of Hailstorm Radio-advertising Specialists, Cape Town.

Gord is available for freelance copywriting, conceptualisation and content generation.

E: [email protected] W: www.gordlaws.co.za

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Why small businesses need employers’ liability insurance

By PolicyBee 

We could get the gist of this article across in just one sentence: if you have employees, employers’ liability insurance is a legal requirement.

That’s a bit basic, though. It doesn’t explain why else you need it, or what it actually does. So, here’s a two-minute guide to employers’ liability insurance, and why it’s a business essential.

What is it?

As an employer, you’re responsible for the wellbeing of your staff while they’re at work. If you fail in that responsibility, your employers’ liability insurance (EL) will step in.

EL is for any employee who gets ill or injured while working for you, and who sues you for damages.

For example, an employee might hurt themselves because you didn’t give them the right training or equipment. Or you might have forgotten about that wobbly step your staff have been warning you about, resulting in one of them spraining an ankle. As well as paying compensation, it also covers your legal fees if you have to defend yourself in court.

Generally, you can’t buy employers’ liability insurance on its own: you need public liability insurance (PL) too. There’s no special reason for this other than insurers prefer to offer comprehensive ‘people risks’ insurance as one job lot. 

PL insurance covers legal fees and compensation if someone (not an employee) is injured and it’s your fault, or if you damage their property. So it’s useful if you visit people or have people visit you.  

Who needs it?

As we’ve already said, employers’ liability insurance is a legal requirement for any business with one or more employees.

The only exemptions are:

Publicly-funded organisations

Limited companies where the owner is the sole employee, owning 50% or more of the issued share capital in the company

Family businesses not incorporated as limited companies where all employees are closely related to the business owner (for example father, son, brother, sister, husband, wife etc).

If you don’t have EL when you should, the Health and Safety Executive can fine you £2,500 for every day you’re without cover.

The law also says you must display your employers’ liability insurance certificate somewhere your employees can find it. You can display it electronically, but it must be easily accessible. If you don’t, the HSE can fine you a further £1,000. Yikes. 

How much cover do I need?

Choosing the right level of cover for your business insurance can seem like a guessing game. Thankfully, that’s not the case with employers’ liability.   

The HSE insists all businesses with employees have a minimum of £5m EL. That’s to make sure employers have enough cover to compensate employees if you have a claim.  

You’ll find, though, that most insurers offer a minimum of £10m employers’ liability insurance. Again, there’s no special reason for this. It’s just how insurers do it.  

Anything else I need to know?

The HSE’s definition of ‘employee’ is quite broad. Anyone who helps your business counts as an employee, regardless of whether you pay them. That includes:

Unpaid volunteers

People taking part in a youth or adult training programme

Students on work experience

It used to be compulsory for businesses to keep their employers’ liability insurance certificates for 40 years. Since 2008 this is no longer the case (thankfully). However, the HSE still recommends businesses keep their past certificates for as long as possible.

This is because it can take years for particular claims to develop (especially those related to things like asbestos or other nasty stuff), so it’s good to be able to prove you had cover at a certain point. It doesn’t do any harm, and it could prevent a claim against you.

A year’s cover starts from £31.80, so it’s a bargain, really. 

For more information, we recommend you check out the HSE’s guide for employers. It contains everything you need to know about insuring your business to take care of your employees. After all, you can’t run your business without them.

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Staying Creative As A Solopreneur - Practical Tips

By Jo Gifford 

Staying creative as a solopreneur is essential for your business.

Harnessing the space of creative thinking in your daily routine and in your business strategy itself enables originality, innovation, and for the brilliance that sets you apart to emerge.

Life as a solopreneur is already busy - after all, we wear many hats at once - so how can we ensure that we stay creative?

Use Systems And Apps To Work Smart

Working smartly is integral to staying creative.

Our brains love to emit those genius ideas when free to do so, but cluttered working habits and crammed, busy schedules leave little space for those ‘Eureka!’, genius moments of brilliance.

Set up simple systems to file information and research, to work effectively and to stay productive without the noise of “busyness”.

Use apps to do the heavy lifting for you; IFTTT, Zapier, Buffer, Edgar, Evernote and Google Drive among the tools I can’t live without.

Working in an environment that is distraction free (I am a HUGE fan of Regus Think Pods) can really help your focus and productivity soar.

Make space in your day by working smarter and the rest becomes far easier.

Fill Your Creative Well Regularly

Creativity needs fuel to thrive, so filling your creative well is at the heart of staying creative.

This doesn’t have to be a mammoth task; rather, small tweaks in your routine help brilliance to shine.

Think about doing something slightly new each day to expose your senses to new information.

Original ideas and unique perspectives (essential for setting you apart in business) will emerge when you allow time and space for your brain to get creative, and when your experience changes regularly.

Set yourself the challenge to do something different every day, no matter how small -  just something.

Make little turns of slightly left or slightly right to your usual path to see what will happen.

I am talking about tweaks:

if you usually order a cappuccino, go for a flat white or a new blend of beans. 

if you read blogs, find a new one to read one day.  

maybe get off at a different tube or bus stop and look around you.

do a crossword.

try a new app.

order a different wine to the usual Merlot.

bake something new.

watch something new.

try a new album, podcast, radio station.

visit a new gallery.

take a new route home.

Find Your Zone And Your Flow

In addition to filling your creative well, finding your zone is so important.

Flow is very individual.

It's a personal state of mind and of just "being" that is unique to you.

As adults, it is often very difficult to find flow - we cram so much into our daily lives that we often neglect to do the things that we love, but children know flow only too well. I am often inspired by my twins Eva and Mia as I see them happily colouring and painting away, enjoying the moment.

"Flow" is simply another word for "getting in the zone", whatever that means to you.

I feel in my flow when I am:

Painting.

Running.

Sitting with my Moleskine and a Papermate pen notebook in a coffee shop.

Cooking and baking.

Colouring and sketching.

Gardening.

Finding space to be in the zone and NOT work allows the genius bits of your brain to pop out the ideas FOR your work.

Start with just 15 minutes a day to do something fun, and see how that can affect your business.

So, follow these practical tips to make some space in your day to allow ideas to flow, and harness the brilliance that emerges!

Jo Gifford mentors solopreneurs to work in smarter, creative ways and to ignite their brilliance.

www.dexterousdiva.co.uk/brilliance

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Ask the Flexperts: App-solutely Fabulous!

Tech plays a role in (nearly) every part of our day-to-day lives. But how are freelancers and flexible workers using tech and apps to give their productivity a boost? We spoke to the #flexperts to find out!

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7 stats that will change the way you work today

Productivity perfection, nifty naps and timely tricks. We’ve collected all the facts & figures you’ll ever need to give your productivity a boost like it’s never seen before.

It’s time to work differently.

Timing is everything

If you can look past the yawning, the blood-shot eyes, the general grumpiness and the necessity-coffee, the mornings are great for productivity.

64% of us feel at our most productive in between 8AM and 12PM. In comparison, only 10.9% of people feel productive from 4PM to 8PM. So get your work going early!

P.S. For you email lovers, 8AM is the peak email reading time too. So utilise that rush-hour Wi-Fi. 

Stop multi-tasking

You might think you’re getting more done, but productivity levels drop by 40% when you multi-task. So don’t do it. Seriously, multi-tasking… Not even once.

It’s not only productivity that multi-tasking damages. It can end up making you take 50% longer to complete any given task AND make you 50% more likely to make a mistake. This maths is why you should 100% NOT do it.

Take on more responsibility

76.8% of us are more productive when we feel a sense of responsibility. If we care about the work / task we are doing, we will work harder, better, faster and possibly even stronger, until we get it done.

Hopefully the remaining 23.2% of people get lucky and start gaining a bit more responsibility. Otherwise both of those easy Daft Punk references were for nothing! 

Curb the meetings

47% of us think meetings are the biggest waste of time in a normal day. The other 53% were in a meeting whilst everyone was being asked.

Meetings are a necessary evil, granted. But if we could all just try to cut down on the amount, that’d be great. Instil a ‘meetings-only-when-we-realllllly-have-too’ policy from day one, and we’ll all get a bit more work done.

Think happy thoughts

56.9% of us are more productive when we’re happy. So cheer up, chucks & chuckettes!

It’s not always possible to be happy all-day-every-day (unless you’re horrendously positive like that one person you work with… you know the one), but it’s worth a shot.

If only the next stat could explain how to introduce some happiness to your day... 

Take some ‘me-time’

What are the chances!

A nifty 10% boost in productivity can come from a bit of digital ‘me-time’. Spend a few minutes online doing whatever you want to do (within reason of course), and your productivity will benefit. It calms you down, makes you a bit happier and gets you ready to tackle your next task.  

So go ahead. But only for a few minutes. We mean it. If we catch you on Facebook in 20 minutes we’ll have to send you to your room.

Have a snooze

Here’s what we all wanted to hear. One 26 minute nap can boost productivity by 340,000%.

OK, only kidding. It actually boosts productivity by 34%, which is still pretty darn good!

Unfortunately, not every building in this here world of ours features a nap-pod like Google’s offices do, so sneaking away for a 26 minute kip may be tricky. But if you can get away with it, shut your eyes, count the sheep and drift off. It’s genuinely good for you.

Email at the right times, savour that morning caffeine kick, enjoy the Internet, cancel that meeting and have a nap. They will all do you wonders.

And on that note, I’ll see you in 26 minutes or so... *zzzzzzzzzzzz*

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Being a Freelance Mum: “Embrace the Madness”

By Faye Dicker

A lot has changed since I last guest blogged here, namely I have increased my family by 25%. Or, to put it another way, I had a baby. Suki Blue was born into this world at home, quickly, before the midwife could even arrive. Instead she was delivered by my mum & partner and has taken our lives by storm ever since.

Between her & her big sister Jemima, they keep me pretty busy. Mind you, that’s not to say I don’t do a good job of keeping myself busy too. Being a freelancer, I’m forever shoehorning in projects into an already hectic schedule. Made even more fun with trips to playgroup, preschool & general day to day activities entertaining both a 3 and a 1 year old.

While talking about family life might sound as though it has little bearing on life as a freelancer, it’s one of the biggest influencing factors when it comes to managing my time. Which is why having a second child was massive when it came to adjusting my working model.

In fact, even using the words ‘working model’ make it sounds like there was a sense of order to things. It was more a case of survival!

Perhaps I didn’t help myself but not having any maternity leave. It was more a case of scaling back, rather than stopping – but for me in the madness of those early days with a newborn, being able to lose myself for an hour in work gave me a small sense of sanity.

It’s not for everyone & it’s not something I would advocate, unless it’s part of your ‘programming’, but being able to do the odd piece of work while the baby napped, worked for me. In fact, when Suki was 10 weeks, I launched the first Networking with Freelance Mum event. An event very much born of my own needs, as a mum in business.

Although I’d been a broadcaster for years, I’d been a mum for a much shorter period period of time & making the adjustment to this new blended lifestyle, was a challenge. One of the biggest challenges was connecting with like-minded people – where were the fellow freelance mums? No longer able to get to networking meetings, there was an important part of my life missing.

And if it didn’t exist, I would just have to create it.

That’s when Networking with Freelance Mum was born. In June last year I launched my first trial event for mums in business with one difference, it ALLOWED them to bring their babies. Business focused, with our babies… perfectly do-able, given the right format.

It might sound simple, but a lot of thought goes into the planning. Meetings are held each month in a church hall with playgroup equipment. Mums can talk, while children can play. There’s a 30 minute ‘netwalk’ around the docks, which is good on so many levels. A bit of fresh air is good for the soul, not to mention it can be easier to talk when little ones are in buggies!

Then, perhaps most importantly, there’s a different guest speaker every month – plus a microphone! All important to be able to be heard, above the mayhem of children. There’s typically 20 mums each month & a real buzz. It’s about uniting a tribe. Just being in the same space as someone else who gets the bonkers mix of babies & business, is important.

Having two young children, while keeping all the balls in the air as a freelancer is nothing if not a challenge, but the best advice I have is ‘embrace the madness’.

It won’t last forever & to be honest, I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Find out more about Freelance Mum!

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A Long Time Ago, With Productivity Far Far Away…

… DAH, DAH DAH DAH, DAH DAH DAH (etc.)

With another Star Wars Day (May the 4th) no longer with us and Revenge of the 5th fizzled out, we thought we’d celebrate this Star Wars week by looking at the past, present and future of productivity.

Has productivity taken a turn for the worse? Is the future Light, or Dark? Will there be more rhetorical questions and geeky puns?! (probably)

So, to any wookies who love productivity, remember...

“Chewie… we’re home”. 

The Past

List-ooine 

Before technology blew up like Alderaan, productivity was kind of just left up to you. There were no apps, no tablets, no smartphones, no X-Wings, no nothing to help you manage your workload.  

A long time ago, the pen was your lightsaber and you truly had to Force yourself to keep your to-do list up to date. (Liking these Star Puns so far? You just wait...) Trust us, this is harder task than it seems. Have you ever tried to keep track of piles of paper lists in zero-G? Not easy!

On the flip side, however, motivation to stay on track with work was probably higher as there was no tech to fallback. But the “ease” of productivity was certainly lower - so low it was Yoda-sized.

Thankfully, that soon changed. 

The Present

The App-obah System

The Force is strong today. You know, good guy strong… not evil Sith bad guy strong.

Tech is King. Whether it’s phones, tablets, laptops, desktops or Millennium Falcons, it is EVERYWHERE. And while it may feel like the Internet can be a Darth, Darth plague on our productivity, it has its uses.

Just remember: Use it wisely, you must.

If you steer clear of the games, cat memes, Reddit, Sith blogs and all the other distracting digi-midi-chlorians, the Internet is a productivity gold mine.

Get digital with your time management (there are more to-do list sites than there are stormtroopers). Get tips from GOOD blogs worded by productivity Lords. Send work across the Inter-galaxy faster than the Millennium Falcon can do the Kessel Run.

We often hear in today’s world about productivity being lower than it should. But the RIGHT use of tech can solve this problem (which is, ironically, often caused by the misuse of tech). So, my working padawans, resist the Dark side of tech/Internet, and enjoy the productivity perfection that lurks behind it. There’s a lot to enjoy.    

The Future

The Moon of End-or

So what does the future hold for work productivity? Will the future be as bright as the original trilogy, or as depressing as Jar-Jar?

Well, a long time ahead, in a galaxy oddly similar to this one, productivity may be at a level even greater than it is now. Tech will play a bigger role in every aspect of our working lives. Freelancers will go all “clone army” and their number will just keep growing in size (there’s already 1.8 million of you in the UK). Emperors and Lords will embrace more flexibility and “freelance-y” techniques to boost happiness, creativity and productivity.

Basically… The future’s Light, the future’s productive.

And maybe, just maybe… I’ll finally get a lightsaber. I think I’ll go for Mace Windu purple, makes a bit of a statement.

Bonus points for anyone who gets every reference. The points won’t actually get you anything, but it’s good to have them anyway.

[regusconnect]

The Working World, Creativity and Jazz(hands).

Jazz. The genre that incorporates the largest mix of musical styles, requires smooth, effortless “clicking fingers whilst donning in a suit” and embraces freeform flexibility like no other.

Like multiple gymnasts in top hats and monocles.

In case you weren’t aware, it’s International Jazz Day *insert jazzy piano riff here*, so we thought we’d see what the world of work can learn from the art of Jazz! As it turns out… it can learn a LOT. It boils down to two key points: Freeform creativity and the ability to adapt. 

Now, read this in perfect time. I don’t want to see people rushing or dragging. *Slaps face*. 

Freeform Creativity:

"Jazz is restless. It won't stay put and it never will." - J. J. Johnson

Jazz doesn’t really like “just doing one thing”. It mixes it up. It’s restless. It constantly changes sound, style and location. So why shouldn’t work be the same? Why should we “stay put” in the same place, day after day, when we could explore, and be a little more “restless”?

Whether it’s through flexible working hours, or through embracing flexible working locations, ANYTHING beats “staying put”.

The same desk, with the same screen and the same rubbish view out of the window leads to stale work, and can cause unhappiness. Which, if you weren’t aware, is rubbish. And jazz is FAR too cool to leave people unhappy. Mixing up where, when and how you work could be exactly what you need to enjoy what you’re doing AND be more productive in the process! 

“Life is a lot like jazz... it's best when you improvise.” - George Gershwin

Your work day is always better if you get to be truly creative. Why you ask? Why?! Well I’ll tell you why… Because creativity sparks innovation, innovation leads to interest, interest leads to productivity, and productivity leads to better work. That’s why!

Creativity itself can be sparked by improvisation. Whether it’s spontaneously trying a new place to work, or trying something different in how you work, the unexpected and unplanned can often lead to the best results. And the best trumpet solos. 

Adaptation: 

“Jazz is the big brother of Revolution. Revolution follows it around.” - Miles Davis

OK. Serious talk for a moment. I mean it, sit down and no smiling. We’re in the midst of a working revolution. More people are freelancing than ever before, and companies are having to adapt to “freelance-ways” to keep the non-freelancing employees they have happy.

Oh sorry, you can... you can stand up again now. And smile a bit for goodness sake.

Perhaps revolution is a bit strong, but there’s certainly a change in the tide (sounds a bit nicer). And if you’re not already utilising some of the freelance-ways (flexible hours, varied workspace locations etc etc etc) then you should probably plan a meeting to talk about it… stat. In fact, now isn’t even soon enough. Yesterday would be better. 

“When the music changes, so does the dance.” - African proverb

Whether it’s a revolution, a change of the tide or simply a key-change (little musical joke for you there), the world of work has changed, so working ways have to change with it. It’s as simple as that. Change your dance or be left standing awkwardly away from all the other dancers, staring at your phone. Nobody wants to be that guy…

Improvise a bit, embrace creativity, be restless and change with the tide. Because remember, “there are two kinds of music: good music, and the other kind” (Duke Ellington).

Don’t be “the other kind”.

[regusconnect]

Sir George and the Distraction - A Tale of Productivity vs Work Distractions

Gather round, one and all, for the tale of Sir George and the ‘Distraction’.

For many a year, Distraction plagued the working folk who dwelled within the town of “Landanium”. With every day that passed, people had to painfully sacrifice 2 hours of their time to appease the dreaded Distraction. The town-folk obliged, albeit unwillingly and with a deep, deep sadness.

But soon, 2 hours was no longer enough to keep the beast at bay. Distraction wanted to take away even more. Through emails, mobiles, games and videos, it took 3 hours, then 4, then 5 until, finally, one worker was set to lose an entire working day to Distraction’s wicked ways.

However, there was one man who couldn’t allow this turmoil to continue: Sir George of Productivity. Upon hearing of the man on the brink of sacrificing a whole day of work, he rode to Landanium on his “Baris Bike” to speak to the unfortunate soul.

“Stop!” said George, dinging the bell on his bike like all the great heroes of yore, “there is another way!”

“Huh?” replied the man, in some confusion.

“I can thwart the vile fiend Distraction for good, and you will remain truly productive!”

“Uh, yeah…”

“For I am Sir George of… Oh for goodness’ sake. He’s not listening.”

The man was already suffering from Distraction’s evil ways, as he stared into his phone with dead eyes, clearly unaware of all that George said unto him.

Despite being ignored, Sir George was true to his word. After further pedalling, and even more vigorous bell-dinging, he made it to Distraction’s Lair.

At once he entered the lair and all fell beneath him as he slayed everything in his path: mobiles; emails; meeting after meeting. Nothing could stop him. In a matter of minutes, George had destroyed nearly all of Distraction’s subjects.

It was only then, when he was face to face with Distraction itself, that Sir George used all of his productive might to quell the beast once and for all. Using project-management apps, inspirational motivation, time-management blogs and his trusted to-do list, Productivity toppled Distraction, and the beast vanished forever.

Sir George hopped back onto his “Baris”, and rode back to the town, holding the remains of mobiles and email inboxes in his arms. Upon his return, he saw that productivity, levels of which the town had never had before, had arisen before his eyes.

Yes, many of the townsfolk were incensed at him for destroying their phones, but their productivity shone still. Flexible hours, a happier culture and better work as far as the eye could see. Sir George had saved the working day once more.

With a smile that went unseen under his helmet, he rode off on his “Baris” into the Sunset.

That is the legend of Sir George of Productivity: the one man who could quell Distraction for good.

If you ever feel Distraction rearing its ugly head, one need only remember this tale to remain productive. Ye could even use some of the same weapons George used…  

Get it? “Baris” Bike? Find more of George’s productivity tools (by which we of course mean, “blogs”) here!

[regusconnect]

Back to the Freelance - Five Fantastic Futuristic Freelance Resources

Hoverboards may still not be a thing (you had ONE job futuristic scientists), but 2015 is pretty darn futuristic as it is. Not Back to the Future futuristic, but close!

Especially when it comes to online resources for you lucky freelancers out there. There’s so many great tools to help you get your stuff done that the lack of a hoverboard shouldn’t matter.

It still does matter, obviously...

Here are some of the very best, futuristic freelance resources you can use without the need to hit 88 MPH.

1. Don’t mind if we do! - Mind Meister  

There’s a load of things from school that none of us have ever used again (here’s looking at you trigonometry). However, the old favourites: mindmaps, are still the best way to go to jot down all those crazy content ideas you’ve thought up.

Forget paper and pens, because mindmapping has gone digital baby! Map away over at Mind Meister and see all your ideas come together without getting ink all over your fingers and / or the occasional paper cut. Win-win!

2. Text yourself before you wreck… your plans. - Oh don’t forget

The most casually named resource on this list is one of our favourites. “Oh don’t forget” allows you to plan a text to send to your own phone, at any time, to remind you to do… well, anything!

This is great for everyday things: “Hey me, get milk. Don’t be lazy, I know what I’m like!”

Work-based things: “Hey me, my meeting starts in five minutes. I better be awake!”

And, if you need it, loneliness-based things: “Hey me! Please reply xxx”

3. To do, or not to do - Teux Deux

No to-do list has EVER been written without the sentence “can I really be bothered to do this to-do list” being quietly uttered before it. But come on, we all know how awesome they can be (awesome enough to blog about it, in fact). But sometimes they can be a pain in the neck to keep up to date.

Well not anymore thanks to the cunningly continental sounding “Teux Deux”. It’s slick, easy to use and helps make the to-do list of your dreams become a reality. But if you’re dreaming about to-do lists, the first task you should check off is “stop dreaming about work stuff!”

4. Pocket Rocket - Get Pocket

This whole “internet” thing, it’s a pretty big place. With close to a billion websites up and running, it’s easy to lose track of those great articles, useful tips and truly outstanding blogs you find (ahem). Pocket makes it easy to store and save any website you see for future enjoyment and/or professional use. So any site you find won’t ever be lost in the ethernet ether ever again!

Think of it as a bookmarks bar… just without the heavy commitment.

5. Work on ever-ything you own! - Evernote

Well that certainly takes the award for the worst play-on-words of all time!

We take our multi-screened existence for granted in 2015, but who’d have predicted laptops, tablets AND phones all being as vital as they are today?! Not Back to the Future, that’s for sure! (Still hoping a hoverboard will be invented by the time I’ve finished writing this).

Evernote is a freelancer’s dream. A workspace for every platform you use and probably a few hundred that haven’t even been invented yet. It’s the whole freelance package AND comes with a free version. So put the “free” back into freelancer and get with the futuristic times.

There are quite literally a gargantuan number of resources and free-sources for you lovely freelancing lot to use online. And these futuristic examples are some of the niftiest, neatest and nicest the internet has to offer. So whack on your gilet, listen to Johnny B. Goode (if you’re ready for that yet) and freelance into the future!

[regusconnect]

“I got 99 problems, but productivity ain’t one!”

Happy 99th day of the year everyone!

*insert fireworks display*

What do you mean the fireworks haven’t arrived yet?

To celebrate this momentous occasion, we thought we’d show you 99 things that productivity perfections NEVER say. And some fireworks, but THAT’s not happening.

Butttttt, then we thought about it and realised that 99 is… a bit much. It would be counter-productive (ironically) to read them all. So we ended up with a nice, readable, productive 9!

1) “So it turns out you can press ‘snooze’ as many times as you want!”

We all love an extra 10 / 250 minutes in bed in the morning. But when it comes to productivity, unsurprisingly it’s the snoozers who are the losers. And that rhymes, which means it’s a scientific fact.

So get your day going right by getting up when it first gets bright! (The rhyming is neverending today…)

2) “I would exercise but, I’m far too busy…”

Blah, blah, blah healthy eating. Blah, blah, blah exercise. It may seem like every other sentence we read is telling us to eat right and exercise more. But, regardless of the health benefits, they are both big productivity boosters.

Just half an hour of exercise boosts energy, focus, sharpness, memory and mood. And if you’re going to start getting up a bit earlier, it look’s like we’ve found the perfect time for you to fit it in.

3) “I love underground stations with Wi-Fi. It means I can check my emails at every stop.”

How many times have you checked your emails since you started reading this? Once? Twice? Three times an email checker?! You have to learn to resist.

The email addiction is hard to crack (we’re still working on ‘email patches’ to battle the cravings) but once you do your productivity will rocket. Set certain times of the day where you will check the dreaded inbox, instead of looking every five minutes. There’s more to it than that… I’ll email you the details.

4) “Ok. To-Do list. Task 1… Make To-Do list.”

No. Noooo they are not boring. Stop saying that! To-do lists get a bad rep, but they can be productivity saviours.

Time management may seem like a waste of time, but having short-term and long-term deadlines just make you get stuff done quicker. Shocker, right?! Take some time out of your day and get your to-do list started. Come on. There’s no time like the present! 

5) “Passwords? All in here my friend!” *Taps head far too hard*

No, no, we trust you. All your passwords, meeting times, contact details and every other important fact or figure is safe in your head.

There’s nothing worse than forgetting that one password. You know the one. It needed upper and lower case letters, numbers, symbols and had to be 48 characters long? Yeah, that one.

Keep your information organised (either in a document or through a project management tool online), and don’t lose precious time over forgetting one tiny, little, 48 character password. 

6) “Did you just say ‘work’? I no longer care about what you’re saying.”

This is the biggy. The most productive people never HATE their work. They love it. They enjoy starting in the morning, and dread when the day ends (OK perhaps not that far, but you get the drift).

It’s difficult to be as productive as you COULD be when you’re too busy putting all your energy into hating your job. Find out what you enjoy doing, and you’ll be a heck of a lot more productive doing it.

7) “I don’t have a problem! This is only my 17th cup this morning.”

Coffee. The one drink to rule them all.

We all love our caffeine kick(s) in the morning. But try to cut down on the cups as the day goes on. A quick burst of energy may be good, but constant mugs will send your body on a bit of an energy rollercoaster. Your mood and your focus will constantly change and you’ll find it difficult to keep focussed for a long period of time.

Which is not good for productiv… Hey, HEY. Put down the mug! Put it down now!

8) “Pfft… Games are for kids. Pfft I say!”

Gamification is awesome. That, like the rhyming thing from earlier, is a scientific fact.

Think about it. It’s SO easy to try and play a game for half an hour, and end up losing an entire weekend on it. Why? Because games are interesting! So bring some of that sweet, sweet game-iness into your work habits.

Just introducing some gamification tactics into your day - like points for rewards - will get your productivity to a new high score.

9) “If I work for longer, then I’ll obviously work better!”

Working longer does not mean working ‘better’. You know the drill; quality over quantity. Overdoing it may seem the smart move but you’ll just end up working badly for a bit longer than you normally do.

Work in shorter bursts and not only will you get more work done, but the work will be better. 

So there you have it. Get up early, dodge the coffee, play some games and work in shorter bursts. It’s good for you!

Well it’s too late for them now…

[regusconnect]

Ask the Flexperts: Can a change of scenery boost productivity?

Sometimes, we could all do with a change of scenery. The same desk, the same chair and the same view can all get a bit boring. And counter-productive!

We fancied a wee chat with some lovely Flexperts about how location impacts their productivity. And boy-oh-boy did they deliver!

[View the story "Ask the Flexperts: Can a change of scenery boost productivity?" on Storify]

[regusconnect]

Don’t be April Fooled - Stay prank-proof with Regus Lounges

Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on my co-working space provider!

It should be common knowledge by now that, if your desk is buried in post-its, if your phone handset is glued to its dock, if your desktop background is a collage of Cliff Richard photos, it can only mean one thing – it’s April Fool’s Day.

And when it comes to April Fool’s day, there are the pranksters and the pranked. There are those who lay in wait, anxious to pounce the moment that their unsuspecting prey decides to pop to the loo. Then, at the opportune moment the havoc is unleashed upon their world… DUM DUM DUMMMMMMM!

Then there are the victims. They just want to work, eat their ham and coleslaw sandwiches, and toddle off home at the end of the day. Why must they be the ones to suffer at the hands of such villainous cowboys?

Well, fear not citizens of planet workspace! Regus have come up with a few ways to shield you from the meanest, nastiest, most despicable acts of desk-crime there are. Arm yourselves!

Post-it Nopes

An increasingly common-yet-horrid prank is to bombard your hapless victim’s desk with post-its. Worse still is to label them #1 to #25, but skip out a few numbers in between. The poor blighter on the receiving end will spend an inordinate amount of time searching for the missing notes!

Solution - Think Pod

The best way to avoid this sticky disaster? Clothe yourself in a suit of productive armour and hide in a Regus Think Pod. Perhaps it should be renamed Escape Pod.

Spiked drinks

Who needs enemies when you’ve got friends at work that just happen to slip a little ‘surprise’ into your morning coffee? Whether it’s replacing the sugar for salt, or something far more devious than that, no one needs a spiked coffee in the morning!

Solution - Help yourself to free tea and coffee at Regus business centres.

Don’t let anyone get to your drinks but YOU on April Fool’s day. And why not have a free drink at a Regus business lounge while you’re at it?

Meeting expectations

On a lighter note, a hilarious prank was pulled off by the group “Improv Everywhere” in which they hosted a fake board meeting in a Staples retail store. As much as we love retail shenanigans, I’m sure you take your meetings seriously, right guys? …Guys?

Solution - Don’t find yourselves getting kicked out of your local office furniture store. Make sure your meetings come together in any of the Regus Meeting rooms.

Phoney character

A classic gimmick is the one where all of your co-workers prank-call the victim, asking to speak to a fictional character, let’s say, “Jim”. After constant bombardment, one cheeky blighter phones in claiming to be “Jim”, and asks if there are any messages for him. For uncontrollable April Fool’s rage, please press 2!

Solution - You know you don’t have to answer your own phone calls, don’t you? Regus offers virtual office services, including telephone answering services. Problem solved!

Shake it off

When it comes to this prank, things get a little bit jelly. And by jelly, I mean consumed by sticky, gelatinous goo, not something you’d like on your keyboard. It’s unclear who started the trend of inserting office stationery into this sugary, wobbly mould but I’m sure we all wouldn’t mind if it came to an end!

Solution - RUN AWAY! Honestly, unless you’re the type to lock your keyboard and mouse in a drawer every time you leave the desk, it’s probably best to just avoid the office altogether.

The real way to win on April Fool’s day is to work remotely, why not try one of over 2,000 Regus business lounges instead?

With a bit of luck, perhaps one of these solutions will shield you from workplace warfare! If you’ve encountered any April Fool’s pranks we haven’t mentioned, why not let us know online?

[regusconnect]

Clocks go forward, so should you - let’s get time back on your side

Spring is here and there are plenty of reasons to feel chirpy and cheerful now that winter is over - not least that the sun will rise just that little bit earlier and disappear a touch later in the evenings. Huzzah!

Time is a fickle mistress, though. It often feels like you’ve only just sat down to work but one look at the watch and BAM! It’s 3 o’clock and you haven’t so much as typed a few of emails and scratched your armpits.

Now is when we need to fight back, equip ourselves with productivity hacks and brazil nuts, and let time know exactly who’s boss!

Make a to-do list (but a small one)

To take up arms against this elusive, metaphysical rascal, fellow workers, we must enlist an ancient weapon (drum roll please).... the note-pad.

Yes, yes I know. Boring it is. Exciting it isn’t. Like Yoda I must sound.

In all seriousness though, there’s a reason the simple things have stuck around. Jotting your main priorities for the day is a surefire way to stay on top of them, even if you have to use the force.

Don’t be afraid to say no to things

One cunning way in which time likes to bite us in the bum is by distracting us with micro-actions. It could be taking a long phone call, trudging through admin tasks or helping out a colleague. Not that we shouldn’t support our co-workers, but if you don’t say no to additional work every so often, time will get the better of you.

Just remember what happened to Jim Carrey in Yes Man. (Spoiler alert: it doesn’t end well)

Give projects a time limit

Imagine you’ve gone out for dinner, excited for a plate of delicious grub. But you’ve arrived at the restaurant and there’s a queue (and you didn’t manage to book because you let time get away with you... again). You decide to queue, but there’s time limit for how long you’re prepared to wait before you try your luck elsewhere.

This is a perfectly sensible way to treat your projects at work, too. If you find yourself banging your head against the wall of a particular task, you might find your time better spent on something else. Listen to what your belly tells you!

Fuel yourself

Speaking of which, nobody ever worked more efficiently because they starved themselves. Well, except Gandhi, I suppose. The right fuel will give you the energy you need to get things done, so chomping down on nuts and fruits is a great way to stay alert. And what the heck, why not treat yourself to a slice of naughtiness every so often? If it makes you feel better and more relaxed to indulge sometimes, let them eat cake.

Kill distractions

You heard me. Kill ‘em all! (Wow I never thought I’d actually type that)

Here’s a revelation: your phone, emails and social media notifications aren’t going to spontaneously erupt in flame if you ignore them for a few minutes.

For better focus, switch your phone to silent and unsubscribe from pesky email updates. Even if it’s just for an hour or so, honing your attention for an important task will help you own it in a timely fashion.

Here’s to hoping these small tips will help you in the struggle against that pesky clock. One last tip - don’t forget to set your watch forward an hour for the March Equinox. Ruddy clocks, always trying to be one step ahead… We’ll get you in the end.

[regusconnect]

Boldly going Freelance: How everything I know about freelancing I got from James T. Kirk

Whether it’s making your way up the corporate ladder or forging your own path freelancing harder than a Ferengi merchant with a bar,  it’s never been harder to make it in this crazy old world of ours. But thankfully, you can learn everything you need to get by from Starfleet’s Captain James Tiberius Kirk. The rebel from Iowa who became captain of the Enterprise, and saved the Federation once or twice. Remember, even if you've never beat the Kobayashi Maru training exercise, you can still beat the odds with a good old combination of being lucky, clever and trusting your instincts. 

These are the logs of the Federation Starship Freelancing, on her lifelong mission to seek out new clients and forms of revenue. To boldly go where no freelancing writer has gone before! To a trendy coffee shop… Jokes aside (it will never happen) here’s a few work based lessons from one of the Federations greatest assets. 

A “Fleet” requires more than one ship, find allies. “We can use all of the friends we can get.” Janeway- State of Flux, Stardate: 48658.2 Warren “The man who never loses” Buffet has Charlie Munger on his side, Larry Page can count on Sergey Brin and Kirk can count on… his entire crew? Regardless of your career, It’s always handy to have someone you can trust to watch your back. The kind of person who’ll rush a platoon of Klingon raiders and win or expertly fly your flagship through an asteroid belt to avoid a Klingon fleet, who really wants to know what happened to those raiders…

Be the captain you wish to see others become. “Someone once said…’don’t try to be a great man...just be a man. And let history make its own judgments.’” Riker- Star Trek: First Contact, Stardate: 50893.5 Had he not risked everything to save captain Pike from a rather nasty death at the hands of an enraged Nero, Kirk himself might have remained a simple officer doomed to be recorded in the annuals of mediocrity. Preforming legendary feats, is a great way to become legendary yourself. This holds true back on old Terra to. For example had Gordon Moore, founder of Intel not been replaced by Andy Grove (his then lieutenant) would Intel of become the powerhouse it is today? The cycle then went on to repeat as Grove mentored his own successor Craig Barret. In terms of freelancing, consider passing on what you know, years from now they might become your biggest client.

The universe is an unfocused mess, adapt to that. “You know what conditions you might encounter. You must be prepared for anything.” Tuvok- Learning Curve, Stardate: 48846.5 The amount of adventures, new discoveries and triumphs Kirk encounters on his way to somewhere else defines him and his command. It’s all those little “distractions” that make  for an intergalactic exploration. “We’ll head for that planet, but let’s stop by that star first it’s been acting strange”. I think John Lennon might have said it best, when he stated that life happens when you’re planning other things. Mark Zuckerberg launched Facebook while he was meant to be studying in collage, Steve Jobs taking a break from apple gave us Pixar. The single biggest opportunity you ever have, might come when you say “But what’s over there?” look in places you might not normally check, you’d be surprised where you can bump into your next potential client.

The Enterprise is armed for a reason. Sometimes, you just have to go to red alert and target their weapon systems. Shoot first, and deal with the problem. If Kirk hadn’t chosen to fight when he needed to, the adventures of the Enterprise would have been over on day one. If IBM had followed suit, what would have happened when a young Bill Gates came to sell it a certain operating system? As a freelancer, pre-emptively arm yourself with skills and industry knowledge to deal with any and all opposition quickly, aim for the potential client’s shields!!

The last time Wolf Vanberg went roaming the galaxy for Starfleet, he did it in a Sovereign Class. For more on freelance news and tips, visit http://freelancernews.co.uk 

[regusconnect]

Dust yourself down: a guide to spring cleaning your work life

It’s been said that “a tidy desk is a sign of an empty mind”, and certainly some of the world’s most creative CEOs have wildly disgusting desktops. But I’m not here to talk about your desk, bedroom or that mountain of dishes you have yet to wash up. I’m here to tell about the filthiest place at all at the moment: your working life.

Frankly, it’s a sight to behold. A stinky one, too, I’m willing to bet. Don’t fret, get defensive or tell me “it’s just been so manic the last few weeks”. Here, take these rubber gloves, roll up those sleeves and get cracking. There’s spring cleaning to do!

Your mouldy morning routine

I can smell this section of your working life a mile away - and this really is a stinker.

Many of us are finding the morning before work a real tale of woe. Having snoozed the unrelenting, demonic alarm for the 104th time, we slump out of the nest-like bed like a wet kipper, dragging every reluctant fibre of our being in an effort to divorce from that nucleus of duvet warmth, stumbling inevitably into the abominable, arctic savagery of the morning shower. (Pretty epic storytelling right? Well, I tried...)

We need to bring an end to this battle of the bed-sheets. Even if you win the battle every morning, you’re ultimately losing the war with how worn down you feel during the day. Our advice? Set an alarm 30 minutes or even an hour earlier than usual. Rise slowly and deliberately, setting time for meditation every morning. You’ll thank me.

Your ludicrous lunch break

Urgh, the lunch break. Something to look forward to right? Wrong.

Your super-processed supermarket sandwich is not adequate nutrition for your working day, nor is it great for your productivity. The bland flavours and saturated fats would be substituted much better by a mixed, vibrant salad with berries and fish, proven to be great for productivity.

It’s not just what you’re eating either, but how you’re eating it. Far too many of us are eating at the desk - bad for the brain, bad for your business. Why not take the meal outside for once? You’ll feel much more like you’ve had a proper break.

Your abhorrent activity

Or should I say, lack thereof. When was the last time you took a walk, jog, hell, even stood up?

It’s bad enough that sitting makes for an unhealthy portion of our day, but we can tackle that. Why not invest in a standing desk or take walking meetings. You could even try and incorporate cycling in your commute. Best of all, twerk your way to success!

Your execrable evenings

Your working day is over. Hurray! Now to switch off and relax, finally.

Oh what’s that? Your emails haven’t been checked for 10 minutes? You haven’t browsed through your colleague’s Facebook feed? Well guess what: they can wait!

What’s more, that little bit of work, that phone call, that quick email - they’re interfering with YOU time. There’s a reason why work and life should be separate, keep it that way and you’ll probably perform better at work anyway.

Your horrendous holidays

Well? What do you have to say for yourself? I already nagged you about putting that phone away during your precious evenings, and now you’ve taken it on vacation with you!? Truly appalling behaviour.

If I hadn’t made myself clear already, PUT THE PHONE AWAY NOW! Spend some time with your friends and family for pity’s sake. Chill out. Have a margarita. You’ll need to feel refreshed for when you return to work, not some stressed out, sleep-deprived, crazy person.

Your catastrophic clients

No, that’s no way to talk about those who pay your bills! But yes, they are very, very smelly indeed...

Spring cleaning in this regard is not about telling your best customers to shove it. It’s about being careful about what work you take on, and not being afraid to say a no. Always better to politely decline extra work than to take on too much and deliver a poor service. It’ll be best for you both in the end.

There, that’s looking a lot better, isn’t it! All it took was a bit of a health-check and a good scrub-down. Now, the key to keeping your working life shiny clean is a bit of maintenance. Don’t forget the great work we did today, and remember: you can always ask for help.

Why not share a few spring cleaning tips with us on Twitter? We’d love to hear from you!