How Much Should Freelancers Work?

How much should freelancers work?

Obviously, this is a subjective question with multiple variables. Desired lifestyle, personal/family needs, availability, rates, volume — just to name a few.?

A single parent with a mortgage and two kids has to work a helluva lot harder than a debt-free digital nomad bouncing between low-cost-of-living areas. Similarly, a freelance consultant who specializes in financial software can probably charge a much loftier rate than a generalist freelance writer who just began their entrepreneurial career.?

Long story short: There isn’t a one-size-fits-all answer to this question.?That said, if I had to offer a general one, it's to work enough to accomplish your goals while satisfying your rules. Otherwise, the best I can do for you is share my experience.

I started tracking my time in December 2020, so I have about 2.5 years of data.?

First, some necessary background:

• I’m married, so I’m not solely responsible for our financial health. My wife has a stable, well-paying corporate job at a Fortune 500 company.??
• We’re debt-free and don’t have kids (or even pets), so we aren’t digging ourselves out of any holes or responsible for any long-term financial commitments.?
• My clients are in the financial services space, which is a higher-paying niche — I charge $100–$125 an hour.?
• My time slots into one of four categories: client work, personal projects, social media, and admin/strategy. The first and third categories are pretty self-explanatory. Personal projects refer to writing newsletters, Medium posts, and books. Admin/strategy is sort of a catch-all — pitching, emails, bookkeeping, nonclient calls, etc.?

So, to answer the titular question, here are my time inputs since the beginning of 2021.?

• 2021: 21.9 hours per week | 4.5 hours per day
• 2022: 21 hours per week | 4.3 hours per day
• 2023: 18.4 hours per week | 4.1 hours per day (through July)?

Interestingly enough, as my income has increased, I’ve worked marginally less per day/week and taken more time off.?

Let’s explore a few takeaways.

I’m Not Constantly on the Clock

Work windows and hours worked are not one and the same.

I had to accept this reality early on because an eight- or nine-hour workday is an unsustainable expectation, at least for myself. To phrase that another way, I can’t expect to work eight consecutive, break-less hours from 9 am to 5 pm every day.

For starters, that’s begging for burnout. On top of that, it ignores basic human needs — eating, exercising, taking bathroom breaks, taking sanity breaks, etc.

Tracking Time Unearths Bad Habits and Creates Urgency

When I first started tracking my time, I was able to identify costly habits. I’d instinctively grab for my phone and mindlessly bounce between apps when I hit walls. Or I’d take unnecessarily long lunches. While these disruptors may seem obvious, I didn’t realize how time-consuming they were until I could actually quantify them.

By pitting myself against an active timer, I could leverage a powerful emotion to stay productive: guilt. Now, if I stray from a task, pangs of guilt flow through me because I know I’m doing myself a disservice.

This creates useful urgency, but it’s still a delicate balance. While there’s constant pressure to work more, I have no desire to extend beyond 30–35 hours a week.

Don’t put too much pressure on yourself. A little stress is good and helps spark action; overwhelming stress is crippling.

Time Is Only Half of the Productivity Equation

This probably goes without saying, but I’ll call attention to it anyway: output is more important than input. Of course, it’s valuable to track your time, but it’s not the perfect measure of productivity, at least not by itself.

For instance, I could stare at a blank document for five hours, pouring over dozens of potential article ideas, and call that “creating.” But was that a productive use of my time? No.

Freelancing vs. Creating

I tend to work less when I don’t have as much client work. At first glance, that makes intuitive sense — fewer assignments would mean I don’t have to be glued to my laptop all day. But, as you’d know if you’ve followed me for a while, I aim to be a successful freelancer and creator, which means I have plenty of things to do when I’m not consumed by assignments.

However, the fact that I have so many personal projects to choose from can and does send me into a state of analysis paralysis.

Take Care of Yourself

My physical health has been a time impediment, unfortunately. I still can’t grasp the duration of what I’m about to say, but in the summer of 2021, I pinched nerves in both my cervical spine and lower lumbar (if you can believe it, at different times).

Why share all of this? First, it’s relevant because the visits to doctors, physical therapists, chiropractors, etc. have all eaten into my time. More importantly, it’s a lesson for everyone, especially those who work at a desk all day: take care of your back.

How Much You Work Is Subject to Change

Life is a series of changes, some immediate and others prolonged. Naturally, the number of hours you can and should work will evolve as well. You may have to sacrifice more of your schedule now to open the door to a more relaxed lifestyle later.?

Happy freelancing,?

Carter

P.S. How much do you work? Share your experience with the community in the comments.?