Sacrifice vs Satisfaction for Freelancers.

Sacrifice and satisfaction: There is a fine line when it comes to finding this balance.

The rules I refer to below stands out for me as a freelancer but they could apply to anyone - whether you are a data clerk, engineer, teacher, or a store man.

RWF Rules! (Relationships / Work / Finances)

Relationships:

Rule: Nurture important relationships!

It doesn’t matter if it’s at home, or work, the bank, the butcher, your Doctor, the neighbor… anyone! A good relationship always benefits a situation.

The importance of good and bad relationships is something I wish I understood the importance of much earlier in life. There is a fair saying that goes: “if everyone likes you then you are doing something wrong”. Inherently it says you must do what is right for you. And people won’t always like this.

To be very specific in context of relationships: Freelancers often don’t see their families and friends for extended periods. We lose out on special days like birthdays, anniversaries, and special events. But we seem to follow a philosophical argument that claims; when something is valuable, we will make sacrifices to attain it.

Work:

The rule is: Do your best at work or don’t even do it to start with!

I heard a guy say that if you can’t discipline yourself and follow a routine with set habits then you are a bad manager but a worse boss of yourself!

Work demands our best, sometimes it ask our attention for 80+ hours a week. Sometimes there is no work! Funny thing is that this inconsistency messes with everything else. Our circadian rhythms would love it if we were consistent with a routine! I know my brain would give me a brain hug if I could dump the tons of inconsistencies! But the life of a freelancer calls for inconsistency.

The nice things for me is that I always get to meet new people, or in some cases the same people I saw at the previous shutdown. I often learn new ways to do things, some work some don’t, but I can always take that knowledge with me to the next job where?can ad value. Note how work and relationships go hand in hand.

Finance:

RULE: Make sure you have savings or investments and sock money!

The kind that ensures one is at - or aiming towards financial stability. If work pays bad, finance is in the red. But if work and initiatives pay well … well then it would be good to save some or invest a bit for a rainy day.

When a freelancer doesn’t work for a period then it may cause some financial strain. Put one in a pinch so to speak. So, being aware of what and where one spends and invest is high up on the priority list.

Anyone successful will tell us that they had to earn more than they spend and have discipline – because it’s tempting to buy that “thing”.

Conclusion:

At the end it’s a balancing act!

These three rules intertwines and addresses a single fact: Security! We want to secure our families wellbeing, our sources of income and our important relationships. In a nutshell I think this illustrates that we have to find that sweet spot. That happy place where our needs are legitimate and well considered to achieve satisfaction, and the sacrifices we make are worth it.

Cheers and thanks for reading

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