Rules may feel like restrictions, but they’re needed to keep a freelance business on track. As the CEO of our own business, we must set and enforce guidelines to ensure our success. But rule-making does add to the fun of freelancing!
Here we lay out three rules for your freelance business to help you make informed decisions faster and easier and establish the groundwork for a healthy work-life balance.
Consider these rules as business boundaries. Once you set a boundary, if there is ever a time when you need to make a decision you can do so based on your already established rule, making it easier for your business—and you—to move forward.
Here are three freelance business rules you need to establish that we guarantee will make freelancing fun again!
1. Set a Minimum Number
You likely have your rates already established. But what a lot of freelancers fail to do is set a minimum number for which they will work.
This number is a set amount that you will not do work for less than. That is, “My regular rate is $100 an hour. But if I want the add this new client to my client list or believe in the company’s cause, I’m willing to work for $75 an hour but no less.”
This no lower than number is for when a client responds to your rate request saying, “That’s not in our budget, but we can do $X.”
Once you establish your minimum number, it is much easier to say “no” and walk away from a client when they can’t pay your rate. You need to set this number before you’re in a situation where a client can’t meet your rate.
Your “no lower than” number may also be your full rate. That’s okay if you know when you’re going to say “no.”
Many freelancers, even pros—particularly ones who are used to thrilling prospective clients—can have a hard time turning down work. You might justify it in your mind as “well, the rate the client is offering is less than I’d like but it’s still more than zero.” While that’s true, you’ll put yourself on a path of undervaluing your work and setting a pattern of working for less than your minimum number.
Saying no is always hard, but keeping this number makes it easier for you to set a boundary and get paid what you’re worth.
2. Create Rules for Your OOO Time
Freelancing has one huge benefit: the FREEdom to create your own schedule. That means setting the hours of your workday and building in time off.
You need to set your boundaries for when you will be out of the office or unavailable to work. Some of these rules many include ones like:
- I do not check email over the weekend.
- I do not work Fridays after 2 p.m.
- I only take meetings Tuesdays and Thursdays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
- I take a minimum of four weeks of vacation each year.
- I do not work any U.S. federal holidays. (Remember that some of your clients may work holidays that you plan to take off, such as Veterans Day in the U.S., but you don’t have to work on them.)
If you set and enforce your own boundaries, your clients will respect them. If you fail to do so, many clients will push for more. That doesn’t make them bad clients. It just means that they don’t know your rules. They may work weekends and email you. If you respond, then that says you also work weekends. They can’t read your mind, after all!
3. Establish a Plan to Celebrate Your Wins
Freelancers tend to be overachievers. We are also goal-oriented people. While that may work to build our business success, sometimes it puts our work-life balance out of whack.
We didn’t start freelancing to focus entirely on work! Remember: Freelance should be fun!
Too often we create and meet goals only to move on to the next step. I’m here to tell you it’s imperative to celebrate your wins as a freelancer. You won’t have bosses giving you great performance reviews or colleagues saying you did a good job on a project. You need to be your own cheerleader and tell yourself when something was a good well done.
Here are just a few examples of some freelance business rules you might create to celebrate wins:
- When I land a new client, I will treat myself to a massage.
- When I hit my income goal for the month, I will stop taking on new projects for that month and begin booking out the following month.
- When I hit my annual income goal, I’ll plan my next vacation.
- When I get great feedback from a client, I’ll take a moment to do something for myself—like treat myself to a fancy coffee or spend 15 minutes indulging in cat videos online.
These are just a few examples. Come up with your own rules that align with your preferred ways of celebrating.
Once you’ve written your rules, put them someplace visible as a reminder. Pin them to your desktop or print them out and post them on your corkboard.
Keep in mind that these rules are not made to be broken. (It’s okay to be a little flexible from time to time, of course. If a client needs to have an urgent call outside of your normal hours and it’s a one-time thing, go ahead. Just don’t make bending your rules a habit!
Remember: You became a freelancer for the freedom and the fun!
Read More!
We have more great tips for maintaining a healthy work-life balance here >>
Your Turn!
What are your freelance business rules that help you keep your business fun and profitable? Tell us in the comments below!
Last Updated on July 1, 2023.
