How to Start Freelancing with NO EXPERIENCE in 2019

Freelancing has become an increasingly popular choice, especially among millennials. Understandably so, given the immense amount of pressure (and boredom) people usually face at a regular 9 to 5. Here’s your beginner guide to knowing how to start freelancing with NO experience.

However, before diving into this new and exciting pathway, it is important to take note of a few pointers and helpful guidelines to conduct yourself accordingly to make the process more smooth-sailing, and to make sure you stick to it as seriously as you would a typical job. Many beginner freelancers fall of the bandwagon because they find it hard to manage their time on top of facing the pressure that they are responsible for their own (and maybe others’) livelihood.

These are some of the important tips that can help you organise and stay on track as you start your freelancing career with no experience.

Tip #1: Keep on track with your daily habits

Staying on top of your daily self-care habits, or cultivating new ones, are of utmost importance when you start on your freelancing career. For most people, a traditional 9-5 job keeps them on track (barely) to at least stick to a regular schedule. While freelancers may struggle at the beginning without a job they have to be accountable to, starting to freelance as a beginner could be an exciting opportunity to finally prioritise yourself and your health and well-being. You no longer have to be subject to undue stress from unmanageable deadlines or an unreasonable boss—you can make time for yourself now.

Here are some habits you can and should take the opportunity to cultivate as you start a freelancing career:

Waking up early in the morning

Being up bright and early lets you have a whole full day to yourself. You have the opportunity to take time for yourself before you can set out to be productive and later, set even more time for yourself and family.

Having breakfast

As you’ve probably already heard, breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Having a hearty breakfast, like cooked oats with eggs on the side, could have you fuelled up for a long and productive morning.

Meditating

Meditation is all the craze right now — and rightfully so. Meditating can help you to set your mind and focus for the rest of the day. Take around 5 mins to yourself to observe your thoughts and set an intention for the rest of the day.

Cooking yourself lunch and dinner (Eating out less)

This is probably one of the greatest perks of working from home and setting out as a freelancer. Getting to cook your meals for yourself can help reclaim your health, and save money along the way too!

Exercising

The importance of exercising cannot be stressed enough. In fact, we think we don’t really need to tell you its benefits — it’s been spelt out for you plenty. So, don’t procrastinate and get to it!

Tip #2: Dedicating a work space in your home

Having a dedicated work space makes it easier on the regular to get in the right frame of mind to get down to business when necessary. This is especially important for those who are learning how to start working from home. Freelance beginners may realise soon enough that keeping focused at home and not getting distracted by the happenings in their home and their personal lives will be a major challenge when taking on any freelance job or career.

Since many of us may not be able to afford a drink at a cafe every single day or travel out to the nearest library to get work done, starting out a freelancing career may have you working from home to get the job done, especially in the beginning stages.

Starting of your entrepreneurial workspace does not need much. It could simply be a corner at the living room or a room in your apartment you want to put better use to by transforming it into a work area. Whatever it is, so long as you set a workable space clearly aside, SOLELY for working purposes only, it will help a ton with mental organisation (and sanity) when it comes to being focused and efficient when working from home as a freelancer.

Tip #3: Organise and balance between your work and personal life

Following how you’d want to separate your work area from your personal space as much as possible, you should follow through with that concept when it comes to using tools when working from home.

Using a second phone number app like Phoner could help organise and clearly define those work-life boundaries. With an alternative second phone number, you can call and take all your business-related calls on there so that your private number stays safe and undisturbed. You can switch off your notifications and alerts from this second phone number once it is time to log off for the day so that you can fully lend your attention to your loved ones outside of working hours.

You could do the same with all the other office tools you will need, like for example, your email account.

This step is essential to make sure that when starting a freelance career as a beginner, you are still able to keep on top of things and set manageable boundaries between work and personal matters.

Starting your Freelancing Career with No Experience

When first starting out as a freelancer with no experience, it is important that you prioritise your health and wellbeing so that you can be on your 'A' game when it comes down to business. After all, a freelance career as a beginner is taxing as it is, let alone the hours spent looking for freelance opportunities and jobs. Here's to your exciting adventure ahead!