Ten useful things to do in between freelance jobs
I sometimes joke that there are two modes of freelancing:
Oh no, I have so much work, I don't know what to do (closely followed by...)
Oh no, I don't enough work, I don't know what to do
And although I rarely go through periods of no work at all these days, one of the things I've sometimes found tricky about freelancing is that work isn't always consistent.
Some times I'm working six days a week , flying through my copy, seeing the money roll in and feeling like a boss.
Other times, the work is more like a drip-feed and I wonder if this is finally the month where freelancing ruins me and the work dries up forever (spoiler: it won't).
But, as any freelancer will know, when you don't have paid client work, you can't just stop working entirely.
Image via Pexels.com
I have friends and family who seem to think when I'm in between freelance jobs, I'm just sitting on the sofa eating crisps and catching up on Netflix until the next job magically rolls in (ok, I may have done this once or twice...).
But in reality, I've found a freelance lull can actually be a gift, allowing you to reframe, regroup and work on all that pesky admin you never got round to doing in the high times.
Here are ten useful things you can do in between freelance jobs (and there will be another one, I promise!)...
Take useful freelance courses
Ever find yourself in a busy work period and wishing you could take a step back to re-group and try something new? Now is the perfect time to do that.
I've often had times in my career where I wished I could try out a new kind of writing or look into working with different kinds of clients but have felt like consciously taking time out to do it would mean turning down work.
If you find yourself in a freelance low period, don't just sit around and wait for new work to turn up. Using the time to upskill and expand your skills will not only keep your brain occupied but will hopefully give you a new service you can offer clients in future.
This will depend on your industry but as someone who works in the digital space, I've found courses on Google Digital Garage and Codecademy to be especially interesting and useful to do.
Stop ignoring your tax return
I'm probably in the minority here, but I weirdly enjoy doing my tax return. I think it's because it's a reminder that, somehow, I've managed to turn a lifelong passion (i.e. words) into something that's fed me and paid my rent for over six years now.
But whether you're like me or not, a lull in between freelance jobs is the ideal time to do something your future self will thank you for come the self-assessment tax deadline in January.
Remember, the deadline to pay your tax for the previous tax year is 31st January, but you can file it anytime from from when the tax year ends in April. This means, if you want to be really organised, you can file it early and not pay it until nearer the deadline.
I try to do this because it helps me budget and figure out how much money I actually have in my savings, rather than spending it on nice things and realising come January that I owe the government more than I'd hoped.
Update your portfolio and CV
When's the last time you added some new work to your portfolio or updated your LinkedIn so it doesn't look like you're still in the job you had three years ago?
When freelance jobs are plentiful, it can be easy to let your online presence become a little stale. But if you're low on work, it's all the more important to keep things looking fresh to entice potential new clients.
Set aside half a day to update whatever it is clients may see when deciding to hire you - whether that's a CV, website, portfolio, pitch deck or social media profile.
It's amazing how fast these things can become out of date when you get into the freelance work flow and you'll find yourself wishing you'd done it sooner when work picks up again in the future.
Back up your work!
My last point brings me nicely to this: back up your work! And do it sooner rather than later! Anyone who has been producing content for any decent amount of time knows that, actually, the internet does not last forever. Old articles get deleted, things get lost and old clients will wipe all trace of your work from their website without telling you first.
I use the Chrome extension Print Friendly & PDF, which allows you to save any website in a printable format, without all the pesky sidebars and graphics you don't need on the screen. Save anything you might want to keep or use in a portfolio as a file on your computer and not just as a link. As someone who recently tried to find some work from several years ago and realised it no longer exists, trust me, it's worth your time.
Do a financial audit
I'm of the opinion that it's hard to be successful as a freelancer if you don't have a basic grasp on your finances - but that doesn't necessarily mean you have to be raking it in to be in good financial health.
Get on top of your freelance finances by asking yourself these basic questions: Are all my invoices paid (or have they been sent)? Do I have enough money to pay my upcoming tax bill (see above)? Are my business accounts (income vs outgoings) up to date?
Once or twice a year, I also then tend to do a sweep of my finances in general, including: checking my bank accounts have the best interest rate I can get (and switching banks if not!), cancelling any unused subscriptions, and seeing if I can switch to cheaper providers for any of my bills.
These things don't actually take too long, but when work is busy, you're probably not going to be making the time to see if you can save a few pounds on your phone bill. Now is a perfect time to do the finance admin you won't want to do in a few months time.
Check for support or grants
Depending on your circumstances, you may be eligible for support from the government or external organisations to help if you're on a low income or out of work for a while - including freelance work.
Some freelancers aren't actually aware that self-employed people can also apply for government benefits such as Universal Credit in the same way employees can - although you'll usually have to be on a low income to receive help.
There's no shame in applying - I was out of work for a while during the pandemic and it was a lifesaver for me - so see if you're eligible for anything via Turn2Us. Also look into your own industry-specific unions or organisations, to see if there's any other grants or funding available.
Reconnect with old clients
If you've been freelancing for a while, you've probably worked with quite a few clients by now and there's likely a few you've moved on from. Providing they weren't a nightmare to work for, take an afternoon to draw up a list of all your previous clients and reach out to any you enjoyed working with to let them know you're still available for work.
I find doing this every six months or so is especially useful as it keeps you at the front of your client's minds, so even if they don't need anyone immediately, they might think of you when something pops up in the near future. You can even ask them to share the news you're looking for work with their wider network if they aren't looking for anyone at present.
From my own experience, this works well. I recently had a client reach out to me with work from an email I sent to them eighteen months previously asking if they were still working with freelancers.
I also recently had an old client tell me they weren't in need of freelancers at present but would pass on my details to their wider company... within two days, two of their colleagues had offered me work on their own projects.
Grow your work network
If you're new to freelancing or you're just in need of fresh clients, it'd be useful to spend your time in between jobs expanding your network.
As a self-professed introvert who finds the concept of 'networking' pretty cringe, know that this doesn't have to mean attending awkward business events or nailing an elevator pitch to perform for unsuspecting strangers.
It could be as simple as reaching out to a freelancer you admire and telling them you liked some of their recent work, joining a professional network or mentoring scheme, or seeing if there are any social groups for freelancers in your area.
Even if it doesn't lead to any work, you may have still made a new freelance friend, which can make those long days working from the kitchen table alone seem a little less isolating.
Prep marketing materials
Whatever your industry, you likely have some sort of marketing presence, whether it's on social media, a blog like this one, or via IRL materials like posters and business cards.
When work is busy, taking time out to create content you don't directly get paid for can seem like a drain, but it's something you'll likely need at some point to bring in new clients and showcase your work.
So take this time to prep anything you know you'll need in future for your brand. For example, I wrote this blog post weeks before I ended up using it as it's evergreen content that isn't going to become out of date particularly quickly
As a freelance copywriter and content writer, I also write these kind of marketing materials for other people and companies, either because they don't have the time to do it themselves or they want a professional to help them refine their ideas and messaging.
See how I can help you with blog posts, social media and digital copywriting here.
And finally... just take some time off
When self-employed, it’s easy to forget many employed people get an entire month of paid leave every year.
Yet as a freelancer I rarely carve out specific ‘holiday time’ to take time away from work just because I want to.
When you only charge for the specific projects you do, it can be hard to feel like the time you aren’t being paid is a waste. But really, you need time away from paid work to recharge, refresh and think about what you want to do next.
When I go through slower periods of work, I’m learning not to feel guilty if I spend a few days not doing much as the work will eventually come in again and I’ll be wishing I made the most of it. Or that's the plan, anyway.
About The Author
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About The Author 〰️
My name's Rachel and I'm a freelance journalist, copywriter and editor, creating content for brands and publications in the culture and lifestyle space. Find out more about my work here.
