Bare Feet, Shabby Clothes and Freelance Design

By jimdiggitydog

When I first started freelancing so many moons ago, I got a piece of advice that is really pretty good. It has nothing to do with finances or design. Nothing to do with software or time management or finding work.

The advice? Get up, shower and get dressed like you’ve got meetings that day - whether you do or not.

It sounds simple and stupid and mostly pointless, but it’s about mindset. It’s about starting off on the right foot every morning and taking your business seriously.

Now, I will admit to having days when I don’t get out of my jammies - but in the beginning, especially, I got an awful lot of mileage out of treating my freelance design business as a job instead of a vacation. Sometimes, it certainly feels like a vacation, but it really is a serious business with competitors, paperwork, nice clients, mean clients and pencils and pens and supply closets.

Your business is your job - and there aren’t too many jobs that would let you come in wearing a robe and slippers with your hair all messed up…

(a footnote: I gotta go take a shower. I’ve only got 28 minutes before I have to go to work…)