We already talked about how attractive it is to try freelancing but there are many more not so attractive things that will get on your way to freelancing. There are many freelancers that keep forgetting or are not informed about the basic stuff they should take care of before starting this adventure.

As you well know, freelancing is a business in which you are the sole worker and owner (most of the time). So it would not be a smart move to neglect the basics that make your freelancing a legitimate business. Here’s what you need to do:

Have a Business Only Account

One of the biggest beginner mistakes you can make in freelancing is to make your business money also your private money. It will interfere with your ability to properly do taxes, to save for business investment and take care of running business expenses. Best way to deal with your money is to give yourself a monthly paycheck and learn to live from what you get.

And while this seems like a very hard way to live (it is!) you will be able to keep your business running and develop enough to give yourself a raise.

One of the best ways is to have an expenses account, tax savings account, and profit account. First you make sure that the money goes to these accounts and that pay yourself.

Read Profit First by Mike Michalowicz.

Business License

Some countries will require you to register if you are doing freelancing so make sure that you know the laws of the country/city you are living in so that you don’t have problems with tax evasion.

And while it seems like over-reacting, more and more people are becoming a part of freelancing community and since they are making money they have to be a part of the system in some way.

It isn’t likely that the country is going to pay for your insurance, healthcare etc. and that you get clear profits every month. And because all of the transactions are mostly going through the banks, it leaves a lot of quality paper-trail so don’t even try to beat the system.

Daily Rituals

Managing your working time as you please might be a big appeal of freelancing, but it can also be a huge curse if you are just a lazy person.

If you really want to be productive, you have to build a certain schedule that will resemble a ‘9 to 5’ job.

Perhaps you don’t have to spend 8-10 hours working, but you should spend hours on the job. Only you don’t have to dress. Or work in silent environment. Or have boss that breathes down your neck. Different things work for different people, but I believe that morning routine is the best (no matter when your morning starts).

Grab a cup of coffee, make breakfast and hit the keyboard right away. Your brain is rested, your obligations are falling in line and you will get the feeling you are being productive and it will run throughout the day.

Don’t forget that breaks are also OK. You will rarely be able to finish everything without a break. So, do some stretching or other activity that will make your brain relax and get your blood flowing.

3 Basic Freelancer Productivity Tips

Social Media

It is impossible to be able do freelancing without being a part of social media world.

When it comes to the type of freelancing you are in, you can use different types of social media, my advice is to be persistent on LinkedIn and Twitter. If you get certified account on Twitter it gives you a great credibility that will certainly bring you more work.

Facebook is still the largest social media and it would also be smart to invest in promoting yourself and your work there.

Basically, you can’t get enough of digital and social media marketing, but considering that you will be doing everything alone sometimes you’ll just have to prioritize. Make sure that you use automated tools that will help you post online and follow the parameters such as best time to post, post with most activity etc.

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How to Stay Organized as a Freelancer

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7 crucial things to know before you start freelancing