Keeping all the balls in the air

Wow! 2024 has started with a bang! In the first full week of January I said yes to four new contracts – a fantastic position to be in and I am delighted to have the opportunity to make a difference with some new clients and projects.

Juggling lots of different projects works really well for me – I enjoy the novelty when something new is on the horizon and I love the variety that comes with contract work. It can feel like a whirlwind at times but being busy is good, and I often find that what I learn from one project can benefit another.

I am currently immersing myself in red squirrels, historic graffiti, rights of way, urban nature, peatlands, refugees, shorebirds, rural heritage and farming and, whilst, this sounds like quite a mix, there are some common themes here: preserving what is important to people, giving more people access to the great outdoors and using storytelling as a way of communicating and engaging. These are all values that are important to me and I feel so lucky to be able to work with projects that are making a difference to things that matter to me.

Saying yes to a new contract is not as simple as feeling a connection to the project (although this is really important to me). I need to look at all the other balls I am juggling and decide whether I can commit to keeping another one up in the air. It is a pretty delicate balance with some projects needing a quick turnaround and others a longer term approach. I use a project planning spreadsheet to map out my time for different contracts and make sure I have enough hours in the week/month to say yes. I block out time for different projects in my diary so that my week never becomes full of meetings. I break projects down into stages and I make sure I keep clients updated so everyone knows where we are up to. I have monthly to do lists to keep me on track and these include my voluntary and family commitments.

And, I try to find time everyday to step outside with the dog and get some fresh air..

I have weeks when I feel like I have all the deadlines to meet and I also have weeks when I am twiddling my thumbs waiting for all my clients to respond to emails or draft documents. I don’t keep ‘normal’ office hours and I often catch up on emails late at night or while I am on the move.

I really think that being freelance is a lifestyle not a job but it works for me – focusing on one ball at a time but keeping them all in the air together (or something like that)!

(Cover photo by Kier in Sight Archives on Unsplash)