I was offered a similar job once in Israel as a German citizen. The only solution I found was to work freelance for them with a contract. This way, I was still responsible for my own health insurance, etc. I'm not sure if this will be the same for your (since laws are very different across countries), however, it's the way it played out for me.

Natasha, post: 210187, member: 32935 a écrit : That sounds like a great way to achieve that work-life balance!

Thank you so much for sharing. I'm sure it will help others to organise schedules better, myself included.

Glad if I could help!

I have actually started setting clear boundaries for myself in recent years. I used to work basically always. Nights, weekends, you name it. Of course, it wasn't sustainable.

So, the first thing I did was cut out weekends. These are completely work free now. I also try to not schedule anything for Saturday (not even "fun" stuff) so I have one day per week where I can do whatever I want and be spontaneous.

Next, I started setting a time at which I would stop working. By now, I don't do anything work-related after 6pm. In addition, I have an office where I do all my work. None of the other space in my apartment is designated as work space anymore.

I also took stock of what activities let me disconnect the most. For example, it's absolutely crucial that I meet people during the week. I have a regular card game, I have a best buddy whom I meet for a meal and drink almost every week, and I have close friends whom I try to schedule activities with for the weekend. Social contact is the thing that let's me recharge the quickest.

Aside from that, I try to avoid screens in my free time, cook elaborate meals, go to the gym, play guitar, and other fun stuff to take a mental break.

In short, know yourself and your needs and set boundaries that accommodate them.

Hope this helps!

One basic way of finding clients is to let your immediate personal and professional network know what kind of services you are offering and to kindly refer anyone looking for these services to you. When you do, be sure that you have some kind of professional presence ready including examples of completed works that you can show to potential clients.

I think you shouldn't have started working without a contract that clearly states the scope of the work you will do.

raymondricaresad, post: 210044, member: 33085 a écrit : I'm pretty new at this too, I don't have my own website, just a google drive file with all my works as a portfolio. I'm planning to register to lots of freelancer forums, dedicated websites and join different Facebook groups dedicated to freelancing. Only then if I see the need, I'll create my own website.

Hey Raymond, I can tell you from my experience of hiring writers that it makes a much better impression when they post links to published work or their portfolio on their own site rather than Google docs links. For that reason, I would highly advise you to try and build at least a rudimentary portfolio if you have one. It will increase your chances of success.

It can be done but you have to be organized and plan ahead. For example, what I like to do is work in the morning and then use the afternoon/night to explore the place where I am. For that to work, however, you need to plan your work in a way that this schedule will allow you to get everything done. If you plan a huge launch or something, chances are that you will be stuck to your computer for much longer. So, it's about anticipating these kinds of things.

I also use times of commute for work. For example, when I am on a train, I will make sure I have all the information, files, tools, etc. I need on there so I can work offline for a while (not all trains have good Internet). This way, I can use time that I would have usually spent sitting around to get some stuff done. That way, I don't have to spend that time at my new location.

In the end, it's all about setting boundaries where work ends and pleasure begins. It takes some practice but can be very rewarding once you get the hang of it.

I'm not sure why you put your website into your post. It does not seem to be aimed at finding your freelance work. You can maybe use it as a portfolio but that's it. If you want to use it as a tool to land freelance clients, you need stuff like an About page, portfolio, contact page, etc. Right now, I don't really know what to do with it.