Being a freelancer does come with plenty of advantages, which you can say are similar to those of an entrepreneur. However, that does not mean there are no challenges, for instance being and remaining motivated becoming more of a problem when you do not have a superior or teammates to report to. Even if you are entering the freelance area of software development, things can quickly get lonely when all you have to reach clients is an email, a video call, or phone call.
In the event that you feel overwhelmed by the freelancing world challenges, here are some of them to note, as well as some ways to overcome them – because you ultimately can.
Attracting new clients
Whether you are completely new to the freelancing world or have been there for some time, you can agree that finding clients is among the most challenging tasks. This is an ongoing task, and it becomes even more stressful when you realize that clients are what will sustain your business and income generation.
However, you can overcome the problem by displaying testimonials from previous clients on your site, social media platforms, and your freelance accounts, which will encourage any visitor who needs your services to have a feeling of trust that you can handle the job. This is even truer when you display the pictures of your previous clients, such as their social media profile photos.
The risk of boredom
If you have worked before as a salaried employee, it is easy to relate to the common experience of sitting at your desk and staring blankly at your computer for a few minutes without realizing you were doing so. It is possible that you might experience some boredom even if you are working in a very busy office, but it is even easier to get bored when you are working from home – a major challenge freelance software developers face.
There are some useful strategies you can use to reduce the problem though. The main one is to take work that you enjoy doing, for instance making a software program that engages your mind and problem-solving skills. The second is to minimize your stressful moments, as they can hinder your productivity when you are trying your best to focus on your work – you can do this through simple tasks, like taking a walk, doing some exercise, or cleaning up your home office space.
Family obligations
Regardless of whether you are a freelance software developer at dormzi or focusing on another area, the reality of family obligations never seems to go away. Because you are working from the comfort of your home, it is easy for family members to assume you can quickly and suddenly take care of some home chores or cook for your family as they come back home from their workday.
You cannot avoid these distractions, unfortunately – but you can minimize them. Make a point of buying some very good headphones that you can use to tune out the outside world, and then make a playlist you can use that helps you remain 100% focused on your work, even low-key background music that is typical of waiting rooms.
Make it a priority to avoid distractions from browsing sites through blocking them on your browser, at least temporarily. Additionally, disable notifications from your phone messages, emails, social media accounts, and so on.
Lacking stability
Because you are in the freelance scene, do not expect every month of your work life to look the same – you should even expect changes from week to week. You may find that some months of the year are busier than others as well.
Some people cannot handle the uncertainty that comes with a freelance career, but there are some tactics you can use to guarantee a constant workstream – for example, using ways that will generate more business leads. In addition to that, you can join networking groups and be active, as well as talking regularly to contacts so that they can inform you of new opportunities.
With all this said, there are many challenges that come with the territory of a freelancing career – but they are workable through these strategies.