The life of a freelancer does have its advantages such as being able to work from the comforts of home and getting some alone time.

While working from home can be beneficial, it also comes with some hazards such as depression, loneliness, and isolation. How can we overcome these feelings we face as a freelancer?

1. Coworking Spaces

Coworking spaces provide the best of two worlds. It provides an environment of work without being tied to someone else’s meetings and schedule. These spaces are designed for productivity and typically offers a limitless supply of caffeinated beverages.

2. Networking

Networking provides countless benefits with ones of them helping with isolation. There are a whole host of ways to network. One way is to network locally through tech groups, meetings, your chamber of commerce, Business Networking International, as well as other freelancer groups. A great place to meet other WordPress professional would be by joining a WordPress Meetup.

3. Get a Pet

Many animal-lovers long to own a pet but are unable to because of their restrictions working 9 to 5. Animals can be wonderful companions and can be helpful in fighting loneliness with their constant presence.

Furthermore, when it comes to battling depression, cats and dogs have a therapeutic contribution. With a cat or dog around, you are sure to feel more secure and loved.

4. Build Your Community

To fight isolation, you may need to build your professional and personal community. Building and connecting with a community is not often a natural task but will take initiative. Your bouts of isolation can be helped by regularly connecting to your community.

5. Engage in a Hobby

As a freelancer, you are likely in control of your schedule. This means you can manipulate your work hours to give you time for your hobby. What was that one thing you always wanted to do but seemed to never have time for when you were younger? Did you enjoy writing or painting maybe? Regardless of what it is, utilize the free time to nurture your hobby again.

Save an hour every day to do what you have always wanted to do. By doing so it helps to engage your mind elsewhere, therefore, you will feel less isolated.

6. Enroll in a Course

Many individuals wish to pursue further education but are unable to due to their employment commitments. If you have time, take up a course. There are numerous colleges that offer distant learning programs.

7. Disconnect and Connect

Overworking can lead to both isolations and burn out. Another ideal way to overcome isolation is to disconnect from technology and your work and connect with those you love.

There are numerous ways to help overcome isolation as a freelancer. To help decrease isolation, be sure to become part of a community.

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Retainers are harder to get then one-off jobs, so it is important to think about perhaps offering this service to clients that you speak with. They can really save you in the long run. This agreement brings employment and freelancing together to hold hands and make the freelancer happier with the outcome.

What is a Retainer?

Many freelancers might not even know what a retainer is. However, with the right information, being a freelancer is going to get much easier for you overall. A retainer is much like an agreement. The freelancer submits a specific set amount of work every month and the employer pays a specific amount for the work.

Retainers Do Not Come Right Away

Hoping it is easy to get a retainer is something that can be easy to do. You have stars in your eyes and hopes and dreams to reach. You might have to work with the client on one-off projects until you feel comfortable enough to pitch a retainer idea. This is especially helpful if they continue to use you for these one-off projects.

However, it is also important to note that not all clients are the “retainer” types. They need to be a long-term client that needs steady work throughout the year for this to work out. Plus, you have to feel comfortable enough to trust them and for them to trust you.

Offer All Services They Might Need

You don’t have to run out and learn to code right away, but knowing how to build a simple website to go with your content writing, or marketing or whatever you do is helpful. Getting an employer to work with you on retainer is ideal in many ways, but not having more than the one thing to offer them might make them think harder about this agreement than they really need too when you pitch the idea to them.

Writing Up Your Retainer 

Your retainer is going to work much like a contract, so you need to write one up so that everyone is in agreement on the terms. Just make sure to add these important tidbits so that everyone has what they need from the deal.

• How much work is being delivered every month
• The amount it will cost, as well as your payment information
• Include any expenses or other things the client has to cover
• The length of time the retainer is good for, usually, it is a year to two years
• Revisions and if they are included, if they are, how many?
• A sign off stating that the client owns the content once it is completed
• Having an under or over usage of the content – when a client skips a month, they still need to pay and some freelancers provide a credit to recoup some articles missed during the next month, though not all
• Cancellation policies of the retainer, which usually means the client needs to give 30 days notice of their intent to do so

Making a retainer last a while is important. When the working relationship is a strong one, then retainers can work smoothly between the client and the freelancer. They can even provide a strong recommendation for others that they know looking for the same type of services. A retainer is thandeal way to work as a freelancer and it provides more stability in times of need.

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