Embarking your freelancing journey entails a whirlwind of new challenges and responsibilities. As you venture into your chosen field, you have to deal with officially registering your company, grappling with the intricacies of business taxes, and crafting a compelling self-marketing strategy. The quest for the right clients seems never-ending, with each interaction holding the promise of a fruitful partnership. 

Yes, acquiring clients as a starting freelancer is very important, but many freelancers I know dive headfirst into client work and forget to focus on the growth of their own business. And that’s something that I want to make sure to mention to every starting freelancer, don’t forget the growth of your own business.

Achieving success as a freelancer demands a delicate focus on both working in and working on your business. So really, before the allure of client projects consumes all your bandwidth, it’s crucial to recognize the simultaneous importance of tending to the foundational elements of your business.

Balancing working in your business (day-to-day tasks, client work) and working on your business (strategic planning, growth initiatives) is crucial for long-term success as a freelancer. The synergy between client work and business growth becomes an art—one that, when mastered, ensures sustained success on the freelancing frontier.

Here are some tips to help you strike the right balance that I found very meaningful: 

1.Goals, goals, goals
Define both short-term and long-term goals for your freelancing business. This will give you a roadmap and help you prioritize tasks.

2.Time blocking
Allocate specific blocks of time for working on your business. This could be a few hours a week dedicated solely to strategic planning, marketing, and other business development activities.

3. Differentiate between tasks
that are urgent and those that are important. Ensure that you allocate time for both immediate client needs (working in your business) and long-term business growth (working on your business).

4. Create Systems and Processes
This has been really a lifesaver for me. Develop efficient systems and processes for your day-to-day tasks. This can streamline your work, giving you more time to focus on higher-level business strategies. There are so many great onnline tools that can help you with this!

Hope this helps to start your freelancing career. Balancing the demands of client work and nurturing your business is an ongoing art—one that evolves with every project, every challenge, and every success. Remember, your freelancing career is a unique canvas where your skills, dedication, and strategic mindset converge. With each step forward, embrace the learning experiences, celebrate the victories, and stay resilient in the face of challenges. Here’s to a fulfilling and successful freelancing career ahead. Best of luck!