Fulltime plus Freelancing
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- randommail
Curious. How many people here have fulltime design jobs AND also freelance nights/weekends somewhat consistently?
Also, does anyone strongly recommend not trying this?
- scarabin0
the money's awesome but not having the time to go out and do stuff drives me crazy. i tend to do it in bursts. hermit up at desk for a few weeks, then not for months...
- MrT0
I did it for a year and never again. There were some very dark weeks when 2 days work per day was normal. Never mind lost weekends.
Strongly not recommended...
- neue75_bold0
did it lot's when I first graduated, it's ok for small projects, but I remember doing a magazine after hours once, was supposed to be a 2 week project, ended up running for close to a month, and during the last week of it, I reckon I got about 12 hours of sleep over 6/7 days... Even with the advantage of youth on my side, it nearly broke me...
Now I just do bits and bobs, maybe 1 gig every 2 months that takes no more than 18 hours to complete..
- MIJA0
Exactly what Scarabin says.
- mydo0
turning up to work hung over is acceptable. turning up to work unable to work because you've been up until 5 freelancing is not.
I speak as an employer.
- monNom0
I did it early in my career. Never again. It can be really soul destroying when you've put in a full day, and you've just got more work waiting for you at home --paid work so you have to do it. Your work at both jobs ends up suffering and your attitude will as well. (that moody fella at work? probably freelancing on the side)
Strive for work/life balance if you want to make a career out of design.
However, you can/should totally go ahead and do your own thing outside of work, just no paid gigs so you're not beholden to anybody or any deadlines.
- ae0
I did it until I was earning the same at home as at work - the intention was to start my own thing eventually. hint... be open with the employer if you can - worked for me.
- Seanbot0
I did it for about two years. I had no friends and no social life, but I had about 20k of amazing furniture waiting for me at home.
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Would not recommend.
- MIJA0
Mydo makes a good point. Never use your freelance work as an excuse for your performance or lack-there-of at work. Keep your priorities straight.
- d_rek0
I have 2 well-paying yet high-demand freelance jobs finishing up outside of work right now. I am grateful for the opportunity to have made some cash but I look back over the last 2 months and realize I have totally unbalanced my life just to make some extra cash...
It was totally worth it. The cash... not the unbalancing part. But part of being a balanced individual is being financially balanced as well.
I guess my best advice would be to ask yourself if you really need the extra money. If not, just focus on your full-time gig. As others have said, if you're not feeling fulfilled from the full-time try doing your own thing after hours.
Now, time to play catchup at the gym :P
- OBBTKN0
I´ve did it, i do it, i´ll do it until my employer pays me that i need to mantain my two daugthers.
The balance is the question. Try not to get too much work, but try not to close doors.
I work as CD and never, ever, arrived late to work... quite the opposite, i allways open the office at mornings.
- neue75_bold0
having been on both sides ( studio and agency) it's ridiculous how much more you make on the agency side for essentially the same work... too often in the design industry we have to decide what's more important, good/interesting work, or a good salary... seldom do the two go hand in hand... I'm in the same boat as OBBTKN, not with having wee mouths to feed, but trying to save to buy a house... it's virtually impossible with both my partner and I being senior designers, unless we take on extra jobs or go work for a medium/large agency that does rubbish work...
- ********0
I have done it and highly do not recommend it. I ended up leaving a good paying full time job to focus on freelance. People often forget about health and focus on money as doing both has a possibility of running you straight into the ground physically, mentally and creatively.
Money is nice, but creative freedom, being healthy and happy is far more rewarding than trying a balancing act.
- georgesIII0
I did it for three years,
took a serious toll on my health and familly time,
I would never do it again, not even for the cash- I was in the same situation once time. After this i choose with care the size of the projects i´m involved inOBBTKN
- jamble0
No thanks, done the full time self employment bit for 3 years, now I have a family so back to full time in a nice little agency and 9.30 - 5.30 is enough for me.
- same here, I told my new employer I was sick of being married to my computer, I guess honesty worksgeorgesIII
- ximeraLabs0
I've always done both, usually only taking on small(er) projects freelance (or with very long lead times). Now however I committed to a few fairly big projects. Its all good though.
- ********0
I did it for about a year - 2 salaries - was great, quite tiring but design work isnt really work is it most of the time...
gave up in the end to do the freelance fulltime.
- Jimbo820
I used to do it when I was in a crappy job, needed to do it otherwise my portfolio would have suffered. Found myself working my fulltime stint then working till 12 when I got home. It sucked but it helped me get a better job, money was an added bonus, but not the priority.
Now I'm working somewhere which strives to make great stuff, I don't have the urge to do side projects, unless it's something really special. All the work I do fulltime I am now more than happy to put in my portfolio.
Got a nice little project coming up though...
- ********0
working like this is a transition period..no one can do both for too long