New to freelancing: Get into the habit

We are all living through a monumental shift in the way in which we work and do business and if you are planning to embrace freelancing – you are not alone.

Whether you want to freelance full-time, part-time or as a side hustle, it is a change and you need to intentionally get into new habits.

Perhaps more than ever over the coming weeks and months, a clear understanding of the mechanics of behaviour change will be a huge asset for ourselves and those around us.

What follows can be applied to ourselves as we adopt new ways of behaving throughout our freelancing journey, as well as providing us with a framework for coaching others through their habit changes – whatever those are.

A change in the way we work is not only a career shift or a small adjustment to make, but a shift in the way we behave, plan our day, seek business, and stay motivated working in isolation.

SPOILER ALERT

There will be no one size fits all solutions here, but guidelines to help you understand at what stage you are at and how to move forward.

First of all, consider this formula:

E is Ease of Habit Change

A is Level of Ability to perform in a different manner

P is Personal gain or advantage

T is the gain for the Team (or organisation)

R is the Regularity with which the action is carried out

In such a formula, we need to raise the four factors on the right as much as possible to ensure successful habit change. If any factor is perceived as zero, it’s going to be an uphill struggle.

There are many models to help us understand habit change; we have chosen to use the Transtheoretical model here.

#1 I’m not ready yet for freelancing! There’s no need now! (Precontemplation)

This is one of the most difficult phases as we may not want or may not realize we ought to make a change. We may also be resistant to even opening a conversation on the subject. It is also possible that we have already thought about or even attempted to make changes in the past and failed.

Tips for this stage

Something in our E = A x P x T x R formula here is probably being perceived as zero. If we want to help ourselves or others, we need to boost the low factors. Be prepared to be VERY patient. At this stage we sow the seeds and not all germinate within the same timeframe.

• Recognize that we may feel safe the way we are – everything is familiar. How can you make the new future less scary?
• We need to develop greater awareness of potential benefits, accepting that there may well be costs
• Don’t forget that the harder we push, the harder the pushback will be
  
  

#2 I’m thinking about it! (Contemplation)

In this stage we are ready to acknowledge that there is an issue, that things can get better or at least be different. However, we will probably be unclear about how to proceed. This is the moment to share thoughts and get inspired.

Tips for this stage

• Visualize what life will be like if the new habit is formed. What will be the difference between now and the future? This is tough to coach – we all have past experiences but can only imagine what the future will be like
• Do some research about how others dealt with this shift into freelancing, their experiences, successes and failures. Find some concrete examples of what others have done.
• Pen and paper – though it may sound banal, but writing these thoughts down is a game changer. It helps us to rationalize better and see more clearly what exactly needs to be done
  
  

#3 I’m ready to explore freelancing (Preparation)

By this stage, we’ve made the decision to change, you decided that freelancing is the way to go but not yet worked out all the details. Many of us often underestimate the importance of this stage and launch headlong into a new diet, a way of holding meetings, or more specifically in this case – freelancing. Sure, we don’t have the time to imagine every possible scenario, but the more we are able to think things through, the quicker we can react if things do not go according to plan.

“Think long, act quickly!”

Tips for this stage

• Set a start point for the plan of action in your agenda. Capitalize on the high-energy level that typically occurs at this point. Make that date sooner rather than later
• Get other points of view on the plan to eliminate blind spots
• Realize that once we put our plan into action, we’ll probably need extra time and energy to carry it out. We also need support and encouragement – be prepared to celebrate even small achievements
  
  

#4 I’m doing something about it (Action)

Some people do well here, others struggle because of a multitude of factors. Whatever happens, support is essential!

Tips for this stage

• Make sure ANY progress is visible and celebrated. It helps to share objectives with other people so that they can help you celebrate
• Make a list of all the benefits of overcoming the issue or developing the new good habits. Take the list everywhere with you and read it often; it will help to reinforce the reason for making the effort to change
• Remember – Happy brains work and learn better
• If the plan unravels, stop and make a new one based on the knowledge you have acquired
• In case you are helping someone, be available as much as possible. When they don’t come to you, go to them. Even if it is just for a quick, “Well done!”
  
  

#5 I’m Still doing it (Maintenance)

Changes made in the action stage need to be consolidated. The focus of this stage is to make sure the changes made stick. It can be very easy to slip back into old habits. In particular, in an environment where little else has changed or the effort made so far has not been visible to everyone around you.

Tips for this stage

• Be aware of complacency and don’t be scared to intervene early on. A small slip can lead to a long fall
• If you slip, remember that you are not starting from square one. You’ve already made progress, reflect on what helped you make that progress and find some more of it!
  
  

#6 I no longer think about it (Termination)

Theoretically, there is no longer an issue. The changes are now an integral part of your life. In some cases, this stage is never reached – just accept this as part of life. Learn what you can from your actions and move on.

Tips valid for all stages

Allow time

Let the process go at a sustainable pace, but try to keep commitments and seek regular feedback on progress.

Celebrate success

Even if the progress seems little, make sure that it is celebrated and highlighted. The first results in such a process are important morale boosters and may not be shadowed by things which have not worked. One step at a time.

Success is not a straight line

More typically success has lots of curves and ups and downs. We may make significant progress while in the action stage, to suffer setbacks because of unforeseen events and reactions. This takes people back to the contemplation stage once again. Remember, this is normal.

Final Message

Be patient! Few of us are good at changing habits. Changing the way you work, to freelancing, fulltime or part time, is a big behavioural and mindset shift. Though we don’t always have the time to provide the necessary support to others attempting this shift, we DO change our habits.