4 Freelancing Lessons Your Cat Can Teach You
#2 Don’t forget, you’re the boss
No matter what anyone tells you, working as a freelancer isn’t easy. Whatever your niche, balancing several projects at once — as well as making sure you get paid is no walk in the park (unless you’re a dog walker of course).
I managed to pick up a lot of useful habits when I lived with cats as housemates. Before I became a freelancer, I got to make friends with these feline friends. It didn’t take long to notice their assertive character traits and no-nonsense attitude.
Good luck to the poor sap who tries to get a cat to do something it doesn’t want to. Cats quickly establish themselves as large and in charge. They don’t play with new toys that they don’t like and they sleep for most of the day.
I was jealous of these personality traits. As I started freelancing and speaking with potential clients, I had quite a lot to learn. It was several months until I got steady work. But I managed to pick up and translate a few tips from these furry felines to my professional life.
#1 Ensure You’re Paid What You’re Worth
Cats are well aware of their self-worth. If you’ve trained your cat to do tricks, it will expect treats afterward. If the cat needs a bath, or its claws trimmed, you better believe there has to be something in it for them. Of course, if you leave your grilled chicken unattended — your cat will be extremely happy.
Cats are very vocal when they think you’re short-changing them. You shouldn’t expect to get paid anything less than what you’ve earned and what you’re worth either. Don’t be afraid to ask for fair compensation, it helps you narrow your efforts to the best clients.
Good clients want to make sure you’re paid fairly.
#2 You’re the Boss
Often, my housemate’s cat Freya would stand in front of the door to the backyard. She’d look at us and meow, telling us she wants to go outside. Even though we’ve done our best to explain it's raining, she persists.
After going through the trouble of putting on the cat harness and leash, she takes a step outside. Quickly remembering she doesn’t like rain, she goes back in. Ten minutes later, the cycle repeats itself. Can you blame her though? She just wants to go outside. While you don’t need to be unreasonable, you should be assertive on your projects.
Remember, the client hired you because of your expertise. If the client makes recommendations that don’t make sense, you need to tell them that. If the client hasn’t sent over prerequisite materials, it's up to you to be assertive and ask for them.
You’re not working for the client, you’re working with them. Being assertive about your expertise to ensure the project turns out great. That means setting the schedule and asking the right questions. It is up to you to tell the client exactly what is needed of them for the project to run smoothly.
It also means that you need to take responsibility for yourself. If you’re feeling exhausted, it is up to you to take time off. It’s weird when you’re freelancing because sometimes you’ll hesitate to take this break. Remember that you’ve earned your breaks, and they will benefit you in the long run. Do cats feel guilty after they eat the chicken you left unattended? No!
#3 Work On Projects that Interest You
Cats have their favorite toys, favorite places to nap, and even favorite humans. No matter how hard you try, you can’t make your cat lose interest in sitting on your keyboard. Cats know what they like and aren’t shy about it.
When you’re being approached by clients, there will be plenty of projects that don’t click with you. We all know the dread and drudgery of powering through something you don’t want to do. Motivation requires attention and interest. Without it, a task can become much more challenging.
You’ll feel less tired and more fulfilled at the end of the day. That means all your projects get done quicker, and more efficiently. However, there is a fair bit of privilege inherent to picking and choosing your clients.
If you don’t have this option, you may need to grit and grind your teeth through a project you don’t like. Remember to reward yourself afterward, to help you stay motivated and on topic. Some skilled cat whisperers can convince even the most stubborn cats to take a bath.
#4 Get Plenty of Sleep
Cats can sleep up to fifteen hours a day. They place a high value on quality, comfortable real estate. While many freelancers juggle their work, they neglect their sleep and their health. While you don’t necessarily need to sleep as much as a cat, seven to eight hours of sleep have proven benefits.
Across multiple studies, getting less than seven hours of sleep is associated with an increased risk of mortality. If you don’t get enough sleep at night, it becomes a lot harder to regulates emotions or block out intrusive thoughts.
Sleep isn’t something that you earn by being brilliant or productive. Sleep is a basic human need — don’t guilt yourself into working late into the night. The next day, you’ll feel slower and more sluggish, making it even harder to stay focused and stay on task.
Takeaways
Cats make incredible companions and social supports. I’m sure if they could blog, they’d share more brilliant freelancing tips. In the meanwhile, we can use these lessons I’ve learned through observation.
- Make sure you get paid what you’re worth.
- You’re the boss and you’ve got the expertise.
- If you can, don’t work on freelance projects that don’t interest you.
- Sleep — get lots of it.
Hope you found this advice helpful and I wish you the best on your freelancing journey.