The freelance graphic designer 9 to 5
Posted December 14th, 2009.
Like any form of self employment, freelance graphic design has it’s pros and cons. More often than not pro #1 is managing your own time and working the hours that are most productive for you.
We’ve all had bouts of creative block, you can waste hours trying to force an idea with little progress. I often find myself wandering through the day only to turn out my best ideas at 1:00 in the morning. Hardly office hours.
Obviously some work has to get done during conventional hours, I doubt too many clients would be as excited as I am about a design idea if I were to call them at 1:00 in the morning for feedback. But hey, you’ve got to work when your muse is willing.
When’s your “9 to 5″?
Do you try and work to a conventional time table? Or are you a night owl like me?
I try and stick to a 9-5 schedule but I normally work a lot longer and through the night. My girlfriend is a chef so she works most nights and I love working at night as there’s no distractions but have to be up at 9 as I don’t like to miss calls from my clients.
Early on in my freelance career I’d work from 2pm – 2am but realized very quickly that I had to stick to the same schedule as my clients.
David,
My first job when I was 15 was an apprenticeship as a Chef, hard work but rewarding. I hope your girlfriend likes it.
That’s true about the schedule though, being abruptly woken and answering a call half a sleep probably wouldn’t go down to well.
I’m going for the whole Leonardo da Vinci thing myself, 1 hours sleep a night. I’m just about uh, 6 short at the moment…