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Original poster

freelancers' water-cooler/coffee break: how's your Monday?

28 replies

hatwoman · 15/06/2009 11:35

the childminders have their staff room...maybe we could have a quick chat to relieve the loneliness...I'm quite annoyed this morning as I took on a new bit project, about 3 weeks ago, which, in terms of desirability is about a 6/10. it's going to occupy most of me up until Christmas. this morning I've just been asked if I want to bid for a project that I'd call a 10/10. gutted.

OP posts:
Original poster
hatwoman · 15/06/2009 11:58

just me then. loos like I'm one of those people who goes to the water cooler and talks loudly to no-one in particular while everyone puts their head down hoping not to catch my eye.

OP posts:
dotty2 · 15/06/2009 12:12

No - me too! And a similar thing has just happened to me. I have committed myself to a 6 month one-day a week contract (and am also employed one day a week). I only work 3 days a week for now (going to shift to 4 days term time only come September), so that only leaves one day for other projects. On reflection, I can see this was silly since it has really limited what else I can take on. I was offered something last week that would have been dead easy and lucrative, whereas the new one day a week thing is less well paid and bloody hard (as it's in a new sector for me). But I didn't have time to do it by the deadline. I've only been freelancing for a year, and mostly on projects for my employer, so I'm just getting to grips with how to put a programme of work together.

Still, it's hailing here and I've just popped out to get the washing in. You can't do glamorous things like that if you work in an office with a real water cooler.

Original poster
hatwoman · 15/06/2009 12:34

I guess it's an occupational hazard. I've only been doing it for a year too. each time I come to the end of a project i think, I'm not going to take the first thing that comes up...and then I do. This is the first time when I;ve been really peeved though. I've suggested to my potential co-bidder for the 10/10 project that we split it in half and persuade the client that one half of it (the really interesting bit that I want to do) can be done next year. I know no-one's going to bite (other bidder or client) but I had to try...

OP posts:
broguemum · 15/06/2009 12:37

Um... Now you're making me worry. Have just signed a one day a week contract with a client whom I know is NUTS. Maybe there is a dream job waiting around the corner that I should hold on for? I should have said no shouldn't it? Gah.... freelancing can be very lonely can't it?

dotty2 · 15/06/2009 12:54

I guess it's security, versus opportunity. And I also find it hard not to go for every contract I could possibly fit in, but could probably afford to be a little more choosy.

Yes, it is lonely but, I have to say, not as lonely as sitting in an office where no one talks to you. The one-day a week contract I've just started involves doing just that (for no good reason, except they wanted me to and I wanted to be accommodating, but could really be doing it from home and at least have mumsnet for distraction and company!)

broguemum · 24/06/2009 09:11

I'm reviving this in the hope that we freelancers can get a coffee room type chat thread together and then hopefully someone will give me a kick up the arse and tell me to go back to drafting a conference programme for people who don't know what they want.

They are however, a very nice client. Not the nasty one I mentioned before.

weegiemum · 24/06/2009 09:14

I freelance as an outside contractor for examination boards. This is my busy time of year as I am marking/checking others marking/analysing results.

Have a meeting (!) next week for grade setting - hooray! I will get to talk to other grown-ups!

weegiemum · 24/06/2009 09:15

Then its going to be back to efficiency analysis of the exams ... thinking about writing reports to schools about performance and changes for next year .....

[yawn emoticon]

broguemum · 24/06/2009 09:17

But then again, sometimes the meetings I have with grown ups make me realise why I went freelance!!!

GColdtimer · 24/06/2009 09:22

hello, just popping in for a coffee and trying to ignore my email. We did have a thread like this a little while ago - it was called the faffers thread as we all needed a kick up the behind to get on with this and it was nice to stop and have a bit of a chat.

I am actually still in my pjs as I was in Glasgow yesterday running a training course and am shattered today. I couldn't do that if i had to go into an office.

Now broguemum, get back to the conference programme. I also have one to draft but am not even getting paid for it as am chairing a session for an industry event that will be good profile. But i could so do without it.

broguemum · 24/06/2009 09:35

Now faffers sounds about right.... I am faffing to avoid doing this. Classic displacement activity.

OK, will go and draft these sponsorship packages...

oftenpurple · 24/06/2009 12:24

I'm having a 'day off' - not techincally a day off at all but it means I don't have to feel guilty about not doing anything remotely useful and just surfing the net, playing with the children and drinking coffee all day!

broguemum · 29/06/2009 09:48

Had a day off on Friday to prepare for a birthday party and now am finding it oh so very very hard to get back to work. The weather is so nice and there is so much to do in the garden but I. Must. Write. These. Terms. And. Conditions.... But God, they are so BORING!!!!!

Help?

Kick me.

Tell me to do it.

Please???

staranise · 30/06/2009 11:12

I am the Queen of faffers - yesterday I even managed to make a jelly rabbit rather than actually sit and do some work. My project has a deadline of 1st September so i need to get as much done before the schools break up and I have 3 children under 6 to entertain as well!

The weather is really not helping either.

All together now: Back. To. Work.

broguemum · 03/07/2009 08:13

Yep, the weather is NOT HELPING. I have a deadline of 13.45 and it is too hot to work. GAH!!!

GColdtimer · 03/07/2009 08:44

now broguemum, your deadline is 13.45 so get to those terms and conditions and think about all the lovely things you can do this afternoon when they are finished.

Go on, get to it

I don't work on Friday's normally but DD at preschool and have to catch up this morning because I have faffed all week. Really cross with myself because I normally go to yoga and I can't this morning because I have to work.

broguemum · 03/07/2009 09:07

Oh, I've done the T&C, now I have the thrilling challenge of hotel booking forms and delegate booking forms etc etc. And logistics.... GAH!!! I am supposed to be a WRITER!!!! Not a conference organiser!!!!!

Bummer about the yoga....

dotty2 · 06/07/2009 10:52

I am faffing and displacing today. First day for ages sitting at my desk rather than out and about with clients and have loads of stuff to do, but somehow less compelling than, erm, almost anything else. How's everyone else?

broguemum · 06/07/2009 20:36

at least it rained today so it was easier to stay indoors!

staranise · 06/07/2009 20:58

Today was always going to be a write off - in fact this week is not looking too promisig what with multiple sports days, hospital appointments, end of term stuff etc etc - how does anyone ever get anything done even with school age children?

However tomorrow I'm free from roughly 10.30-2.30 (give or take having an 8 month od to look after) so have great amounts of work planned and NO housework/cooking/time-wasting chores. Will report back!

hattyyellow · 03/08/2009 13:23

I think this is an old post - but anyone fancy a bit of moral support for the freelancers/working at home?

I've just come back to freelancing again after 8 months off with DD3. I now have an ironing board for a desk and am sat with the laptops in my older girls room as the study has been sacrificied as a nursery!

Am struggling with tiredness/boredom/concentration. Please someone give me a virtual kick back to my spreadsheet and away from the internet!

How is everyone elses Monday going?

hattyyellow · 03/08/2009 13:24

And my spelling and grammar has gone to pot from all that time "ah-gooing" with DD3!

jessia · 03/08/2009 13:35

Hello,

Have never "outed" myself as a freelancer on here before but it's a funny day for me too. I have organised a sort of self-help playscheme thing at my house (I work from home, so can kind of keep tabs) for the whole of August for people like us at our kindergarten who have no relatives to take up the slack when it closes for TWO WHOLE MONTHS in the summer.
So I'm doing reasonable amounts of work but it's the childminder's first day so have to keep helping her find her way through my chaotic house. There are 4 little girls aged 4-6 downstairs and (touch wood) everything seems to be going OK but I'm still not concentrating as I ought to.
I'm a translator by the way.
Hope you have a good afternoon!

hattyyellow · 03/08/2009 14:12

Hi Jessia - I can sympathise - my 3 dd's are downstairs with my husband. He's never looked after all three before - so I'm sitting on my hands not to rush down at every shriek and scream!

Hope the playscheme works well - what a good idea. My two elder DD's start school this year - I never realised how relatively easy childcare for pre-schoolers was!

broguemum · 05/08/2009 16:36

I need a kick up the arse!!

DH took the afternoon off work so I could get some seriously boring work done and I can hear him and the DCs in the garden playing.... I cannot focus!!! How am I supposed to work when I can hear my family in the background having fun???? This is NOT FAIR.

So. Arse. Kick. Please. Thank you.