The work – life balance

This month I did the unthinkable, I said yes to everyone. Why did I do it? Is it because I am desperate for work? Not really. Is it because I am a yes person and I am simply unable to say no to things? No, I am saying no, I have no issue with saying no. Is it because I got super excited about several different projects and didn’t factor a life outside of working on all said projects? Yes, it is indeed.

I figure that most freelancers will have had this issue, in one way or another, not necessarily because they have several amazing projects dropped in their lap at once; but perhaps because times are hard and they can’t financially turn down work.

I write this from the other side of my pre-Christmas rush, the rush that I added to by taking on a new client and trying to finish several clients websites before stopping for the Christmas holidays on the 22nd of December.

I got ever so excited when a friend put me in touch with someone in her company who needed some work doing for Chevrolet. I jumped at the chance. Never mind the fact that I didn’t really have the time (or the equipment for that matter) to do the work (some storyboards for new adverts, which will be going on their Facebook page sometime soon). I admit, I got stars in my eyes, and thought “I can do this, it wont take too long and it’s a brand name, who could pass that up!”…

…I should have; but my inner artist got excited after looking at the scripts and just had to say yes.

So after the excited “thank you for thinking of me” email I ventured out to purchase a graphics tablet and started work.

A few late nights later, on around my 7th drawing of a sports car I was feeling less enthusiastic about my choices. I was shaking from drinking too much coffee and not having much sleep, working most of the day on client websites and then working solidly on the Chevvy work, I was feeling sick at myself (and not looking too pretty either).

The day I submitted the work was a good one but was laced with the worry of negative feedback and changes. I couldn’t have been happier when I received the following….

“Client loves the boards, thank you!”

Though short and sweet it meant I could now relax a little…

I then had to tackle the imminent deadline of one of our biggest client sites which also resulted in late nights, and Christmas inbetween (as well as travelling to Swansea to see my family in the snow).

We did it, the site is now live, the client is very happy with it and chuffed with all the hard work we have done on it.

I look forward to a good rest over new year and a fresh start to 2011!