This article is by Contributor: Jenny Holt
When you’re no longer working a nine-to-five job that has been your primary focus for possibly decades, it can be challenging to manage the spare time you now find yourself with. This is where freelancing can help.
42% of the UK self employed are over the age of 50 (according to this report in The Guardian).
Freelancing allows you to work from the comfort of your own home. You set your your work hours, pay rates and holidays, building a schedule that is as flexible to your lifestyle as you wish.
Whether you choose to become a tutor, a freelance writer, a telemarketer, a virtual customer-service agent, or anything in between, there’s something available for everyone.
The Key is Planning
Seniors who are considering starting a business working from home will need to put together a careful plan. You will need to establish a routine which takes into account your work life balance. Consider your yearly goals on both a personal and professional level, then divide this into quarterly targets, and further still into weekly tasks.
It’s a good idea to write a checklist of everything that needs to be done the following day. If you know you have other commitments, work out a schedule throughout the year that will allow you to accommodate them.
Lifestyle Financial Planning
You will also need to think about your retirement finances. It may be that you’ll need to invest some of your savings to launch your freelancing business, so think about how much you will need to make to earn it back.
Even though pension freedoms have made it possible to access retirement funds from the age of 55, without a steady income and paid holiday/sick leave, you may need to give greater consideration to your budget and lifestyle, what your financial future looks like and how to tailor your work life balance to still add to your retirement funds.
Be Your Own Brand
You will also need to learn how to sell yourself as, with freelancing, you will need to establish your own brand. Your clients aren’t just buying what you’re selling, they’re buying you too! Setting up your freelancing business may include developing your social media skills, creating a LinkedIn or Facebook account.
Consider which online groups may be beneficial to you, and how to build a network using Twitter, Google+ or possibly sites such as YouTube where you can advertise your brand and what it is you’re selling.
Learn how to become involved – asking and answering questions relating to your field will help you find contacts and a loyal audience. If you have neither the time nor interest to dedicate to technical marketing tasks, then it is possible to delegate these responsibilities through outsourcing.
