We don’t pay attention to self-care until something serious happens. As a freelancer, taking some time to indulge in some ‘me’ time can be challenging, but it is a necessity.

A lot of people think that being a freelancer is a walk in the park – I mean all we do is sit at home drinking tea in front of the computer, right? Definitely not right! Although there are, of course, plenty of perks to being a freelancer, it’s not all Cappuccinos in our PJs and things can certainly get frustrating.

Brexit, the most important negotiations for the United Kingdom in a generation, and freelancing have nothing in common, right? Wrong! There are many similarities that freelancers will have noticed whilst watching Britain’s exit from the European Union, but there are also many competencies that freelancers could teach the negotiators on both sides. Here are my top 5 negotiating skills that politicians could learn from freelancers to make the Brexit negotiations just a little less frustrating.

I'd like to talk about an uncomfortable, embarrassing and awkward subject that many freelancers try to avoid at all costs. It chokes us up, makes our palms sweat, gets in the way of our creativity and is often the cause of our anxiety. I am, of course, talking about money.

Freelance Advice. It's everywhere. Blogs, sites, books, people. Everyone is offering their 2 cents when it comes to freelance advice. Can you remember the moment you thought ‘I know, I think I’ll become a freelancer’?. I’d imagine a feeling of liberation coursed through your entire body. Then there is the moment that feeling of excitement turns to reality. Now is the time to start planning.

Do you consider yourself to be a creative or business person? Can you be both? The relationship between art and business has always been tenuous - many artists see what they do as an endeavour of the spirit rather than a means for capital gain and as a result, expressions such as ‘sell out’ are all too often chucked around.

The idea of spending money on a mentor, particularly when starting out or freelancing part-time may seem like the last thing on your shopping list but it may just be the one investment that saves you the most money in your career.

Contacts are the lifeblood of every freelancer, whether you're looking for more work or in need of some support from someone who's going through the same challenges. If you are new to the industry or your address book is looking a little sparse, it may be time to start to building our your network. Easier said than done, building your contact list takes time and perseverance. Knowing where to look, how to approach and managing your list will save you a lot of hassle. Here are our top 5 tips on building a useful contact list.