Freelancing: A Typical Day?

I often get asked what a typical day is like for me. The short answer is that, as a freelancer, “typical” doesn’t really exist. My days have common anchors like waking up, making coffee, checking my email, going for meetings, and eventually going back to bed, but everything in between tends to differ from day to day.

When I try to explain that every day is different, I think some people envision me working in my pajamas (or less!), while eating a bowl of chocolate ice cream washed down by a beer later on in the day. I will not comment on whether or not this happens in real life, not the frequency with which is may occur.

Seriously though, my schedule is determined by my projects and deadlines. As a functioning member of the gig economy, I go from gig to gig and fit in my personal projects (like music and poetry) when I can. I start and finish as early and late as I want, and can work anywhere from my basement to coffee shops to bars. Basically, my days consist of emails, phone calls, writing, updating websites and social media, more writing, bookkeeping, invoicing, more emails, food, music, and occasionally the chance to Netflix and chill. Not necessarily in that order, and not always every day.

This isn’t the right life for some people, who thrive on consistency and routine. For others, such a routine has negative effects on one’s physical and mental health. I like to think that I have found a happy medium. My routine is on my own terms, and it allows me to be far more productive than if I was in a traditional office work situation.

Are you a freelancer in Canada? Consider joining the Canadian Freelance Union (a community chapter of Unifor, Canada’s largest private sector union), the only union in Canada working for the economic and political interests of freelancers.