As freelancers, the journey can often feel like a solitary adventure, filled with the highs of success and the lows of uncertainty. This is why I believe the concept of side quests should mean more to us than it does to others, it should serve as a beacon of opportunity and growth.
These supplementary endeavours not only break the monotony of daily tasks but also offer invaluable benefits that contribute to a freelancer’s overall success and fulfilment. Let’s delve into the five importance of side quests as a freelancer.
1. Combatting Monotony and Burnout
The life of a freelancer can sometimes feel like a repetitive cycle of tasks, leading to monotony and ultimately, the dreaded burnout.
If you are new to freelancing, you may be basking in the euphoria of being your own boss, and every new project is an adventure, but do this over and over again for five years and more, and you start to feel like a robot.
Recently, I made a post on How I Overcame Chronic Social Media Addiction, I recommend you check it out later by the way, but one of the ways of overcoming social media addiction I shared in that post is having alternative outlets, which basically means having side quests that can distract you from negative things like social media addiction, this blog is one of my side quests, anytime I feel like I’m getting a little too addicted to social media or just struggling to get a handle of things generally, I turn to writing on here a lot more, in fact, this very blog post is one of many created out of currently undergoing a period of digital detox.
The fact that I have a side quest to help me turn away and break free from social media and monotony is such a huge help overall.
Side quests act as refreshing diversions, injecting excitement and variety into the freelancer’s routine. By exploring new activities and projects outside our usual scope, freelancers can reignite their passion and creativity and ultimately break away from the mundane, preventing boredom and burnout.
2. Diversifying Income Streams
Freelancing is notoriously unpredictable, projects you thought you had lined up could be shifted or completely canceled, you feel drained from chasing the next client, what you earned last month is not what you’ll earn this month and the next.
Therefore, relying solely on one source of income can be risky for you. Side quests present freelancers with the opportunity to cultivate multiple income streams, providing financial stability and security.
I give you an example, I started freelancing over six years ago, four years in, I realized I needed to be working on my personal brand and my own side projects, that was how TheBrimFactor YouTube Channel started, then I started to build on Instagram, and TikTok, as well as this Blog.
Now, we have a monetized YouTube Channel of almost 13k Subscribers (at the time of writing this article) which serves as a new stream of income that keeps growing everyday.
All the other channels are growing slow and steadily, we’ve done brand deals and partnership, there is affiliate earnings on the side, all premised on the side quest I embarked on Just two years ago.
Imagine I remained just a freelancer, I would never have known what was achievable on the other side, there are so many experiences I’ve had and high value people I’ve added to my network that I probably would never have met.
Leveraging your skills and expertise in various areas allows you as a freelancer to tap into diverse markets and clientele, reducing your dependence on any single source of revenue.
Your side quest can be anything from offering additional services, launching a passion project, or exploring new avenues for monetization, side quests empower freelancers to expand their earning potential and safeguard against economic fluctuations.
3. Cultivating Fulfilment and Purpose
While freelancing offers autonomy and flexibility, it can also make you feel isolated and detached from a sense of purpose. If you have not started feeling that way yet, I can assure you, at some point you’ll feel like a tool, a piece of someone’s puzzle, a tiny cog in someone else’s machine, it is definitely not a pleasant feeling.
Side quests serve as passion projects, allowing freelancers to pursue their interests and ambitions outside the confines of client work.
More than just the monetary benefits of these side quests, the intangible returns you get in the form of feeling fulfilled is immensely enriching and exhilarating.
Investing time and energy into personal endeavours helps you find fulfilment and meaning, reclaiming agency over your creative expression and professional development. More importantly, it enable freelancers to align their work with their values and aspirations, fostering a greater sense of satisfaction and purpose.
4. Enhancing Skills and Experience
Freelancers are constantly honing their craft, seeking opportunities to expand their skills and expertise. Side quests offer a low-pressure environment for experimentation and growth, allowing freelancers to explore new avenues without the fear of disappointing clients.
If you are a web designer, create a website for yourself, if you are a software developer, create something of your own, if you are a musician like myself, create and release your own music, break out of doing stuff only when you get paid like a mercenary.
Doing stuff for the fun of it is the best way to keep your creative juices flowing, because with such projects you are more daring, there are no clients to disappoint, no budget to mismanage, no deadlines to meet, you mind is free to roam in an abundance of creative space, the best part is, this translates to better results when you take on your client projects.
This benefit of side quests is especially helpful to new freelancers who have more time than more established freelancers, you will soon be so busy that you won’t have time for yourself or anything else, plus, doing these personal projects helps you have something to show to prospective clients, which brings us to the fifth and last point.
5. Building a Remarkable Portfolio
One of the most significant benefits of side quests for you as a freelancer is the opportunity to build a remarkable portfolio that showcases your diverse talents and accomplishments. Personal projects, passion ventures, and volunteer initiatives all contribute to a freelancer’s body of work, demonstrating your creativity, initiative, and expertise to potential clients and collaborators.
A common misconception about portfolios among freelancers is that you have to have projects you did for actual paying clients on your portfolio, but that is not true. Your clients won’t care whether or not you were paid for the work you have on your portfolio, all they care about is to see what you have done in the past.
Nothing brings you more clients like showing your work.
Another short story to buttress my point…
Two years into freelancing, I created my own website FrancisEluozo.com where I started selling my beats, vocal samples and singing/songwriting services. While no one paid me to do it, this website now serves as a valuable piece in my portfolio and my freelance business. Keep in mind, I wasn’t even trying to build a portfolio, I was just doing it as an experiment, for fun.
Soon, many producers and musicians started contacting me to build them a site like mine.
In the past I was a web designer so I figured why not create a niche web design service for musicians, since there seemed to be a demand for it, and this demand stemmed from my side quest.
Two things happened from this side quest.
First, my website now serves as my best freelancing platform, it is where I get my best clients, and I talk about this in my Free E-Book – 7 Mistakes that Freelancers make.
Secondly, since starting the web design for musicians service, I have made thousands of dollars designing sites for fellow musicians.
In a nutshell, side quests can lead to an impressive portfolio, and your portfolio can lead to business growth.
I struggle to find even one reason why side quests for freelancers would be a bad thing.
Conclusion
Freelancing can be incredibly lonely with no guarantees of success, side quests emerge as invaluable opportunities for growth, fulfilment, and success. In summary, having supplementary endeavours as a freelancer can help you combat monotony, diversify income streams, increase your feeling of fulfilment, enhance skills, build a remarkable portfolio, and propel your career to new heights.
What side quests have you embarked on as a freelancer?
If the thought had never crossed your mind, what side quests will you be embarking on now that I’ve planted the thought in your mind?
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Cheers!
