Working independently, and wherever and whenever you want. These are some of the many reasons why more and more people decide to become freelancers. After some time, however, people will be surprised to find themselves missing that small talk about the weather with their colleagues at the office. Because let’s face it, we are social animals and we need to share, express, and communicate our successes and, specially, our frustrations. In fact, 31% of our giggers mention “missing a team or colleagues” as one of their main struggles. Isolation was stated as the third most challenging aspect of being a freelancer, after sales and marketing. The good news is, being a freelancer doesn’t have to equal to being a loner. From Gigway, we suggest you six ways to overcome ‘freelancer’ loneliness:
- Try out a coworking space for freelancers or work from a cafe. One of the advantages of being a freelancer is that you can choose your workplace. Altough it is nice to be able to work in your pajamas all day, it might be a good idea to go out and take a break from your home office. A really good option is to join a coworking space. Not only the working atmosphere is good but you can connect with some fellow freelancers, get and deliver some feedback and expand your network. In Gigway, for example, we collaborate with Creative Hub Sthlm, an amazing coworking space at Södermalm in Stockholm. For only 559 kr per month, you can have access to flexible remote workspaces, the best wifi, and unlimited coffee. Sounds great, right? You can find all the details here. Another option would be to work from one of the many great cafes that Stockholm has to offer – everything goes better with a good fika!
- Attend networking events. Even during COVID-19 times, there are multiple online streaming events that you can join easily from anywhere, and that also allow you to interact with participants. On top of this, many places start to progressively re-open. An informal and more relaxed way to network is to attend an after work. Check out Stockholm’s best after-work places here or at Meetup and get over that freelancer loneliness.
- Call your friends and/or family. Many times we underestimate the importance of a conversation with the people we love. No matter if it is work-related or not, to share how your day has been it can be incredibly therapeutic.
- Make the best out of your social media accounts. Sharing your work in social media is not only a way to promote yourself as a professional but also to connect with other people that work on your field. It can be a way to refresh old contacts and spread the word to find potential new clients.
- Be part of the Gigway community. Being part of Gigway not only is a way to get matched with new gigs but is also a platform to meet and connect with freelancers, get useful tips and information on how to best manage your life when you work on your own (finances, taxes, etc.), share your concerns and questions, and overall, feel and be part of a community with the best talent in Sweden
- Create a freelance team and work together. Once you are part of a community you could try to step up your game a bit, contact some people and try to form a working group. It will add extra motivation and you could even make some long-lasting friendships.