Recently a friend of mine, who also wanted to work on his own as a web designer asked me for a book, a web design book.

I remember while we both sat on a coffee shop few months ago, he mentioned that since I studies design, so it is easier for me to get into the field. Unlike him, who is a computer studies student jumping into web design.

Well, I do however, have different idea about the web design, computer and graphic design. Unlike sitting for SAT prep course. Web design is a totally new thing in this country, for now. We don’t have a specific course for web design, marketing, SEO or PHP.

I am, for one, struggle for a betterment of PHP and Javascript, where he is a computer studies student who already has the concept of how those work. He is struggling for better web design, where I am a graphic designer.

Each field has its own specific need, but coming to freelance is a whole new field. I guess he is getting it now, or it would be too late for him to understand.

Freelance does not depend on how well you are in web design or any other language programming. It depend how well you know a web strategy. The simplest, 3-click-rules, 960 guide system and etc, are just some basic web strategy.

Basically we all going to start from bottom when we jumped into web design, or worse, freelancing.

While I was passing by the outdoor rugs on a local McDonald’s, a client called me. This client is different, he outsource all his web design business to me, which I charge per project and negotiated into a fixed price per projects for a certain services only. This is the biggest mistake I’ve ever made…

Hi, can you place all the entries on the web now, later on 2pm I’ll be meeting about the website.

I was like “What?“, I am still a freelance for this client, who thought I am very free and work day in and day out. Even called me at 10pm about a website, how ridiculous can this client be? Well, I am very find with his working hour though. I recall I am quite a tolerant person. However, when things getting worst, I became an outsourced Indian IT technician.

When agreement about the data input, it came only 5 pages, however, I work outside of my will to input 10 pages as he wishes. Thinking that this help building relationship, and ended up an Indian IT technician, which is also a mistake I made.

Going to compile whatever mistake I’ve made on the way until today and write an articles soon, hope people out there don’t get this mistake again

A man’s health can be judged by which he takes two at a time – pills or stairs

By Joan Welsh

It’s been a while I did not take a good 8 hours sleep. Normally only 6 hours, so I am a little bit out of control in my daily rest. I even start using acne scar creams and those vitamin supplements. The thing is, working as a freelance is bitch, seriously!

But I will not give up for the time I have and flexibility or working hour.

Well, overall I still love my job, I just don’t like the client. Currently my wife and I service all the client equally. I have the habit of not saying “no” while my wife has no problem saying “no” and firm. Now you wonder why “Behind every successful man is a woman” ?

Hopefully within this 2 years I can build a better career and has a better lifestyle than now

Well, surely you do miss something out when you’re freelancing at home or office. Due to the wide area to be taken care of, little thing like insurance, contract or even tax are always one that is missing in the list of a freelancer. Well, my wife and I are both freelancing at home, so we divided jobs among us, so I’m kind of free from some missing list

Insurance

We are not disable, so there is not much of benefit we are getting like social security disability insurance that helps disable in medical care. Most freelance job require sitting in front of computer, some serious injuries are often a common illness. My wife and I finally get our medical card Did you forgot about this, since you’ve been sitting there for day long?

Contract

Contract is like a protection to a freelancer. It surely the best way if you found a long-term service require from a company that hired you. A lot of freelancer forgot about contract and ended up their long-term became short-term. Client always around to look for a better offer, be it on price or service. I am now writing my contract

Framework

Let’s face it, freelancers always wanted to work on the speed and get more job done than less. Framework is a good start, anything has its own framework, a Word document with nicely formatted, a PSD with guide ready and so on. Previously it took me 3 hours to code a WordPress theme without a framework. Now, it only take 1 hour

I believe there are more to go, but I did not notice anything at the moment. If you have some idea about it, do share in comment

A few point needed to be take seriously if you’re thinking about jumping into freelance. I was lucky enough to have a wife who is also a freelance Mainly she will remind me of lots of things…

Stop social network is not necessary

First thing people go online was to check their Facebook friends’ update and then, click here and there and started to get lost in the social network. Which is why I did not login to any social network beside Twitter

The real demon

I think the only thing that can really let me stay still is TV. Turn off all the TVs and stay still on your seat. That’s what my wife would tell me to do most of the time.

Mobile phone

Not a very big deal, but it does give interruption too. Especially when you have an urgent job on hand, it is recommended that you turn off the mobile phone, just in case somebody call in and start interrupting I normally place my mobile phone in my room while I’m working in my small office corner.

I seriously need to get to work and be more discipline Instead of wasting time here… Especially when I have a goal setup to achieve within this year