Work – Page 3 – Anthony Caruana

The COVID-19 pandemic home office transition

Apr 14, 2020Anthony CaruanaWorkhome office, Office, work from home

The ‘new normal‘ thrust upon us as a result of the coronavirus pandemic means working from home has moved from a novelty or privilege to the normal way of doing business. And that’s meant many people have rushed to convert spare rooms and corner nooks into home offices. A Facebook group I’m a member of has been sharing home office set ups and I thought I’d go into a little more detail about my set up. Although I have it in a room, most of it can fit comfortably into a small nook.

How do freelancers take time off

Aug 19, 2018Anthony CaruanaWork

Working freelance offers lots of benefits but there are some challenges. For example, employees in salaried jobs receive a whole lot of benefits including holiday pay. So, how can freelancers make sure their time off doesn’t leave them in a financial hole?

Invest in relationships – they matter

Jun 26, 2018Anthony CaruanaWorkclients, freelancing, productivity, small business

A while ago, I wrote about how I came to get the job of editor for Macworld Australia. It came after many years of being a freelance contributor to the magazine. But I wasn’t the only long-term contributor. I also ensured that I maintained a good relationship with the publishers and it was the combination of relationships and experience that got me that job. But, the publisher has decided to shutter that operation and I lost a long-timer retainer client. While that hurt, the pain was short-lived.

What's your daily schedule?

Feb 12, 2018Anthony CaruanaWork

There are lots of great things about being freelance. You get to wear your pyjamas to work whenever you want and if you need a creative break you can head out for a walk, run, ride or whatever helps you relax. You can, to some degree, pick and choose who you work for and what work you do – I have a strict “no assholes” policy. And, assuming you work from home, can chip away at the housework rather than have to do it all in eat evenings or weekend – pushing the vacuum cleaner around a room for five minutes is a great way to recharge the brain.

Setting up the perfect workspace

Feb 5, 2018Anthony CaruanaWork

My desk, as I’m writing this post

Workspaces are a very personal thing. What works for one person is a productivity graveyard for someone else. Some people like ambient noise, others have to have music playing while some need total silence. There are people that need a clear desk, others that like the busy-ness of clutter. So, how do you create a great workspace?

Planning a week's work

Jan 8, 2018Anthony CaruanaWork

Each week, I know I have a set amount of work that needs to get done. Some of it I expect to be ad hoc – clients sometimes call out of the blue with jobs that have a short turnaround – but for the planned work, I need to make sure I hit my deadlines. Here’s how I plan my week.

The path to rate setting nirvana starts with knowledge

Jan 4, 2018Anthony CaruanaWork

One of the toughest things to figure out, particularly when you start freelancing, is the value of your time, expertise and experience. Those factors are major determinants of what you can justifiably charge your clients. But you also need to understand another part of your rate setting equation: costs.

Don't get complacent when times are good

Dec 22, 2017Anthony CaruanaWork

It’s been a while since I spent some time posting here. The main thing reason is that Totally Freelance has always been a passion project for me, never a money maker. Truth told, as I don’t run any ads here at the moment, it costs me time and money to write here. The main reason I’ve not been writing here often is that my freelancing life been really busy. And while that’s good, I had a reminder why it’s important to always be hustling for more work.

Five things to do when the work dries up

Dec 14, 2017Anthony CaruanaWork

The last month has brought me a challenge that, until now, I’d not had to deal with in my freelance business. Several jobs that were booked with regular, reliable clients were cancelled meaning that my work and financial planning were laid to waste.

The Balancing Act of Setting a Rate

Jun 12, 2014Anthony CaruanaWork

Setting a rate when you’re dealing with a new client can be a tricky task. On one hand you want to ensure that you’re paid a reasonable rate but you don’t want to give them sticker shock and scare them off.