Digging the Gigging
New beginnings in the gig economy
This year I’ve found it necessary to reinvent myself in ways I never imagined.
Here I am in my 50s and for the first time in my life I’m free to do whatever I want. Which sounds strange to me, even as I write this.
Don’t get me wrong — I’ve always been in charge of my own career destiny and never stayed long in any role in which I wasn’t happy or fulfilled.
Still, after being an employee all my working life, this new freedom comes from being in charge of my own workload. I am free to choose who I work with, what I do and when I want to take time off.
I must admit that, at first, I was scared to go down this path, but this year one of the many things that the lockdown taught me is that I should focus on the things in my life that I can control, from what I pay attention to, to how I feel, who I surround myself with and what I do on a daily basis.
I had never heard of the gig economy before this year, but now it all makes perfect sense to me and feels like the right decision, even though I’m just three months in.
At this time, especially, when many more companies are making redundancies, it also follows that they will be more open to outsourcing labour on a project or freelance contract basis, as-and-when they need specific support.
I strategically target companies that I would like to work with, researching them thoroughly so I have enough information to approach them in a knowledgeable way. I ensure there is no conflict of interest with any other clients I am working with, and confirm that I can add real value, offering a skillset that they don’t currently benefit from.
It’s important to me to make the most of my talents and focus on my true interests — I want to be the best I can be in every job!
Surprisingly, I have had no problem in maintaining productivity, which I know some of my friends who have also chosen this route have struggled with. Time management, a normal routine and ways I manage my working week has been key to my success, but I haven’t yet perfected this. Working fourteen-hour days and not having much ‘me time’ defeats the object of my choosing this career path!
I’m adapting to my new life, keeping a schedule; following a to-do list, beginning each day with the most important or challenging work, or with a call to a key client.
I try and get some exercise every day if it’s a short walk. This gives me time away from my screen and helps me rest and refresh.
Although it’s still early days running my own business, I know I’ll perfect the work/life balance that attracted me to this path.
So, overall I am digging the gigging! This is a totally new way of working for me and I know that I’m providing real value directly to the companies that need it most, and — importantly — really enjoying the work I do.
