Freelancing Angst: When The Work Never Ends!

Far be it for me to say that someone is working too hard, but when I read an article this week in The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) detailing the endless work week that some freelancers are experiencing, I immediately thanked God that I wasn’t in their shoes. In, “For the Self-Employed, It’s an Endless Workweek,” the WSJ showcased an emerging trend among some freelancers who fearing the current job market, they cancel or shorten vacations; leave home fully connected with laptop, blackberry or cell phone nearby; or embrace some other behavior that leaves everyone else miserable and themselves tired.

I Work All Night I Work All Day…

Life can be like a ball and chain if you never get a break. But for some freelancers, work is a never ending quest as they worry about getting the next gig and paying their bills.

I’m not surprised that the trend to work all of the time has been emerging. After all, with work hard to come by and with more freelancers then ever to count among the competition, any delay getting back to a potential customer could mean lost business. Perhaps forever. People know that if you’re not available someone else is, especially if they’re looking to use you to work on a one-off project such as writing a press release, updating web content or helping them with a time sensitive marketing campaign.

But I have to say that if I worked as hard as some of these people do without taking a break, then something has to give. And that “give” would likely come in the form of harming my health; neglecting my wife and children; or simply failing to deliver my best work because I’m tired all of the time.

…To Pay The Bills I Have To Pay…

Last month, my family and I packed our stuff up and headed from our home in North Carolina to see family in New Jersey where we hail from. We left on a Thursday and returned on a Tuesday, a short trip but long enough for us to see just about everyone, including some relatives we hadn’t seen since our last trip back in 2006. Yes, I brought my laptop along and I had my cell phone on, but we still managed to have a good time as I limited my “work” to checking my email once in the morning and again in the evening.

Thankfully, there were no fires to put out and, even though I didn’t tell most of my current clients that I was going away, the one query I had was able to put off until the day after we returned. There is no way that I would have canceled the trip – I needed a break personally and our family needed to get away together. I returned refreshed and ready to tackle the world and as for my immediate family they were thrilled to reconnect with aunts, uncles and cousins they hadn’t seen in some time.

…Ain’t It Sad!

I’m of the mind that some work that can’t wait is not worth doing in the first place. I suppose that this is easy for me to say when my workload is heavy, as it has been throughout the year, but there comes a point when a few days of uninterrupted break is not only beneficial but necessary if you are to recharge your batteries and connect with family and friends without being permanently tethered to your work.

So, how about you? Have you been able to take a break yet this summer? If so, did you take a “working break” or did you manage to disconnect from your computer and connect with those whom you love?

Photo Credit: Jeff Prieb

Song Credit: Abba — Money! Money! Money!

Be Careful What You Say Online!

Sometimes it takes a news article for people to really get it. In this case I’m referring to an article I read in today’s issue of The Wall Street Journal which serves as a good warning to bloggers who aren’t careful in what they say online. In, Bloggers, Beware: What You Write Can Get You Sued, the WSJ shared several examples of bloggers who have been sued because of something that they said online, typically criticism involving a company’s product or service.

Avoid That Lawsuit

Instead of rehashing what the WSJ had to say, I’ll echo a few points while including my own take on writing, free speech and using common sense when offering an online critique. You certainly don’t have to agree with me on my main points, but you can avoid the headache and heartache a lawsuit can give you whether it has merit or not.

Full Disclosure — I’ve read enough stuff online over the past fifteen years, but I never take anything seriously unless the author’s real name is used. That can be more difficult to do (even unnecessary) with forum comments, but if you publish an article, why not take full ownership of what you wrote? Including a brief biography at the end of the article or posted someplace on the site can enhance your professionalism.

Constructive Criticism — So a certain service or product has let you down. But, should you simply bash that product or the person delivering it? I don’t think so. Instead, why not instruct your readers by offering a review that manages to take into consideration all aspects of the service or product offered?

For example, there are times that I don’t particularly like a car that I am reviewing. I may even tell people that I don’t recommend buying it, but I also will mention whatever positive features I’ve found in it. These days, there aren’t any absolutely crappy cars on the market so I try to mention some of the redeeming values as well as what I don’t like about it.

Personal Attacks – If you personally attack an individual, then you deserve to be sued. That suit may not have merit, but if you demonize or at least cast someone in an untrue light then all bets are off. Besides, your readership — if they’re not a bunch of juveniles — may dismiss your attacks as a personal vendetta, perhaps casting you as troublemaker or a vindictive SOB.  Raise someone’s ire and you’ll get the legal punch in the nose you deserve.

Protect Yourself — You may not have done anything wrong, yet you’re still getting sued. That is the unfortunate part of living in a litigious society — some people will come after you simply to intimidate you.

Suing Without Merit

As the WSJ article said, even a suit without merit can get expensive to defend. The article outlined some low cost insurance options which can offer legal counsel in the event that you are sued. Usually, this coverage is for personal blogs not business blogs, therefore if you are blogging on behalf of a business, you’ll need to make sure that you are covered from that aspect too.

Yes, state shield laws might offer some sort of protection, but I can see where they can be circumvented as well.  Shield laws are designed to protect journalists, but some might argue that bloggers are not journalists. The plaintiff may lose that argument, but as a defendant you’ll still need to respond or face worse consequences.

Free Speech & The First Amendment

Free speech is all well and good — I’m a firm believer in the first amendment (to the U.S. Constitution). But, what you say can still come back to bite you so make sure that you have the protection you need to avoid being muzzled, impoverished or both.

See Also — You Can Blog Better Than That!

Photo Credit: Steve Woods