Posts tagged work
On Freelancing, Once Again
Is turning down a good job proposal in lieu of the dream of freelancing ballsy or just stupid? Either way, that’s what I’ve done several times now since I became “unemployed”. I use the quotes with a tinge of sarcasm, because in my head I hear the apprehension in the response of everyone who has ever heard me say that I don’t want a job anymore (“But is that sensible?” “In these economic times, is that really a luxury you can afford?” “Everyone has to make a living…”). And I keep saying that I should be scared about such a pivotal life decision, but somehow, try as I will, I can’t summon that supposedly-healthy fear.
Granted, I’ve only been at this for a week, technically. However, I’ve been planning this kind of life for nearly a year, and so far it looks to be working out pretty damn well. I’m certainly ecstatic about the fact that, for better or worse, I’m now far more in charge of my destiny than at any other point in my life. Now it’s up to me to not fuck it up - or, if I do, to at least learn something before trying again. So right now, I’m swimming in uncharacteristic, undiluted optimism.
Perhaps it’s because when I’m at a crossroads, I prefer the option of forgetting the paved roads and running through some pretty fields for a while.
Adventures in Freelancing, part two
As I wrote the other day, I am now trying my hand at freelancing, with the goal of surviving without a “real job” and becoming financially- and location-independent. One curious aspect that I’ve already noticed in the first few days is how quickly my sleep pattern adjusted to a more “natural” one - natural for me, that is.
The first thing I did in my newfound freedom was to delete all of the alarms on my phone. With the ability to go to sleep when I’m tired and sleep until I’m not, my circadian rhythm, no doubt relieved at no longer being artificially regulated, put me in a cycle of going to bed at dawn and waking up in the afternoon.
That hasn’t surprised me. As I’ve written before, I’m naturally a nightowl, and I do my best work long after the sun has set. What has surprised me is that it seems I suddenly need less sleep than before. Granted, this is just the beginning of the experiment, so I’ll need a few weeks of consistent data to see if this really is the case, but so far, it seems that not only am I not lethargic in the afternoon (my morning) as I used to be when forced to get up in the actual morning, but after a certain minimum point, the amount of sleep I get is irrelevant - and that minimum threshold has dropped. Case in point: last night, I finished working around 5 am, and fell asleep sometime before 6. When the cat woke me to feed her at 9, I felt far more rested than I should after that little sleep. Of course, I knew that wouldn’t be enough, so I went back to bed and woke up on my own just shy of noon, completely rested. I mean, look at me - I’m writing a coherent blog post on six hours of sleep, when normally, I required seven to eight hours for my brain to possess any kind of creative energy.
I’m kind of obsessed by this topic. Perhaps in the future I’ll start a separate blog* documenting my 9 pm to 5 am workdays. At the moment, though, I have actual work to do, and I’m finally more than awake enough to do it.
*I would call it “Nightworkers”. No ambiguity there…
On Changes
I’m starting the whole New Year’s revolution cycle early this year, partly due to circumstances, partly because I don’t have any rational excuses not to. Next year is going to be quite different from any other year of my life, so I might as well get a head start, as it will definitely be a challenge.
In short, as of December 1st, I’m no longer an employee of anyone, and my goal is to keep it that way indefinitely. I left my job (well, the newspaper ran out of money… details, details) and I’m going freelance, as the kids say. The plan is to start with mostly translation and proofreading jobs, because there seem to be enough of those readily available to pay the rent, and I’m decent at both (yay not-quite-useless English degree!). Once I know I won’t end up under a bridge, however, I want to ambitiously start pursuing freelance writing gigs at whatever (reputable) publication will have me, and then eventually start my own app pub down the line, once I have money and a team and a better idea of everything that entails.
Five days of freelancing so far have taught me a few things: 1. I absolutely love my new nocturnal lifestyle, and 2. I need some sort of self-imposed schedule or I end up playing Civilization instead of working. Point one means that the first night I was able to, I worked from about 8 pm until 7 in the morning, and felt absolutely great about it. Then, I slept until about two in the afternoon and did it all over again until the weekend actually moved my bedtime up a few hours. The best part is that Polish winters make this schedule not only sustainable, but extremely desirable. The only downside is that I won’t see daylight for a few months, but it’s pretty overrated in the winter, anyway.
As for point two, I just sat down and made the following schedule, which I am posting up here in the hopes that it will keep me honest:
Monday:
noon: get up, breakfast, etc.
14-15: clean flat
15-16: physics 1011
16-18: practice piano
18-19: dinner/relax
19-22: band practice
22-04: work2
Tuesday:
noon: get up, breakfast, etc.
14-15: work
15-18: learn web design
18-19: dinner/relax
19:30-21:15: kung fu
23-04: work2
Wednesday:
noon: get up, breakfast, etc.
14-15: work
15-16: Psych 1011
16-17: learn German
17-18: practice piano
18-19: dinner/relax
19-22: band practice
22-04: work (Krakow Nightowls meet-up)
Thursday:
noon: get up, breakfast, etc.
14-15: work
15-18: learn web design
18-19: dinner/relax
19:30-21:15: kung fu
23-04: work2
Friday:
noon: get up, breakfast, etc.
14-16: work
16-17: reading
17-18: dinner/relax
18:45-20: kung fu
20+ DRINK!
Saturday:
FREE DAY
(band practice)
Sunday:
morning/afternoon: free time
15-17: practice piano/compose shit
17-19: work
19-20: dinner/relax
20-22: work
22-23: work out, run
23+: work, as necessary
The only thing I’m unsure of is whether or not to add dedicated writing time in there, but perhaps I’ll incorporate that into the “work” blocks, depending on how much translation work I end up with. So far, things have been looking up, as my first day of unemployment I was awoken to two phone calls for two different translation/proofreading jobs, in addition to two I had already been commissioned for. That means no break for me, but definitely a step in the right direction towards non-starvation.
By the end of next year, I want to be financially- and location-independent. I want to have learned a solid amount of CSS and whatever else I need to make decent websites for myself and perhaps as yet another source of income. I want prospects for good writing gigs, and ideas for books/film scripts/whatever I feel like working on. I want to put out a second album with my band and tour Europe properly. Maybe even start another musical project.
My reasoning? Financial types always advise you to diversify your stock portfolio; why not diversify your skill portfolio? After all, chances are that’s how you’ll be making your money, not on the market. So here’s to 2011!
1: I have over a hundred backlogged lectures I want to view in iTunes U and Khan Academy, so I’ll finally have the chance to catch up on those.
2: If there’s no work, read.
One (App) at a Time*
*Or, in which I geek out for the first time on this blog. Your regularly scheduled rants about the news media will resume shortly.
Yes, it’s been forever since I’ve written here. No, I’m not dead, though part of me is - and not in some exaggerated metaphorical way or anything, but literally - my computer died at the end of October. My beautiful, two-and-a-half-year-old brain extension in the form of a MacBook Pro decided to depart for the great scrapheap in the sky - or its logic board did - at the absolutely least opportune time for me, the end of October, when I had a heap of commissioned Unsound photos to shop, gigs and gigs of Iceland photos to sort, shop, and post, and, of course, work to do, as my personal laptop is also my work computer.
So here I sit, nearly a month without my baby, and what have I learned? First of all, backing things up is awesome. Even though there’s nothing wrong with my hard drive and when I get my computer back, all of my files should still be there, thanks to the cheap 320 GB portable drive I use as my Time Machine disk, I’ve been able to access all of my files for work from my latest backup while my computer’s been at the shop.
Second, it shouldn’t happen, but sometimes, 2.5-year-old motherboards die, even if you take damn good care of your machine. Yes, even if it’s a Mac. And when it does, and if your laptop is not under warranty (of course), don’t take the shop’s suggested price for fixing/replacing it, but instead, do your research. Thanks to this, I’ll have a brand new 2.6GHz board to replace my fried 2.5GHz for roughly $500 including shipping and labor, rather than the $930 for a new board alone the Apple guys wanted to charge me. Still a hell of a lot of money to spend just to get a dated machine running again, but a lot less than a new one, which I definitely can’t afford.
A side-note to point two is that it’s much better to have an emergency savings account to pull this kind of money out of, than an emergency credit card - both for your wallet and for your peace of mind. Had I no savings and had to put this repair on my card, I’d just be tempted to get a new machine if I was going to spend the money anyway, especially if I were offered a shiny no-interest deal on it. But I love my current machine (when it works); it’s still running like new, I can run every program I need on it (including resource-high games like StarCraft II), and frankly, I prefer the all-aluminum body over the newer black-framed ones, so I have no need to spend $2000 for a new computer just because I could.
And finally, there’s the topic of this whole spiel: using one app at a time. Since my computer broke, I’ve had two alternatives: my iPhone, and the ancient G4 that my boss dug up so I could have a computer at the office (which I’m writing on now). One is designed to run one program at a time (yes, even with multitasking), and the other is so old and slow that it only functions properly when running one program at a time (even after I pimped its RAM and upgraded its OS from Panther to Leopard and did a massive hard drive cleaning spree).
While at first this seemed like a huge disadvantage, and it was taking me twice as long to do most tasks as it would have taken on my own laptop, I’ve now gotten used to both this machine and its limitations, and turned them into advantages. I no longer have my mail client on all the time, which before would cause an automatic reflex to open the program the second that new mail sound chimed. I no longer have 30 tabs open in my browser, because the G4 really, really doesn’t like that - which forces me to read the contents of each tab as I open it, take what I need from it, and close it right away. I can no longer have four or five Word docs plus a Pages file open at the same time; in fact, it’s quite difficult to have any Office program open at the same time as a browser, forcing me to actually edit without interruption. Forget about running iTunes or Spotify with more than two other programs open. Oh, and when I’m Photoshopping or Lightrooming, that’s all I’m doing.
(Side-note two: I have to say, it’s impressive that a seven-year-old, 1.25GHz PPC machine with under a gig of RAM can even run Photoshop and Lightroom, much less run at all. Of course, this is significantly undercut by the fact that my machine died at only two and a half years of age.)
After the initial frustration subsided and I came to terms with the fact that I will be MacBook-less for over a month (and bought this sweet adapter to watch my iPhone videos on my TV), I’ve found that this forced single-tasking is both extremely difficult to get used to, and ultimately far more effective. It’s been a constant struggle with my own, easily-distracted brain, that I’d tried to wage with less success using tools like Isolator or Think on my very multitasking-capable laptop. Now it will be a struggle to maintain this focus once my own computer is back, but I think this experience has given me the motivation to truly give it a go, now that I’ve seen just how effective single-tasking can make me.
Needless to say, after reading numerous rumors about Lion’s iOS-like interface and push towards full-screen programs, I’m definitely looking forward to the upgrade. Here’s hoping my MacBook is up and running by then.
“ But preferring to work at night might go beyond a need to escape distractions. Some people are hard-wired to perform better as it gets later, said Michael Thorpy, director of the Sleep-Wake Disorder Center at the Montefiore Medical Center in the Bronx. “Our circadian timing of sleep is affected by genetics, and people all differ,” he said. Mr. Thorpy said many people experience surges of alertness two to three hours before they fall asleep — ideal for powering through some unfinished business. “If it fits in with their lifestyle, it can work very well,” he said. “A large part of their waking day is when things are quieting down.”
Fraternity of the Wired Works in the Wee Hours - NYTimes.com
Every cell in my body right now is screaming, “YES, YES, THAT’S ME!!!” as I’m reading this article. I hope this is a first step in a much-needed alternative to the 9-5, which, quite frankly, just doesn’t fit with some of our bodies (namely, mine).
I want to start something like this in Krakow. Any takers?
“ Some of these women probably are gay. And some, one can fairly assume, are not. But what’s interesting — and depressingly clear — is that a disproportionate number of women who’ve made it to the tippy-top of the executive and judicial branches in the last three administrations have shared a similar profile: unmarried, outspoken, partial to pantsuits, and child-free. Which would seem to suggest a few things, right? Like, No. 1, that it’s these women who survive the vetting process. And, No. 2, that something about being unmarried, outspoken, partial to pantsuits, and child-free has made it possible for them to get to the top in Washington … or that getting to the top in Washington, at least for this generation of ceiling-crackers, has resulted in being single, outspoken, partial to pantsuits, and child-free.”
What We’re Really Not Talking About When We Talk About Elena Kagan — Daily Intel (via peterwknox)
This problem could be solved easily with simple legislation that requires equal leave for mothers and fathers when a baby is born. Of course, this wouldn’t be a quick process, as mentalities take longer to change than legislation; however, legal action has to be the first step.
It’s obvious that having children narrows one’s career options; the problem is that until now, it was almost always the woman in the partnership whose career suffered. But if men had to take equal time off when babies are born, pregnant or newly-married women would not be the only ones discriminated against in the workplace. At that point, it would be up to the couple to decide together what they would rather have: the careers they’ve dreamed of, or the family life. Sure, a select few (usually those with generous resources) can have it all, but for the majority of humanity it is a choice between the two. It shouldn’t, however, just be a choice for women.
“ Despite his best efforts, Cliff, 28, could not get to sleep until about 7 a.m. It had been this way since he was a teenager. He was a healthy and successful young scientist — except that he didn’t arrive at the lab until 5 p.m., just as his co-workers were preparing to leave. Although he got his work done by pulling all-nighters, he became isolated from the group. Sleeping pills didn’t work. Nighttime alcohol bouts got him to sleep sooner, but only by two to three hours — a bummer on many levels. Significantly, Cliff was not depressed.”
Sleeping (or Not) by the Wrong Clock - Opinionator Blog - NYTimes.com
I am really irked by the fact that this article implies that anyone with a sleep pattern outside of the “normal” one has something wrong with them, and that this should be fixed immediately, using medication or light therapy or burning at the stake if need be, because anything is better than sleeping at odd hours.
Just because the majority of society runs in a certain timeframe such as, say, 9 am to 5 pm (which even varies country to country in Europe, as many people in Poland, for example, work 8 to 4), doesn’t mean that one cannot find a way to work on a completely different schedule and be just as productive and significantly, not depressed.
Sure, before the widespread prevalence of artificial light and 24-hour Chinese take-out, when farm animals needed milking or feeding at a certain time, it made sense that all individuals conformed to a certain sleep schedule. But today, there are so many occupations one can pursue that allow for a more natural approach to sleep - namely, following one’s natural clock.
The article, however, does make one very relevant point:
“People sleep best when the internal clock is in sync with the workday rest/activity cycle. When there is a mismatch, the likely results are insomnia, depressed mood and daytime fatigue.”
The mismatch in this case was a second example: a man, George, whose natural circadian clock dictated that he fall asleep at 1:30 am, but his job required him to be up by 7. He was found to be (not surprisingly) mildly depressed.
But why couldn’t George, instead of signing up for experimental light therapy, talk to his employer about devising a schedule more in tune with his circadian clock? Why couldn’t the New York Times, in addition to running this article, run a piece advocating more workplace scheduling flexibility?
Perhaps this just hits a personal nerve, more than anything. I wrote about my own whacked-out sleep schedule over a year ago, and since that time my theory has only been confirmed. Were I in a position to be self-employed (which is really the only option for non-standard sleepers), I would be working from about 2 in the afternoon until 2 in the morning, with a break for a couple of hours midway. Worst of all, I know I would get twice as much done, with a much higher standard of quality, than I do at present. If employers allowed this kind of individual schedule setting, the increase in productivity - and thus the economic impact - would be mind-blowing.
Bottom line: There is no “wrong” or “right” clock - each person works according to their individual circadian rhythm, which most people figure out by the time they’re young adults. In the past century, the workplace has radically altered to accommodate personal variance in so many aspects - why can’t schedules based on natural sleep patterns be next?
Wikipedia: Shift work sleep disorder
I think this explains by alternating bouts of insomnia with near-constant daytime sleepiness.
I am a nocturnal person. My natural sleep pattern dictates me going to bed between 2 and 4 in the morning, and waking up in the late morning/early afternoon. This is how I function when I have no obligations requiring me to be awake at certain hours. Contrary to popular belief, this does not make me a lazy person, as I normally sleep no more than 7-8 hours per night, and usually closer to 6.5. It just means that biologically, my circadian cycle is shifted a good 4 hours later than the average person.
When I was a student or worked on a schedule I set myself, this was not a problem. However, now that work requires me to be there 10-6 every day, it’s led to a pattern of shift work sleep: on the weekends I revert back to my natural sleep cycle. On the weekdays, I undergo a continuing struggle to fall asleep by 1 and get up by 8, usually failing miserably on both fronts. This leaves me brain-dead for the first few hours of each workday, as I wait for the caffeine to kick in and for my mind to overcome its morning sluggishness.
In the end, I’m frustrated, unproductive, and exhausted, and I really don’t know how much longer I can continue this cycle. It’s not healthy, if the constant caffeine-induced stomachaches are any indication, and it’s a waste of my productivity. The only good side-effect is during my peak productive hours, usually between 10 pm and midnight, are spent on working on my own projects, often late into the night.
I know the best solution is self-employment. Until that happens, I need some suggestions that don’t involve the destruction of my liver.
Anyone else have this problem?
bad business, bad day
It’s a bad time to be in the newspaper business, especially when you’ve been walking a financial tightrope for years, with no safety net of any kind.
I understand that moving here, I traded stability for excitement. My life has already been more compelling in 26 years than most people’s entire existence. However, there’s only so long one can live in uncertainty before they seek at least a semblance of stability, and I’m at that point right now. The last thing I want is a house and a family and that kind of normality; but there must be a balance between that and this month-to-month living in uncertainty. I’d like to at least know that I can make a larger purchase now and then and be able to pay for it in the future. I’d like to know that if several of us lose our jobs, our band won’t break up because people will have to move. I’d like to know that I can keep living in this place until I’m ready to move, and not until I’m forced to move. But this is not that kind of time.
So I’m still working on a back-up plan.
timezone shuffle
My current job is wonderfully flexible about scheduling. Granted, my boss occasionally gripes a bit if I show up anytime after noon (which happens fairly often), but in general if I work most of my eight hours per day while other people are around, it doesn’t really matter whether I come in at 9 am or at noon.
Lately, though, I’ve been operating in timezones a good hemisphere over from where I live. Take the last two nights, when I went to bed at 6 and 7 am, respectively. Today I slept right through daylight, which ends around four in the afternoon in the winter here, and grudgingly awakened at half past four to darkness and an angry, hungry cat.
And then there’s right now. It’s three in the morning, and I’m going through Dreamweaver tutorials on YouTube (for anyone interested, these are pretty good), photoshopping a logo, and catching up on Daily Show episodes from the previous week.
The paradox is that I’m extremely productive in these wee hours, and pretty much useless in the mornings. Were I to have a job that allowed me to keep these kinds of hours, it would be eerie how much I could accomplish. At the moment, I’m using this time to work on my own projects, and spending half of every workday just trying to wake my brain up. Of course, this leaves me tired as fuck and more prone to irritability and sloppiness, but as soon as night would come for me to sleep off some of these lost hours, I suddenly awaken and repeat the process.
So far the only solution I’ve found is downing half a bottle of wine and hoping to get drowsy enough to sleep, but then the next morning is spent in battle with my alarm clock. Plus it’s not the cheapest remedy, and hardly a cure.
Now it’s 3:24 am. And there’s so much I still want to do.
