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The Stress and Interruption Train

Posted on by lwidmer

Ouch. Once again this summer, my sinus infection is back. The minute my ear starts to hurt, I know. I should. It’s happened three times (four now) since May. I’d ignore it and simply overdose on Mucinex, but it doesn’t go away. But I can’t be sick. I’m too busy. How do you deal with…

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But What About How Much You’re Worth?

Posted on by lwidmer

My favorite Avid Writer Kimberly Ben has a great post up this week about why some freelancers (not her, so don’t give her grief) choose to work with content mills instead of traditional freelancing routes. The idea came to her after reading a discussion/debate on a forum where some writers were defending, even justifying their…

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Time Suckers

Posted on by lwidmer

Life coach and friend Lisa Gates has a wonderful workshop for women called Craving Balance. In it, she shows us how to reorder our priorities – not carve out time for things we want to do, but how to shift our focus so what we want is front-and-center. Amen, sister. It was one of the…

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Want Work? Go Away.

Posted on by lwidmer

I’m baaaaack! Miss me? My never-fail system for pulling in tons of work – go away on vacation. While I was gone, two more projects hit my in box and a potential third one is looming. That’s added to the ones that came in right before I left. Again, we all know that projects are…

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File it Under Just Plain Nuts

Posted on by lwidmer

Some incidents are, well, just plain nuts. As I reel in the big fish this week, I’m resurrecting some of my favorites: I’m Pretty Sure I’m Right This Time Return of the Sham Job Offers Weird Client Tricks

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It’s Wednesday – Have You Marketed This Week?

Posted on by lwidmer

Ah, caught you napping! Well, that’s projection. You caught me napping. I’m hopeful that by the time you read this, I’ll be sleeping in and being utterly lazy. I did get another potential project late Friday, so I’m content to jump ship knowing I can let the marketing slide this week. And you? How’s your…

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His Job Makes Him Sing

Posted on by lwidmer

A little traveling humor for you as I cast and reel in this week:

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Gone Fishing

Posted on by lwidmer

Yes, I’m still gone (in more ways than one). Here’s one of my favorite videos. What do you think of it? Happy Monday!

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So Long, Farewell, Au Weidersen, Goodbye….

Posted on by lwidmer

Wouldn’t you know it? I’m leaving tomorrow. I get a call around quitting time yesterday from an existing client – he has a project for me. Great! I’m happy to oblige, but it really must wait a week. There’s the project I was hoping would be waiting when I return. Amen. Spent a very long…

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I Can See the Exit…

Posted on by lwidmer

After I’d alerted the parents to my impending visit, the work came piling in. I’m not saying one or two projects – try six. At once. All due – this week. Luckily a few of them took less time than I expected, though they were still required detailed work and some lengthy hours. It’s a…

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  1. devonellington Avatar
    devonellington

    No. When I'm here, I'm here and the clients get 1000 percent. When I'm gone, I'm gone. My deadlines are cleared off before I go. Everything else has to wait until I get back. I'm happy to take on extra work before I go so the clients have a stockpile, but vacation is VACATION. We are not performing brain surgery, we are not in life-or-death situations.

    We're worth the wait the clients have to do while we're away. Their disorganization does not constitute my emergency. On regular workweeks, it becomes my problem when they pay extra; on vacation — no. I EARN my time off; I'm going to take it, uninterrupted.

    Reply
  2. Lori Avatar
    Lori

    Sounds familiar, Devon. I've often said their fires are not my emergencies. 🙂

    I agree with you – what we do is not life-or-death work. But we live in a digital world where even failing to answer your phone by the second ring puts some people off. Mind you, I've had just one such person leave a scathing message about how she could never reach me, but did she leave a call-back number? (I still think she was part of that nasty women's association that harassed me endlessly.)

    I've had these ADD types write one note to me, not get an instant response, and hire someone else before the day is out. Not that I want to work for flighty people necessarily, but if a regular client comes in, I'd like to accommodate where I can. One week is okay – two weeks and their deadlines could be thrown off.

    I'm still mulling it over. Not sure how much coverage I'm willing to offer. I don't want to set an unattainable precedent.

    Reply
  3. Gabriella F. Avatar
    Gabriella F.

    I'm with Devon. When you're out, you're out. I have no backup coverage, and I simply let people know I'll be gone. As I've said before, if I wanted a 24/7 work pace, I'd have stayed in the law.

    And don't worry about another slump when you get back. You'll ruin your time off. Just go and relax! You've earned it!

    Reply
  4. Joseph Hayes Avatar
    Joseph Hayes

    Holy coo, Lori, how long will you be in Scotland? We're going over for Fringe and bookfest, and having an Inked-In get-together on Aug 16 … will you still be in the country?

    Reply
  5. devonellington Avatar
    devonellington

    Joseph and Lori, Make sure you stop by The Last Drop on Grassmarket and tell James Rettie I sent you! The Last Drop is "my office" whenever I'm in Edinburgh.

    Lori — tell Colin you're coming to Edinburgh — he's based there.

    Reply
  6. Lori Avatar
    Lori

    I'm not sure we're going to Edinburgh, Devon. Our plans have us north – in Inverness.

    Sorry, Joseph. We'll be home then. 🙁

    Reply
  7. Joseph Hayes Avatar
    Joseph Hayes

    Devon, I know the Last Drop very well, we'll keep an eye out for James. I'll share a fabulous tidbit of knowledge … just down the road from Grassmarket, on Bread Street, is where the art director of Wizard of Oz grew up, and his view up to the Castle as a child became Dorothy's first view of Oz.

    Reply
  8. Poem Avatar
    Poem

    I add u link in my Blogroll please check it and link me too friend 🙂

    Reply
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