With Christmas just around the corner, and the New Year following swiftly behind it, it will soon be a good time for freelancers to reflect on their performance over the past year, and to set new goals for the year to come.
Ideally, you’ll be able to look back in a year’s time on a series of completed objectives and passed milestones. But how can we make this likely?
Clarify your business and personal objectives
If you don’t set your goals down on paper, you’ll have a difficult time assessing your performance, and holding yourself to account. Your goals should be realistic and, ideally, measurable. For example, you might seek to clock off every day at 5 pm in order to spend more time with your family. Your personal and business-related goals should work alongside one another, and be mutually supportive. That way, your progress in one area will lead to progress in another.
Build a stable financial foundation
Your income as a freelancer will tend to be more volatile, especially if the work you’re doing is naturally seasonal. If you make and sell gifts for a living, then you’ll often find that December is busier than January.
You’ll want to make sure that you set a reasonable amount of cash to one side as an emergency fund, and that you have the information you need to deal with your tax and national insurance obligations. Sometimes, you may need to spend a little extra on equipment and training – in which case self-employed loans can be essential.
Invest in skills and networking
As of early 2025, around 4.38 million people in the UK were self-employed. This is a growing cohort, and in order to stand out, and attract the right opportunities, you’ll want to take networking and specialisation seriously. Find out if there are any special events near you, and see whether attending might allow you to reach people who would otherwise be inaccessible.
Optimise workflow and protect your time
Time and mental energy are two of the most valuable resources you have access to. If you waste them, then you’ll end up being less productive, and in the long term you’ll make less money. Know when you’re approaching the limits of your competence, and don’t be afraid to outsource and delegate. Even if you have the skills to perform a particular task, it might be cheaper and quicker to have someone else do it for you.
Review, adapt and celebrate progress
Improving your performance as a freelancer means regularly reviewing that performance, and keeping track of a few key metrics. What those metrics are might depend on your particular niche – but don’t discount the importance of your personal satisfaction. If you don’t feel happy and fulfilled in your work, then it might be a good idea to seek other forms of work.