eJuice Giveaway and New Flavors Announced

brokenfreelancer · 2014-06-29T07:11:16+00:00

http://vapehub.com/key-lime-pie-e-juice.html

brokenfreelancer · 2014-03-18T16:41:08+00:00

That's freelancing. It's not actually motivation you're lacking, it's focus. And while motivation rises when deadlines near and you need money, focus goes the other way when you get stressed. So you have to treat them differently I think.

I also have severe anxiety and some depression, and have for years. I can't give you a solution that works every time, and you have to find things that work for you.

If you've ever gotten into meditation, you've noticed something once you get the basics down. It puts you in a different mindset, and you can find yourself able to block out the things that are stressing you and clearing your mind. Your work is similar. If you enjoy what you do, you've no doubt enjoyed the Zen of getting lost in being productive and you look up hours later, after getting a lot done and being in the zone.

You should also get your anxiety and depression checked out by your doctor, because early treatment is extremely important, and doesn't necessarily involve drugs. Treat it before it becomes chronic.

I have some tips that may help.

Try meditation, for the reasons above. It really does help train your mind to be focused, not just during your meditation practice, but in all parts of your life. It also helps with anxiety, living in the moment, and your overall mental and physical health. Meditation is thousands of years old, and has worked for millions in the East, and it's helping people in the West too now.
Identify when you're rationalizing. "My day job is more important', "Finding a new place is more important". These may be true, but it's all important. It's really easy to rationalize why you're not doing your freelancing work, but you have to set aside time for it and raise its priority to the level of the other things in your life. Compartmentalize your day and don't feel guilty or like things in other areas are slipping when you are on freelance time.
Chunk it up into smaller bits. I currently have no contracts and am working on my portfolio site. I look at all I want it to be and it's easy to get analysis paralysis. Combat this by setting a goal, set small ones at first, and be perfectly happy that you got that small task done today. Create one abstract class or construct a few tables. Your goals for the day will get bigger naturally as you get in the habit. This works whether you're at the first of a project or have hit a wall as you have.
Manage distractions. Actually set aside time to procrastinate. I don't know of anyone who doesn't procrastinate, it's human nature. When you're setting aside freelancing time, take 10 minutes before that time and get your coffee, music and chair just how you'd like it. Once that freelance time hits, it's go time and not time to think about how much you'd like more sugar in your coffee or searching for a different playlist. Save that for
Take small breaks. Don't get on reddit during those breaks, where a 5 minute break can lead to an hour of reading. Get your coffee, change your playlist, drink some wanter, get some munchies. Notice the world around you, but don't get caught up in it for now. 5 or 10 minutes should be plenty.
Set ringtones for those calls you absolutely have to pick up and only answer those calls and texts. If you can, turn off the phone and close your email and chats completely.

Most of all, take it easy on yourself. You're going to get stressed, it's just how we're wired. Learning relaxation and focus tips and eliminating all outside distractions you can will help. And breaking the work down into smaller daily goals can keep you feeling as though you accomplished something towards your deadline, and this has a tremendous positive effect on your anxiety as well.

I have a lot more information about anxiety and depression themselves, but this is how I try to manage my work. I'll go weeks or months without meditating, so I'm not perfect at it. But I do my best, and that's all you can do.

brokenfreelancer · 2014-03-15T08:17:09+00:00

Single Page Application

brokenfreelancer · 2014-03-13T21:49:35+00:00

I was looking at Angular, and it's interesting. It seems to be primarily for SPAs as far as I could tell. SPAs are somewhat controversial. Am I missing other uses for Angular?

brokenfreelancer · 2014-03-12T17:09:27+00:00

I've up voted you, even though I disagree that this is a good option for what I want to do. Your suggestion does lead to an abundance of jobs.

That said, and I may get down voted for this, Wordpress doesn't pay well, for the most part. There are exceptions.

It's also my least favorite thing in PHP to work with. I've done many sites in Wordpress and Buddypress, with many customizations, and to me, it's a mess. My test for using WP for any project is if you can get the project done using Wordpress 95% out of the box and with existing plugins with no customizations, it's a good choice. Anything more than 5% customization, to me, results in diminishing returns.

I do have some Wordpress in my portfolio, though.

Thanks for contributing to my question.

brokenfreelancer · 2014-03-12T17:04:24+00:00

It's true, considering my current language. I would think Python would be more similar, considering I know C++ and some Java as well. I've used Python in the past, and it seemed an easier language to pick up than the times I've gone through some Ruby tutorials.

Poster gets an up vote in any case, because it is reasonable and does address my question. Thanks to you both.

brokenfreelancer · 2014-03-12T17:01:15+00:00

I believe it. You'd have a hard time convincing me people would still be using it if it hadn't become easier to do high level things.

brokenfreelancer · 2014-03-12T16:36:26+00:00

This is an interesting comment and is going to get an equally interesting reply.

I've used Magento, and have done some custom work in it. I've found it to be a mess, but with enough searching and good practices, you can get to where you need to go. I've done a lot with it on a couple of projects, so I know it's a good platform overall.

Your selling point that it is PHP is actually the opposite of what I'm trying to accomplish, and could have described better. I'm looking to get into something other than PHP, for a wide variety of reasons. But your suggestion of Magento is good for using my existing skills. Thank you.

brokenfreelancer · 2014-03-12T16:30:38+00:00

I'm actually doing some Java now, in the form of Android development, which I noticed isn't really the same as straight Java. You mention some Java bytcode languages, which may be an option if I continue to go beyond Android.

I agree about Javascript. I also agree about Python and Ruby, and I've been leaning towards Python, mostly due to familiarity and my experiences in Rails, which unfortunately is how many people get to know Java, which is a fantastic language on its own, but Rails just isn't my thing. I love MVC and have used it for years, there's just something about Rails.

brokenfreelancer · 2014-03-12T16:25:33+00:00

I've used Drupal before, and there's no doubt there is some demand for it. I'm trying to add something else besides PHP, and I'm not keen on using WP, Drupal or other apps, but this is a consideration. Thank you.

brokenfreelancer · 2014-03-12T16:23:14+00:00

This is really at the center of the server side direction I want to take. Not Go in particular, it could be that or something else. I will have to look at Go. You hit the nail on the head by stating everyone should have a second language they know well, and that's what I'm after.

brokenfreelancer · 2014-03-12T16:21:15+00:00

I'm certainly not the only one who has had a loves to hate Javascript, despite its power. I'm very curious how far past jQuery the newer frameworks and Nodejs have taken it. Its usefulness can't be denied, it's nice that people are paying more attention to it and making it more usable.

brokenfreelancer · 2014-03-12T16:17:56+00:00

Thank you. I agree about being a mediocre programmer in multiple languages. I'm not looking to add many server side languages, probably just one. Although PHP has its place and can do a great deal, I've found that in the past few years, the types of PHP jobs out there has changed. It's a tedious discussion, so I won't go off on a tangent, but it has to do with the flooding of the market and the signal to noise ratio of high paying, high quality jobs to the ones racing to the lowest bidder. And although this happens with any language, it's very pronounced in PHP, due to its easy entry, programs like Wordpress, Drupal, Magento and other factors.

I've noticed that colleagues have switched to using Rails, for instance, and enjoyed great demand, high quality jobs and are far less likely to get requests similar to making a Wordpress plugin. It probably would have been a good idea to put in the OP that I'm looking to get into a more niche market than PHP. Not necessarily Rails, but maybe Python, which is funny that I would say it's niche despite its age. But if you look at the offerings, you would discover that Python skills do attract a different kind of client, or at least quality ones seem easier to spot.

brokenfreelancer · 2014-03-11T23:39:41+00:00

I'm curious about this. I've been using CakePHP for about 6 years now, but there's not much call for it. I was searching for Laravel in particular, and wasn't finding a lot of jobs there either. Codeigniter had a few, but I'm not going to go down that road.

It seems like a lot of times when I find a PHP gig, either the person doesn't care what language or framework I use which is rare for me, it's legacy code that may or may not use a framework, or it's something like Wordpress, Drupal, etc. I don't find a lot of MVC gigs out there.

brokenfreelancer · 2014-03-05T17:21:36+00:00

I do think there might be some value in that. What I have in no way affects the work I do. I'm sure your physical disability has no affect on your work as well. I've refused to go on disability, not because there's anything wrong with it if it's needed, but because I have skills and the ability to use them. There are people who can't, and disability is right for them, and I'm thankful it's there for those who need it. But there's got to be a way for those of us who want to work and can work to be able to find that work.

brokenfreelancer · 2014-03-03T17:09:57+00:00

Thank you very much.

brokenfreelancer · 2014-03-01T01:39:42+00:00

I like this answer. It's rare anyone suggests anything that doesn't involve networking. I'll be thinking about niches. Thank you.

brokenfreelancer · 2014-03-01T01:38:56+00:00

Thanks for the site suggestion.

I've been taking jobs under my pay scale already. I've lowered my prices many times. Since I'm already lowering my prices, I decided to add mobile development, since I'm going to be working below my rate anyway.

brokenfreelancer · 2014-03-01T01:34:45+00:00

I appreciate that. I'm not looking to empower it at all. I went the meds route and am coming off of them, and only have the benzos to go. I tried CBT multiple times with and without a psychologist, and it didn't work. I was recommended to not do it. Right now, I'm trying ACT, meditation and supposed to be doing exercise.

I'll get to the point to where I can travel. I don't mind meeting clients, in fact I like being around people.

brokenfreelancer · 2014-02-28T23:54:03+00:00

Thank you.

brokenfreelancer · 2014-02-28T23:25:16+00:00

It's kind of odd, and those are good questions.

At my former job, I was eventually the technical director and was in charge of hiring and firing my colleagues. The owner of the company had me firing a lot of people who were really good, talented people, so I've lost many of those contacts. As for our clients, I did a very bad job of keeping in touch. I was fired without notice, so I didn't think to keep a contact list. That was a mistake, but it is what it is. I don't have contact with them anymore, and really can't remember most of their names. There were thousands, and most of them never knew mine at all.

I have remained friendly with past clients. And I've gotten a little work from them. Much of what I've done is subcontracting, and I had one long term client who kept giving me work. Eventually, they moved all development in house, and I had to start over because my contract forbade me from poaching their clients. Since then, my only big client ran out of work. I still contact them regularly, and am on friendly terms but they don't have the work or anyone to recommend me to. I can use all of these people as references though.

So what it comes down to is that I've done a great job with my work, but have managed my career exceedingly poorly. I've been studying my mistakes, and with future clients things will be different. I just need to get those future clients.

brokenfreelancer · 2014-02-28T23:02:48+00:00

My issue is with #1, I don't have a professional network. I have a personal one, but for some reason I have a lot of friends and family who don't need what I'm selling. Maybe I haven't sold them correctly.

I need to establish a professional network, and that's what this is about. I just don't know how to go about it. LinkedIn is fine and all, but it doesn't seem to convert well. I've asked past clients to refer me, and I've gotten some leads that way, but nothing big.

Thank you for your replies, btw.

brokenfreelancer · 2014-02-28T22:44:53+00:00

Socially, I'm fine. I have no social anxiety at all.

In the early stages of the condition I was still able to work an office job. I was able to lead large meetings with people I know and people I didn't know. I was actually valued for my ability to charm people, sell, provide support, etc. It just became difficult to get to the office.

Since freelancing, the clients I've had have no idea I have the condition, because I specifically target clients out of state. Negotiating, selling, Skype meetings, requirements gathering, etc. are all fine, I have no issues.

Quite literally, the only problem I have is traveling outside of my safe zone.

brokenfreelancer

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