No, it’s not yet another post on payment – not quite. It’s about determining if the project you’re working on or being offered is worth it. I bring this up after waving bye-bye to the long-arsed project of a week ago. The work was tedious, but it paid okay. The projects were large, but again, they paid well. The worst part of it was the time it took me to get an answer out of anyone. So much for guidance. I did decide not to continue on with this particular client for that reason, but also because the time involved in delivering these very detailed projects left me exhausted, overworked, stressed, and scrambling to make sure I met other client deadlines. My work was suffering.
I’ve been given advice by my better half to go back to the client and renegotiate pay so I can drop my other clients. I won’t do that. See, he means well, but he doesn’t quite understand that one client is great, but it’s way too easy to find yourself unpaid and out of work should that client decide to drop you or not pay the invoices as agreed. Instead, I’d much rather cut loose this lucrative client with its problems intact than sacrifice good clients who pay on time and who aren’t vague or evasive. Call me crazy.
I measured the worth of this project over all others, and it lost. Someday you may find yourself in a similar position, where the ongoing work and the promise of nice pay is outweighed by too many other factors. Don’t be afraid to make the hard choice. In the end, I think you’ll find it was an easier choice than you first thought it to be.
Sounds smart to me, not one bit crazy.
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I’m so with you. I’d much rather work on several moderately paid projects that I enjoy than one lucrative one that has me grinding my teeth and biting my tongue day in and day out.
A single client makes you exactly the same as the cubicle whore, but without the cubicle and the benefits.
People who work 9-5 don’t understand there’s a better way.
Just because it seems like steady income doesn’t mean it is, or that it’s worth the emotional price.
You did the right thing.
Glad to see I’m in such good company! 🙂
Those who are just starting out, or those who may think this is a good way to “secure” an income are missing the bigger point – nothing in freelance is ever steady, nor is it ever smart to rest. We gotta be like sharks – keep moving or we die. LOL