When we graduated college, we all had grandiose dreams. Then life got in the way. We got ambitious, and decided to climb the ladder. Maybe we moved around for different jobs. We made new friends, traveled and experienced all kinds of adventures. Pretty soon, some of us found a life partner. We got married, took an overpriced honeymoon, got domestic, perhaps got a little crazy because we knew kids might be coming. And pretty soon the kids came. The babies took over our lives and our emotional state of being. The days consisted of laundry, feedings, doctor appointments, blockading toddlers from every possible danger in the house, preparing healthy organic meals for growing bodies, baby gym, baby swim classes, baby art, teething, exhaustion. Then the kids got older and started school, giving you 6.5 hours of uninterrupted work time. That's liberating for a while....but then one day you stop in the middle of writing an email and remember the dusty old dream. You post a note on your office wall with the dream in bright letters...and it sits there for a few months. You begin to hate the note.
Then one night you set your alarm for 5 a.m., and the next morning you get up after hitting the snooze button five times and start working on your dream. Some days you don't get up, or your work takes over, but the next day you get up and go at it again.
It doesn't matter matter what your dream is: maybe it's getting in shape or learning how to make the perfect crème brûlée or going to church again. Maybe it's writing a book or novella, which is mine. A dream may change over time, but the point is: pick one no matter how small or big and work on it until it's done or until you've realized it wasn't the dream your really wanted after all. If that's the case, change your dream into another pursuit. I have no idea where my dream journey will lead me or if I will abandon it eventually. I'm afraid about giving up in boredom and disillusionment, or not having the time or energy to keep chasing after it. I am deeply afraid of failure.
Our lives are filled to the brim with work, family, parenting and trying to stay healthy so we can meet our grandkids someday. It often feels like there's no room for anything else. But if you can, make time for that something else. It might lead you somewhere completely unexpected.
Happy dreaming! What's yours?
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Friday, January 7, 2011
How to Keep the Good Clients
It wasn’t long ago when I was happy to keep any clients that came my way. Now, I have the luxury of focusing on the good ones -- the ones with smart and supportive people, challenging and consistent work, competitive rates, and of course, who pay on time.
I haven't always been the most diplomatic person. Sometimes, I have to fight my tendency to speak my mind. Working with clients of all temperaments has helped me to be more adaptable, flexible and might I say, a people-pleaser. Because at the end of the day: the customer is always right. Well, almost always right.
Here are a few ideas I have for keeping favorite clients happy. What are yours?
1. Respond quickly. My top job as a service provider is to be an excellent communicator. When a request comes in, even if I can’t tackle it that day, I reply as soon as I can so they know I’m on it. If I don't understand what they're asking of me, I clear that up right away and also make sure I understand their deadline. If I can’t meet it, I’ll always ask if there’s any leeway before flat-out saying no. Very rarely have I had to refuse a client request based on the deadline.
2. Be a perfectionist--or try. My second top job is pretty simple. I treat every job the same -- matter what I'm getting paid. If I agree to write an article, I'm going to make sure it's the best content I can possibly deliver in the timeframe and with the materials provided. I try hard to understand their goals and audience, and make extra effort to minimize work on the client’s end. I'm human. I can't catch everything, but I feel I owe it to the client to proof my own work a few times before the client sees it.
3. Be humble. The client is the expert in their field, not me. I try to get as much information from them about their industry and needs as I can, and I don’t pretend to know something that I don't. If I know I'm right, but the client thinks I'm wrong – I bite my tongue. After all, they're paying for the work and they make the rules. If I make a mistake, I admit it, and then we can all move on.
4. Don’t nickel and dime. It's okay and probably a good thing to occasionally do something for free. If the client has 30 minutes of extra work at the end of a project and I have already sent in the invoice, no problem. If the client wants to do a third or fourth revision, I do it. Once in a while, I have to set a boundary. But for a good client, it does pay later to go the extra mile today.
5. Have fun. If you have a sense of humor and it's clear that you enjoy your work, it rubs off in a positive way on your clients. Don't take yourself too seriously: try to get to know your clients a little bit. If you're a pleasant and interesting person to work with, and you deliver excellent work to boot, they're going to keep you around.
One of the toughest parts about being a consultant/freelancer is managing expectations. When you have multiple clients, sometimes they all want something from you at once. That can be stressful. Or, they may ask for something that's just unreasonable during the timeframe of a project. Those are the times when you have to get diplomatic and make sure you're not setting yourself up for failure. You may have to negotiate a little, but still ensure that the client knows you have a “can-do” attitude. It's a tricky balance, but nurturing client relationships is just part of the job.
I haven't always been the most diplomatic person. Sometimes, I have to fight my tendency to speak my mind. Working with clients of all temperaments has helped me to be more adaptable, flexible and might I say, a people-pleaser. Because at the end of the day: the customer is always right. Well, almost always right.
Here are a few ideas I have for keeping favorite clients happy. What are yours?
1. Respond quickly. My top job as a service provider is to be an excellent communicator. When a request comes in, even if I can’t tackle it that day, I reply as soon as I can so they know I’m on it. If I don't understand what they're asking of me, I clear that up right away and also make sure I understand their deadline. If I can’t meet it, I’ll always ask if there’s any leeway before flat-out saying no. Very rarely have I had to refuse a client request based on the deadline.
2. Be a perfectionist--or try. My second top job is pretty simple. I treat every job the same -- matter what I'm getting paid. If I agree to write an article, I'm going to make sure it's the best content I can possibly deliver in the timeframe and with the materials provided. I try hard to understand their goals and audience, and make extra effort to minimize work on the client’s end. I'm human. I can't catch everything, but I feel I owe it to the client to proof my own work a few times before the client sees it.
3. Be humble. The client is the expert in their field, not me. I try to get as much information from them about their industry and needs as I can, and I don’t pretend to know something that I don't. If I know I'm right, but the client thinks I'm wrong – I bite my tongue. After all, they're paying for the work and they make the rules. If I make a mistake, I admit it, and then we can all move on.
4. Don’t nickel and dime. It's okay and probably a good thing to occasionally do something for free. If the client has 30 minutes of extra work at the end of a project and I have already sent in the invoice, no problem. If the client wants to do a third or fourth revision, I do it. Once in a while, I have to set a boundary. But for a good client, it does pay later to go the extra mile today.
5. Have fun. If you have a sense of humor and it's clear that you enjoy your work, it rubs off in a positive way on your clients. Don't take yourself too seriously: try to get to know your clients a little bit. If you're a pleasant and interesting person to work with, and you deliver excellent work to boot, they're going to keep you around.
One of the toughest parts about being a consultant/freelancer is managing expectations. When you have multiple clients, sometimes they all want something from you at once. That can be stressful. Or, they may ask for something that's just unreasonable during the timeframe of a project. Those are the times when you have to get diplomatic and make sure you're not setting yourself up for failure. You may have to negotiate a little, but still ensure that the client knows you have a “can-do” attitude. It's a tricky balance, but nurturing client relationships is just part of the job.
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Santa gave me an iPad
And I didn't even ask for one. How about that? It's genius simplicity. Nothing more to say. I know 2011 will be even more productive...and fun. Happy New Year!
Friday, December 3, 2010
It's official: I'm a cheapskate but I want an iPad.
I don't usually succumb to the latest gadget trends. I bought the second generation iPhone, which I still own. I keep my computers as long as they keep running. We were probably the last person in our town to buy a flatscreen TV. Never got an iPod. Not that I don't like new technology -- but I guess I like spending my scant extra cash on vacations. Anyhow, back to the topic of my obsession: I am out and about so much in the afternoons shuttling my kids around while also trying to keep up with work that I can hugely see the potential of having one of these overpriced large-format iPhone's. I think that could happen next year. I can't even begin to think how my kids are going to freak out when they see it on the kitchen counter. Watching movies at Grandma's house while Grandpa watches football? Killer. A little online shopping while the kids are in gymnastics? Nice. Emailing and reading in bed at the same time? Aaahhh.
Technology: sometimes it' a true pain in the butt (if you read my earlier posts about home laptop maintenance) yet I have an instinctual feeling that the iPad is only going to bring me joy. Unadulterated, intellectual, free-spirited joy.
Happy Holidays friends!
Technology: sometimes it' a true pain in the butt (if you read my earlier posts about home laptop maintenance) yet I have an instinctual feeling that the iPad is only going to bring me joy. Unadulterated, intellectual, free-spirited joy.
Happy Holidays friends!
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Giving thanks
Until I have something more thought-provoking to say (yeah right), here's my list of thankfulness for this year.
Healthy, smart, fun-loving kids
Patient husband who really knows how to cook
Friends, near and far
Health
Great Clients
Hiking trails
Running shoes
Chocolate
Wine
Books
and let's not forget, Freedom!
For all our troops on distant shores, Godspeed. Special prayers to the families of Marines who have recently lost their lives in Afghanistan. And all those members of the military who have passed in the last year.
Happy Thanksgiving to you and your families. Give thanks for what you have and give hugs to everyone you love.
Healthy, smart, fun-loving kids
Patient husband who really knows how to cook
Friends, near and far
Health
Great Clients
Hiking trails
Running shoes
Chocolate
Wine
Books
and let's not forget, Freedom!
For all our troops on distant shores, Godspeed. Special prayers to the families of Marines who have recently lost their lives in Afghanistan. And all those members of the military who have passed in the last year.
Happy Thanksgiving to you and your families. Give thanks for what you have and give hugs to everyone you love.
Monday, November 1, 2010
Relationships in tough times
Lately, my husband and I have been hearing about friends who are having troubles in their marriages. Nothing scientific here, but I'm guessing that the toll of the last few years of financial hardship is catching up to a lot of people. Marriages can be bumpy in good times, but when life gets tough -- that's the real test. This is the moment where you must pause and say to yourself: can we get through this if we fight hard enough? And then secondly, do we care enough to fight? This is harsh analysis, I know. Yet getting through tough times -- whether they are financial or job-related, illness-related, parenting-related, or the result of substance abuse or infidelity-- takes a triple dose of unflinching patience, will and faith.
Sometimes, I think that our generation doesn't have the gumption that our parents’ generation did. It's too easy to split ways, find a new mate, and have some breathing room. Truthfully, some of our parents should have never stayed together all those years, but they did because it was much less acceptable to divorce than it is today. The people who were meant to be together and stuck it through, steadily working through the issues, are now enjoying the fruit of their labors in retirement: each other.
What should be the expectation of a long-term relationship, anyhow? If the "wow" factor is gone does that mean it's time to throw in the towel? If you live in Hollywood, perhaps. But for the rest of us -- it's time to be realistic. Will your life really be better off without your spouse? Think about it. If you have kids, it's an especially momentous decision. A few years of less-than-romantic times doesn't mean you aren't still meant to be together. Fighting about jobs and money doesn't mean that you are incompatible -- these are extremely stressful issues whether you are in a relationship or not.
My husband and I have been through some rocky roads the past few years. Yet we have chosen to remain together. Not just because we have two darling young girls who depend upon us, but because I truly believe that we will be better off working as a team than apart. I believe that once we get through some of the current battles, we will be stronger. My patience has been tested many times, yet I always come back to the simple reality that he is my best friend and I love him. I am sticking to that sentiment: that's where we started and even though sometimes the mirror is fuzzy today, it's fundamentally where we remain.
Many others are going through their days of reckoning right now. I wish them all sound decisions that come from the heart and the mind. I'll be writing more about relationships in “modern times” over the coming months. I hope you can share your thoughts!
Sometimes, I think that our generation doesn't have the gumption that our parents’ generation did. It's too easy to split ways, find a new mate, and have some breathing room. Truthfully, some of our parents should have never stayed together all those years, but they did because it was much less acceptable to divorce than it is today. The people who were meant to be together and stuck it through, steadily working through the issues, are now enjoying the fruit of their labors in retirement: each other.
What should be the expectation of a long-term relationship, anyhow? If the "wow" factor is gone does that mean it's time to throw in the towel? If you live in Hollywood, perhaps. But for the rest of us -- it's time to be realistic. Will your life really be better off without your spouse? Think about it. If you have kids, it's an especially momentous decision. A few years of less-than-romantic times doesn't mean you aren't still meant to be together. Fighting about jobs and money doesn't mean that you are incompatible -- these are extremely stressful issues whether you are in a relationship or not.
My husband and I have been through some rocky roads the past few years. Yet we have chosen to remain together. Not just because we have two darling young girls who depend upon us, but because I truly believe that we will be better off working as a team than apart. I believe that once we get through some of the current battles, we will be stronger. My patience has been tested many times, yet I always come back to the simple reality that he is my best friend and I love him. I am sticking to that sentiment: that's where we started and even though sometimes the mirror is fuzzy today, it's fundamentally where we remain.
Many others are going through their days of reckoning right now. I wish them all sound decisions that come from the heart and the mind. I'll be writing more about relationships in “modern times” over the coming months. I hope you can share your thoughts!
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Ok. let me clarify...
It's possible that my last post was a tad, er, ungrateful. Summer is critical for kids. I have many happy memories of summers swimming, camping and road trips with my family and playing in the sun with my friends. And, I reduced my work schedule this summer to a 3-day week so that I could spend time hanging with my girls. So to make things clear: summer is still awesome. But, well, read on...it sometimes is a real pain in the arse for the working parent...
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