Last year, I wrote a post on how to keep going when you’ve had a setback and just don’t have the motivation to work any more. In this post, I’m focusing on how to keep the motivation going when the weather’s lovely and you simply don’t want to be indoors, chained to your desk.

1. Vary your timetable

If you want to be out and about, enjoying the sunshine, then set the alarm early (if you’re a lark) or work in the evening (if you’re an owl). That way, you can take time out in the middle of the day and still get a full day’s work done.

2. Work outside

I wrote this post yesterday sitting on my balcony. If you don’t have a garden or balcony, then why not pick up your laptop and go to an outdoor café or local park?

Just because you are offered a project by a potential new client, it doesn’t mean you have to accept it. In fact, once you’ve celebrated the fact you have a brand new client, you might well find yourself saying: “Why on earth did I agree to do this?”

Here are ten reasons why I politely decline a project.

1. The potential client wants to beat me down on price.

2. They don’t agree to paying me 50% upfront. If they are unknown to me, I need to be sure they are serious about the project and serious about paying me.

3. They set unrealistic deadlines, such as phoning me on a Friday lunchtime and saying they need a brochure written for Monday morning. Actually on one such occasion, I didn’t refuse the project, instead I said: “Yes, I can do this but I charge double if you want me to work weekends.” Their response was: “I think we can wait until Thursday for it.”

The other day I passed the milestone of having been freelance for 20 years. (Yikes.) So I thought I’d use this blog post to share some of the lessons I’ve learned along the way.

Lesson 1: Don’t start work with a new client until you’ve got the go ahead in writing

I say in my terms and conditions that ‘work will only start once I have received an email or purchase order confirming the budget’. And, when I start work for a brand new client, I only start when I have 50% of the project fee cleared in my bank account.

Also, make sure you have a clear, written brief so you both understand what the parameters of the project are. Specify exactly in your quote what your price covers – including the number of meetings.

Lesson 2: Planning your schedule is a waste of time