Blind Ambition Tour

That's a tough one. I'm guilty of the before-bed e-mail check. Having a separate work space, even if it's a corner of your kitchen or bedroom, is very helpful. You have to be militant about figuring out when you do your best work and try to align that with your clients' hours. Know that sometimes you're going to work longer, and sometimes you can take Fridays off.

You talk a lot about making time for a pet project. Does that really help counterbalance the feeling of being stifled at work?

Absolutely. If you have something to look forward to instead of collapsing on the couch and drooling in front of the TV, you get the extra creative spice and it makes your day job less onerous. When we as freelancers have the whole week open to work, the project might expand to fit the whole week. But if you only devote 10 hours a week to it, you're only going to work that amount, and you won't waste the time.

What do you wish you'd known before you started your career in an office?

I would have been more strategic about staying in 9 to 5 longer to make the contacts and get the skills I needed to work for myself, I didn't do that at all. I wish I took advantage of the resources.

You relied a lot on temp gigs over the years to help with short-term cash flow and health benefits. Is there anything people should know about working temp jobs?

Temporary employers want someone who's already skilled. They want you to know how to do the job. Ask a lot of questions. Figure out the people who can make your job easier. And there are funny cultures where staff people don't reach out socially or professionally to the temp. But that doesn't mean you can't reach out to them.

Do you recommend using flex time or a shorter work week while you're testing the waters as an independent worker?

Yeah. Sometimes people get caught up in the old way of thinking, work until they're 50, and then do what they want. Doing something on the side or easing into it with a transition plan means you can get out of the cube faster. You can build multiple skills while you're at your day job, and you don't have to worry about the money. You have a steady paycheck that is coming in. It's hard to be creative and innovative when you're up at 4 a.m. and worried about paying the bills. And if it doesn't work out, you still have your bread-and-butter gig.