It’s devastating to have lost her and, quite naturally, I’ve been thinking a lot over the past few days of the nine years we spent with her. There are three words to sum up her character: courageous, determined and resilient.

Courageous

She was unhappy in her original home: another cat in the flat (her son) bullied her constantly. So, when they all moved from the flat below us to another flat in our complex, Daisy decided to leave her owner and stay put, living in the communal hallway. She chose to leave the certainty of a life with a guy who loved her, cared for her and fed her for a life of uncertainty.

Determined

The rest of us in the block agreed not to feed her because her owner was hoping she would change her mind and move back with him once she got hungry. However, she didn’t. Out of the six flats in our block, Daisy had decided that she wanted to move in with my husband and me. She would sit by our front door and try to sneak in as soon as we put our key in the lock.

We didn’t want a cat.

I was allergic to her (I came out in red weals on my skin) and, besides, we had been thinking of getting a dog! Eventually we relented. We could see how determined she was to wheedle her way into our flat every day. Her previous owner realised he couldn’t force her back so he gave us her injection record book and Daisy ‘officially’ became ours on the vet’s database.

Resilient

She developed kidney stones and, whenever she got ill and was on medication, she always bounded back to full health really quickly.

So what does the courage, determination and resilience of our cat have to do with freelancing?

Well, in these tough economic times, we’ve got to embrace these same qualities that Daisy displayed.

We need courage if we are to go beyond our comfort zone, or to take the plunge into new markets or to start up a brand new venture.

We need determination to achieve the goals we set ourselves for 2012 and to keep going – even when new projects seem thin on the ground.

And we need resilience to bounce back when we lose a client or when a project gets cancelled or when the new business opportunities we’ve been chasing are won by someone else.

We can learn a great deal from the bravery of one little cat.

So, if I’m on a long train journey, I can answer my emails, do a bit of social media, continue with a client project, or read a blog post or two. Being out all day doesn’t mean having to spends ages ‘catching up’ when I get home.

And, as long as there is a wi-fi connection, I don’t even need my laptop. I simply take my iPad. That’s because I access all my files via the cloud, using Dropbox.

I love Dropbox. It means all my files are in one secure place and it doesn’t matter if my computer gets stolen/breaks down: my files are still safe up there in the cloud. It also means I don’t have to remember to back up my work at regular intervals.

So, technology helps us work smarter. And it also makes us more flexible. I’m writing this sitting on my sofa. But I could just as well be on a park bench, in the south of France or in a Berlin cafe.

The next time you find yourself with an invitation to visit friends in Scotland and you live in the south of England, don’t feel guilty about taking time off and getting behind with your work. Book a train seat with an electric power socket and spend the journey hard at work. And work on the way back down on Monday.

How does technology help you work harder and smarter?

Related post: Why a location-independent lifestyle is good for you.

So here’s a quick recap of the OTHER things you need to be doing to rise up the Google rankings:

Ensure your site is engaging

I’m told that Google records how long a visitor spends on your site and this will impact your search position. So, if Google sees people are taking time to read your site, then they figure it must have content that’s of interest. After all, Google’s role is to provide relevant information. That means you need to have a site that looks engaging, has compelling content, and makes visitors want to click through and find out more.

Get external links to your site

Google gives a higher ranking to sites that have lots of back links as they will regard it as an authority site that people want to link to. You can read about how to get links in this post about SEO tips I wrote last year. I also included a section on where exactly you need to put keyword phrases within your content. Worth a quick read.

Since I wrote that post, I discovered two extra (and easy) ways you can get external links pointing to your website or blog. Set up an about.me and a flavors.me page. They are free.

Update your site on a regular basis

This gives the Google spiders a reason to come back and crawl your site. If your content is static, they won’t visit. Simple as that.

All the above work in tandem to get you up the Google rankings. Does anyone else have any SEO tips they fancy sharing?

The message we hear is: “We need to save for the future”.

But we also need to live for today – the here and now. This message was brought home to me loud and clear last week when we heard that the wife of my husband’s closest friend had suddenly been taken ill and was lying in a coma in hospital.

We can’t predict the future and we don’t know what lies in store for us just around the corner. So we need to make the most of the present moment.

That’s why I decided to take advantage of today’s wonderful sunshine and spend a couple of hours walking by the river. I returned revived and refreshed and glad to have soaked up some winter sun.

Carpe diem – what are you going to do to make the most of today?

And unless you live in a warm country, damp and cold January is not the easiest month for many of us. Here are a few pointers to help you keep positive at this time of year:

1. Remember that feast and famine is the natural cycle for freelancers

We all get times when we’re so snowed under, we don’t know how to cope. Then we get times when there’s no prospect of any work on the immediate horizon. It’s always like that, so try not to panic if you’re not busy at the moment.

About five years ago, January was going to be a mega-busy month for me, with two major projects due to happen at once. I spent Christmas worrying how I’d cope and, in the end, BOTH got cancelled.

It can be good to have time on your hands, as it gives you the opportunity to reconnect with old contacts, to undertake some marketing and to network. It also gives you the space to take a step back from your day-to-day business, to review your goals and have a long, hard think about the kind of clients and projects you want to go after.

2. See your friends

If you’re going through a quiet period, meet up with friends. Socialising doesn’t have to cost lots of money: you can meet for a coffee, go for a walk in the park, or visit a gallery. Catching up with friends is important and, if they are also freelance, they’re most likely going through the same experience themselves. And, you never know, they may just know of someone who is in need of your particular skills.

3. Take time out to enjoy yourself

Sitting at home worrying about your business (or lack of it) won’t magic up new clients. So my third suggestion is to go and do something you enjoy. You’ll feel much better for it and will, hopefully, return feeling more positive and in a better frame of mind to tackle the issue of how you’re going to find more work.

4. Buy a Seasonal Adjustment Disorder (SAD) lamp

If, like me, you suffer from the January blues and the short days and lack of sunlight get you down, invest in a SAD lamp. I have one on my desk – it’s not quite the equivalent of a bright Caribbean sky but it does help. Also, try to go out for a 30-minute walk at lunchtime so that you can get the positive effects of what daylight we do have.

5. Think of another income stream

If your usual clients have all cut their budgets and you need to boost your income to pay your regular bills, is there some other way you could earn money? For example by taking on a part-time job (like dog walking or working in a bar), or setting up a shop on eBay or Amazon, or putting other skills you may possess to good use (such as translating or becoming a private tutor if you are fluent in another language).

What strategies do you employ to get through tough times?

I just got back from five weeks living, working and playing in Lisbon, Portugal. If you have never been I recommend a visit especially in the winter when day time temperatures rarely dip below 17 degrees and it’s bright and sunny everyday. Add to that the low cost of living, a beautiful city, friendly people and the best custard tarts in the world, it’s the perfect escape from grey London.

So how did I manage this as a freelancer?

Welcome to my world of part-time location independence.

The location independence movement was started by Lea Woodward and her husband Jonathan in 2007 when, fed up with their corporate lifestyles with plenty of money but little time, they packed it all in to work and travel around the world. Reading about Lea’s adventures in lifestyle design led me to quit my job in 2008 and go live for a year in the south of Spain while still consulting in the UK and building my first online business StartaTheatreCompany.com.

A year in Spain was fun but I found I missed the action of London, so  part-time location independent lifestyle is where I am at now. Getting out of London and living and working in different countries at different times of the year is a core part of my vision for my work and life and I would heartily recommend that everyone gives it a go. All you need is a laptop, internet connection and a place to work.

Here are some thoughts on the benefits of taking your computer and going working abroad:

1. It gives you the physical and head space to work on a big project.

My project that I tackled in Amsterdam was researching material around mindfulness at work. This year I am writing my new book The Business Yogi: How the Science of Yoga Can Help You Be More Productive, Happy and Healthy at Work, which takes ideas around the practice and philosophy of yoga and applies them to modern business and the workplace. I actually had allocated time in August last year (another quiet period) to write the book but for whatever reason, I couldn’t summon the creative juices then. In Lisbon the words just flowed. Getting your of your normal routine can do wonders for your creativity!

2. You are working but not really available.

When you are away you can’t have meetings, the request for random coffees stop, and your email inbox slows to a trickle. Without all these interruptions and calls on your time, you can get an enormous amount of work done.

3. You can work more according to your energy patterns and feelings instead of pre-planning your time.

Being a bit of a productivity geek, in London I tend to plan and prioritise my time quite strictly. When I am away I tend to kill the to-do list and instead work on what I feel like working on that hour or day.

4. You can foster new collaborations and opportunities.

Being in a coworking space means that I have access to a whole new set of people and businesses and I have made great collaborations with people in Amsterdam (2010′s trip) and Lisbon too.

5. It’s good personal development stuff.

Seth Godin says “seek out habits that help you overcome fear or inertia”. Going to live and work in a new country, even if only for a short time, is scary stuff. You leave the comfort of your family, your friends and your language for somewhere new. Yes, it’s scary and you have to really put yourself out there and try to make friends. Sunday afternoons are always the worst as everyone seems to be with others except for you. But what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger and a little bit of loneliness now and again makes you grateful for what you have back home. You also find yourself really looking forward to going to work on Monday morning!

6. You can see how other cultures work and play.

I find this a fascinating part of working in another country. In the Netherlands, people tend to start work early at 8 or 9am but down tools bang on 5pm as they head home. In Lisbon, they start later around 10 or 11am but work through until 6 or 7pm. Lunch at The Hub was taken communally round the kitchen table. Lunch in Lisbon is an hour and a half affair at a local cafe or restaurant. I was taken to task for eating lunch at my desk – very unusual in Lisbon! The Dutch spend time with family and friends with an early dinner and early bed. Lisbon workers head home to get changed and then might have dinner around 10 or 11pm before hitting the bars until 2am. And that’s on a school night!

Fancy giving this working abroad thing a go? Here are some top tips for making it an easier and enjoyable experience:

• Book yourself a desk at a coworking space. I know first hand how lonely it can be working from home so find a space where you can go to work everyday and meet new people. Pedro Santos, one of the members here at Coworking Lisboa, has developed a new platform called All Desk where you can search for a spare desk in cities around the world.

• Get involved in the space. If there are lunches or social occasions, go along. Offer to run a workshop or talk for the space members. If there is a space mailing list, introduce yourself and say what kind of people you would like to meet.

• Use AirBnB.com to find a room for your stay. Don’t stay in a soulless hotel, stay with a local so you get a real feel for how the locals live. I stayed in this gorgeous place in the Barrio Alto, one of the coolest places in Lisbon. Use AirBnB to also rent out your home while you are gone to cover your costs.

• Don’t make it all about work. Make the most of your stay in a new place. Spend evenings trying out local cuisine and entertainment and use the weekends to go exploring. Bunk off the odd afternoon to go for a trip out of town. Build some non-work time in as well (we went to the Algarve for five days between Christmas and New Year).

• If you can, invite your partner along for part of your trip. I am lucky that Alex also works for himself and he was able to join me in Amsterdam and also Lisbon for part of my trip.

• Make the most of Skype. Unlike in London, when I am away I am logged in to Skype all the time. When I see a friend online, I jump on for a chat. Keeping in contact with others back home can stop you getting lonely.

Have a think about your own work. How can you start to make it more ‘location independent’? I would love to hear your ideas.

About the Author

Sinead Mac Manus is founder of 8fold, a digital wellbeing company that helps busy people work better and design their business. Sinead will be launching a new programme in 2012 helping other entrepreneurs build successful location independent businesses. If you want to be the first to hear about the Lifestyle Business 101 class, do sign up to her mailing list.

I hear a lot of freelancers complaining that they do not get any referrals. And, I can understand why. Over the years I had struggled myself to be recommended by my clients. I would read everything I could get my hands on about winning new work through referrals and tried the advice there. Nothing worked. Eventually I realized that the problem was somewhere else, changed my ways and referrals started rolling in. Because, you see, in order to get a referral you have to do a bit more than just provide a great service.

8 Real Life Reasons Why You Do Not Get Any Referrals

1. You don’t have a story

People need to sympathise with you in order to refer you. If, to them, you are only a guy on the other side of an email or a phone, working on their new brochure, they will never like you. You don’t have to be friends with your clients but you need to have a story they will know, remember and identify you with.

Your story is simply the reason you do what you do. It’s what you tell them when they ask you why you are a freelance writer, SEO consultant or whatever else. If your story is compelling enough, it will add value to you. And, this is exactly what’s worth telling the others about.

2. You don’t practice communicating

The art of communicating is pretty much dying, that’s the problem of today. We think that 140 characters is enough to express everything. In reality, communication is more than just a tweet an hour and unless you learn how to talk to your clients, not only about projects, you will find it hard to get referrals.

3. It’s hard to identify with your brand

Most freelancers do not pay much attention to their brand, it’s a sad state of affairs. Their website says one thing, their email signature another and there is a different address on their invoice. In reality, all those things build an image of you in the client’s eyes. If the client has trouble identifying you with your brand, she will have trouble passing that to others.

4. You do not believe in yourself

It’s hard to recommend someone who doesn’t have faith in herself. If your client has to convince you that your work is good, they will never tell anyone about you. Full stop.

5. You only copy others

You need to stand out in the marketplace to get referrals. If all you are is the same as your competition, then why would someone recommend you to others? Do as much as you can to stand out from the crowd, even if you have to leave your comfort zone.

6. You are afraid to leave your comfort zone

This pretty much ties in with the previous tip. If you are afraid to try new things, the risk is that you will always be the same as everyone around you. And, why on Earth would I want to refer you to someone I know, if they can go to that guy who is unique?

7. You are desperate for business

Charging very low prices, always saying yes, even to ridiculous client demands are signs of desperation (or amateurism but we won’t go there in this post). Sure, your clients might love it, they can use you for a very low fee but there is no chance they will recommend you to others. At least not without mentioning how easy it is to squeeze a lot for nothing from you.

8. You are in it for the wrong reasons

Lastly, you might be in business for the wrong reasons. Clients can see through you easily and if they feel that all you are interested in is the money, without sincerely wanting to help them, there is no chance they will pass your phone number to others.

Getting a referral is probably one of the most rewarding things that can happen to a person. However, it is worth remembering that a referral is a combination of more than just a good service. It is you as a person that earns it, not only the quality of your work.

Pawel works as a content writer for the leading serviced apartments provider in UK.

1. Affiliate Marketing

Start with your own blog or Web site. Affiliate programs allow you to earn a commission on sales generated through advertising links on your page. Some programs pay a percentage of the sale, while others pay a flat fee based on each sale. The key to success with affiliate marketing is to choose a reputable program — Amazon is a popular choice for many bloggers — and to feature quality products that have some natural connection to your site. For example, if you blog about health, you should feature health products. The more organic the affiliate ads appear to be for your site, the less they will appear like ads, which can be a turn off for many readers.

2. Advertising

Whether you choose pay-per-click advertising or to sell ad space directly, your blog or Web site offers a lot of opportunities for you to make money with advertising. Programs like Google’s AdSense are very popular, and they pay bloggers a set rate based on how many clicks the site generates for a particular ad. If you build a lot of traffic to your site, you will eventually be able to sell advertising directly to other companies and to set your own rates.

3. Reviews

There are many ways to make money writing reviews of products and services. You can write sponsored reviews on your own blog or Web site (which you will have to disclose), or you can start a Web site dedicated specifically to reviews. Many sites will also pay for your opinions through surveys or reviews written specifically for them.

4. Stock Photography

You don’t have to be a professional photographer to make money selling photography online. Web developers and bloggers always need photos for their Web sites and posts. You can make money by taking photos of everyday objects and situations and making them available for sale on sites like istockphoto.com. You earn a commission each time your photo sells, without ever doing any more work after your initial upload.

5. Domain Flipping

Domain names are like real estate for the Internet. You can purchase a domain name for about $6.99 (sometimes less). If you get lucky, or if you are fast enough to register a domain that becomes in demand, you can then resell it for hundreds or possibly thousands of dollars. Imagine if you had registered www.walmart.com or www.makemoneyonline.com early — those domains would be worth quite a bit now. The key is to research terms that are popular and timely to determine good potential domains and then to buy them quickly. You can park them and collect ad revenue while you wait to resell them.

Freelancing is a great way to make money online. However, when business is sparse, these simple strategies can help you supplement your income. Some savvy individuals can even turn these strategies into a full-time income. The amount of effort and talent you put in will determine your ultimate success, just like with your freelancing.

About the author:

Amanda Tradwick is a grant researcher and writer for CollegeGrants.org. She has a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Delaware, and has recently finished research on grants for college women and college housing grants.

Five ways to achieve your freelance goals for 2011

Three tips for progressing the goals you set for 2011

Nine ways to improve your cashflow

14 tips for a successful blog

How to pinpoint your ideal client

How do you handle the feast and famine syndrome?

10 reasons to turn down a freelance project

Six lessons I learned the hard way

Four exercises to counter the effects of sitting at a computer

Five ways I can make my day more productive

Here’s to prosperous freelancing in 2012. And a Happy New Year to you.

It’s not quite like a traditional business model where you can get software to take care of your inventory management, it’s more like a second job in and of itself. You have to keep track of hours and work load, invoice and save for taxes, while managing the actual work and saving for the near and distant future.

If you haven’t made the leap into freelancing yet, you may still be taking for granted the structure of traditional jobs. Here are a few tips to help you handle your cash flow as a freelancer.

Tip 1: Look for new jobs before the old one is finished. There is a sizable amount of time lost between jobs, and as much as you may think you’re distracting from your current job, having zero to little downtime between jobs is important to keeping a steady flow of income.

Tip 2: Keep scientific financial records. Scientists keep records so that, if they spontaneously combust one day, another scientist should be able to come in and pick up right where they left off. Back up files, organize by date and at the end of each month, or at the very least each quarter. Also analyze your cash flow, trends, invoices, receipts and bank statements. Every time you have to file taxes you should be so organized you don’t panic about anything.

Tip 3: Hire an accountant. Unless you minored in accounting or are just really into filing taxes, this is the perfect duty to outsource. As a freelancer you have deductions to claim: computer equipment, software, office space and whatever else you can. Hiring an accountant is the best way to make sure none of these things go unnoticed and you end up getting credit for everything you should.

Tip 4: Diversify.  It’s like the old saying, ‘don’t keep all your eggs in one basket’. Don’t keep all your money in one bank account. Every paycheck should be split up into pieces that get sent off to a savings account, a tax account, a usable account and an investment account. Due to the feast and famine nature of freelancing, splitting things up so you can make your money work for you is important.

If you’ve taken the bold leap into freelancing, you have to be your own boss. That means taking on all the responsibility of a boss, managing your business with an awareness that will make you successful rather than a disorganization that can bury your talent and limit your earning potential.

Carolyn K writes about business and inventory management for the Blog Content Guild.