The Freelancer's Teabreak

In the first episode of 2026, I discuss a reflective approach to setting personal and professional goals for the new year on The Freelancers Tea Break. I share my achievements from the previous year, including completing my ILM 7 diploma and writing a book titled 'The Freelance Lifestyle.' This episode emphasises an experimental and low-pressure strategy for goal setting, focusing on starting or stopping small habits, doing less of certain activities, and introducing more positive ones. I also tease upcoming episodes and January challenges, targeting areas such as finding new clients and improving digital presence.  Timestamps: 00:00 Welcome to The Freelancers Tea Break 2026  01:17 Reflecting on Personal Achievements  02:54 Exciting Announcements for January  04:13 Gentle Questions for the New Year  04:26 Experimenting with New Habits  09:47 Community Engagement and Challenges  11:58 Looking Ahead: Upcoming Episodes and Goals Affiliate link for In Good Company who I completed my diploma with and their podcast The Coaching Crowd Follow me on Instagram Follow me on Bluesky Email: [email protected]  Come join us in the free Freelance Lifestylers Facebook group Want more support? Check out the Freelance Lifestyle School courses and membership. Join the Freelance Lifestyle Discord Community: https://discord.gg/RKYkReS5Cz  

Hello and welcome to a special episode of The Freelancers Tea Break! I'm Emma Cossey, and as this is our last podcast episode of the year, I'm doing things a bit differently. Today, I'm conducting my own annual performance review as a freelancer. From attendance and punctuality to goals, organisation, and communication, join me as I reflect on the past year, celebrate achievements, and identify areas for improvement. My affiliate link to Sunsama Timestamps: 00:00 - Introduction  01:10 - Attendance and Punctuality  04:30 - Reviewing Goals  07:50 - Organisation and Systems  11:00 - Communication  15:00 - Focus and Productivity  19:20 - Collaboration 21:10 - Financial Performance  24:00 - Strengths and Areas for Improvement 29:00 - Conclusion  Follow me on Instagram Follow me on Bluesky Email: [email protected]  Come join us in the free Freelance Lifestylers Facebook group Want more support? Check out the Freelance Lifestyle School courses and membership. Join the Freelance Lifestyle Discord Community: https://discord.gg/RKYkReS5Cz

In this episode of The Freelancers Tea Break, Emma Cossey, a coach and mentor for freelancers, discusses the importance of reflecting on and celebrating freelance wins. She categorises these wins into three main areas: boundary wins, skills and growth wins, and client and money wins. Timestamps: 00:00 Welcome to The Freelancers Tea Break  00:20 Reflecting on the Year: Wins and Challenges  00:54 Celebrating Small Wins  01:55 Boundary Wins: Setting Limits for Success  04:07 Skills and Growth Wins: Learning and Improving  06:05 Client and Money Wins: Tangible Successes  08:28 Challenge: Recognise Your Wins  09:25 Conclusion and Encouragement   My Sort your Freelance Pension Course   Follow me on Instagram Follow me on Bluesky Email: [email protected]  Come join us in the free Freelance Lifestylers Facebook group Want more support? Check out the Freelance Lifestyle School courses and membership. Join the Freelance Lifestyle Discord Community: https://discord.gg/RKYkReS5Cz

Welcome back to the Freelancer Tea Break! I'm Emma Cossey, your coach and mentor for freelancers. In this short episode, I share some essential admin tasks to wrap up the year and start January clearheaded. Timestamps:  00:00 Welcome to the Freelancer Tea Break  00:38 Review Your Invoices  01:38 Update Your Out of Office  02:56 Review Your Terms and Conditions  03:53 Analyse Your Client List  04:54 Check and Adjust Your Rates  06:06 End the Year on a Positive Note  06:39 Conclusion and Farewell Follow me on Instagram Follow me on Bluesky Email: [email protected]  Come join us in the free Freelance Lifestylers Facebook group Want more support? Check out the Freelance Lifestyle School courses and membership. Join the Freelance Lifestyle Discord Community: https://discord.gg/RKYkReS5Cz

Freelancing can get lonely, especially as the days get darker. This week, I'm sharing simple ways to stay connected, even if you're an introvert who loves working from the sofa (hi 👋). Try relaxed networking (like netwalking or coffee meetups) Explore local coworking spaces or apps like Reef Arrange casual coffee catch-ups Join online freelance communities (like my Facebook & Discord groups!) Just because you work alone doesn't mean you have to feel alone 💕 Networking and Co-working mentioned: Berkshire Mummies Networking My Little Boardroom Reef App Follow me on Instagram Follow me on Bluesky Email: [email protected]  Come join us in the free Freelance Lifestylers Facebook group Want more support? Check out the Freelance Lifestyle School courses and membership. Join the Freelance Lifestyle Discord Community: https://discord.gg/RKYkReS5Cz