Moving every few years is common for military families, which creates career challenges for spouses and family members who aren’t in the service. However, those unique circumstances can also be an opportunity to build something of your own that can move with you.
That’s what Amy Sept decided to do. A Canadian military spouse, she’s the managing editor of the Upwork blog and a contributing author to the Hiring Headquarters. She has been working with Upwork (then oDesk) since 2011.
Q: Describe your freelancing journey. What made you decide to take your professional life in this direction?
“I (slowly!) launched my own business, starting with small contracts in 2009. I’m a military spouse, so I never know when I might need to relocate. That makes it awkward to pursue a traditional career, and starting my own business seemed the best way to take control of my professional life.
“I was fortunate to have Upwork (then oDesk) as an early client—what a chance to learn about how work is changing from people in the Upwork community, who live it every single day! I have fantastic clients who’ve helped my business grow as I’ve taken it ‘on the road’ multiple times–even making a move halfway across the country.”
Amy with a wombat in Australia.
Q: What does a typical day look like as a freelancer/remote employee?
“Most of the people I work with are in different time zones, so I typically start my day with email to make sure I haven’t missed anything important. The next step is to review projects and upcoming deadlines. Then I check and prioritize my to-do list; my day goes best when I can finish something high priority before lunch.
“I try to end my day with a fitness class or commitment of some sort to someone else—that gives my day a hard end time, and it’s good to go out and do something.”
Q: Describe some of the benefits and challenges of working remotely.
“The number one benefit [of working remotely] for me is flexibility of location, schedule, and the type of projects I work on. I appreciate that I can choose and control my work environment. It’s easy to feel isolated, though—especially when traveling or living in a new city. I’ve just joined my first coworking space!!
“And I’m a fan of video calls. Upwork’s distributed content team meets weekly, which is a great chance to catch up. I’m also in a virtual mastermind group that connects every week; they inspire me and help keep me on track.
“Focus is another challenge that takes regular effort and discipline. Routines and habits help me a lot. I have playlists that help me focus regardless of where I am. Sometimes I literally set a timer and commit to work for a set chunk of time. Other times, I accept that I need to go do something else.”
Q: What does “work without limits” mean to you?
“I’m the one who decides what work—and success—means to me. Everyone wants different things at different times in life. I think ‘work without limits’ gives each of us the opportunity to define what that balance looks like for ourselves.”
Learn from other Upwork Insiders by checking out these other posts >>
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