I used to be SO naive when I first started out as a music therapist six years ago, about what it really meant to be a contract employee. I can vividly remember working my first job at Nanaimo Travellers Lodge, believing that I would never lose it. I didn’t save my taxes as I went, and really didn’t make good use of my income from that experience because of my belief that it would be there forever. It never even occurred to me that I should think about marketing strategies and getting other clients and contracts.
A couple of weeks ago, I had another scare with funding complications at one of my contracts. Thankfully, it was just a bureaucratic glitch, but it got me thinking about all of the up’s and down’s I’ve had in my contract work in the past two years. From that naive girl from NTL, to the year-long uncertainty of filling a maternity leave, to the experience I’ve gained by having to create a whole new caseload from scratch. I’ve learned tons in this period about ways to stay sane during these times of uncertainty as a contractor, and thought I’d share my thoughts with you.
10) Have your eggs in many baskets – Despite the inconvenience of having to commute to more work sites, I have found it very reassuring to know that if I lost one contract, I wouldn’t be out of work completely.
9) Understand your contracts – With some bigger organizations, it can be difficult to understand all the aspects of a contract, but this is important for no surprises later on. If there is a maximum funding amount provided annually, do the math yourself to make sure it adds up with the hours you’re requested to work. You can also negotiate for peace of mind within a contract, i.e. requesting two months notice for termination of the contract, etc. I have learned not to be shy in the process of contract negotiation – the more security you can get for yourself, the better.
8) Save, save, save - Make sure to save your money as the paychecks come in: according to Gail Vaz-Oxlade from Till Debt Do Us Part, we should all be saving 10% of our monthly incomes. Learn what you need to save for taxes each payday, and how these numbers fluctuate as your contracts come and go. It’s only been in the past year that I’ve been really on top of the savings, and it’s been hugely reassuring!
7) Make good use of your $$… - … while it’s there. Use the times when you’re doing well financially to reach your goals, whether you’re saving for a down-payment or a big trip, you’ll be so glad you did. I’ve often thought that I’d like to use the good times to work towards a safety net for the bad times, i.e. taking a short course in a practical skill that you know you’ll be able to get work in if the music therapy contracts dry up.
6) Keep in touch - No matter how much work you have, you always want your name buzzing. Make sure to stay in touch with your community and potential clients by keeping up to date with social media, newsletters, inservices, etc. It’s always better to have a waitlist that you can refer on if need be than no one knocking on your door at all.
5) Document the good times - I have found that keeping some type of journal where I can document stories, anecdotes and cute moments from my work is so beneficial. During the hard times when I’m questioning the music therapy work struggle, it reminds me how much I love my work and keeps me going. For me, my Facebook and Twitter pages work well for this.
4) Check in with your contracts – I used to get so nervous as the end of a contract would draw near and avoid talking about it with the facility. I’ve come to see how much LESS stressful it is to do a check in about their intentions to renew a few months before hand. If they are unable to, you’ll have enough time to start working on replacing it sooner.
3) Practice self-care - Stresses run so high in those times of uncertainty, whatever you can do to calm yourself, do it! I’ve learned huge lessons in not worrying about things before they’ve happened, living in the moment. The power of distraction works amazingly for me, where I can dive into a good book or a favorite TV show and not worry for a while.
2) Find your support system - I have been so blessed to have an amazing husband, who brings in the stable income. Beyond this though, he never seems to worry when there is uncertainty in my work – he really does believe in me and has faith for the both of us that everything is going to work out. There is power and strength in finding a partner or friend, etc. who can provide the same.
1) And lastly… HAVE FAITH IN YOURSELF! I’ve been through this circus enough times now to know that I will always find a way to land on my feet – and this, has been the most valuable lesson I’ve learned so far.
