Articles

Let's meet Aaron Parker - community host, active member of Leapers, and DevOps consultant Read.

Rachelle Denton talks us about her experience of parenting, freelancing and navigating neurodivergence as part of Autism Awareness month. Read.

Make time to capture and reflect what you've learned from each project - to build upon next time, and to observe your own progression and development. Read.

When your payment is late, how does it feel to chase it up? We asked freelancer Sophie Riano to share her experiences. Read.

Being more aware of where and when you feel in control can give you insight into building a wellness plan for your work. Read.

Take a strategic approach to time off with a holiday policy. Read.

A selection of books recommended by the community for anyone on their self-employment journey. Read.

Drinking adequate water during the day can help with focus, memory and positive mental health. Read.

Introducing Moment - our weekly gentle nudge towards working well for the self-employed. Read.

Our latest "Little Guide" helps you tackle the challenges of overdue invoices. Read.

No matter how long it might take before the restrictions are eased, we are unlikely to return to how we worked before, so we need to take time to actively look at how we're working now, and make sure it's working for us. Read.

To not feel sad, scared, overwhelmed or worried would be to deny useful emotions which help us navigate challening times. Read.

Why tackling late payments is an issue that improves everyone's health - financially and mentally. Read.

We've curated all of the content we're gathering on this topic into a single handy page. Read.

New research from Leapers shows the challenges which the self-employed and freelancers face. Read.

We spoke to freelance parent Rhiannon James about her experience of juggling parenting and self-employment during covid. Read.

Making a priority of your mental health at work when self-employed is a task for every day, not just once a year or if you're feeling low. Read.

We asked Ann Storr, a brand storyteller, to share her experiences of juggling parenting and self-employed work. Read.

As we go into the second week of homeschooling for the UK, we asked Ross Wintle, one of our active members, to share his experiences of juggling freelancing and teaching. Read.

"As a freelancer and parent to a very energetic two year old, I’m pretty well-versed in the juggle of work and childcare, but I’ll admit that news of another lockdown was hard to bear. " explains The Freelance Parent Cat Hufton. Read.

Our practical suggestions for coping with homeschooling when self-employed Read.

Reflecting and revising plans for how to move ahead is something we should be doing constantly not just on January 1st Read.

Matthew Knight awarded Freelancer of the Year for Leapers' work supporting the mental health of the self-employed. Read.

We're calling for all businesses to pay their freelancers on time ahead of the Xmas holidays. Read.

Because someone isn't around during the holidays to process an invoice isn’t an acceptable excuse for payments being made late. Read.

Taking time off as a freelance can be challenging - here are our tips on how to break up for the holidays. Read.

Our Leapers Advent calendar helps you reflect upon the year - and what a year it has been. Read.

The final section of our updated Work Well during Lockdown guide focuses specifically on freelancing and self-employment. Read.

It's time to accept that for a while, we’re all going to be running slower and shorter, rather than dipping into that reserve tank. Read.

What value does each project you work on offer you beyond money? Read.

Celebrating your Leaperversary - the day you went independent - is a great way to reflect on your business successes. Read.

Leapers Founder Matthew Knight shares his experience of depleted energy and why mental health cannot be an afterthought, but a life-long investment in ourselves. Read.

What are our recommendations for making sure you are looking after your wellbeing whilst working from home? Read.

Don't forget the absolute basics of working well from home during lockdown, as we enter a new phase of restrictions. Read.

We give ourselves excuses to avoid dealing with conflict, but we must tackle late payments head-on, and not accept responsibility for the bad behaviours of others. Read.

The pandemic has led to an explosion of over-communication and meeting-overload for many. How do we rethink about how meetings play an important role in our work, whilst also protecting our own energy levels during the day? Read.

Now you’re working for yourself, is mental health at work still relevant, or is it just something big corporates do? Here are five reasons why mental health at work matters even more now you’re self-employed. Read.

If you believe the future of work is more agile, dynamic, diverse and open to all, and than mental health at work is important to the success of your business - then make sure you include all of your team, regardless of employment contract. Read.

Six months of long, ongoing, persistent stress, even if its low level, even if you’re fit and well, is not healthy for anyone. Now is time to reflect again on how you are you working well from home, and make sure you’re keeping things in place to continue to look after your wellbeing. Read.

Keeping track of your energy, motivation and focus helps you to better understand your own patterns - and highlight any opportunities to redesign your working habits. Read.

As we approach a second lockdown - how is this time around different to before, and what will Leapers be doing to support you as our community members? Read.

Mapping the common emotional experience helps us to identify when and where we can collectively support the mental health of the self-employed. Read.

Finding a line between management, autonomy and hoping for the best - supporting freelancers takes more than a clear brief. Read.

Are freelancers more likely to push back on heading on-site if clients ask? Or our members excited to get some proper face time with their team now? Read.

A number of ‘e-account’ banking accounts and pre-pay platforms will be subject to activities being frozen by the FCA over payment provider “Wirecard” which powers apps including Anna and Revolut. Read.

Remember to balance things you have to do with things you want to do - and schedule is those enjoyable activities, as part of your plan for tackling lethargy. Read.

Get a handle on those little notifications which interrupt your focus and flow. Read.

Putting things off rarely helps us get things done - so use this technique to prioritise things you're less motivated to do. Read.

Adding a little light structure to your day can help tackle decision fatigue and lockdown lethargy. Read.

Putting some thought into how your diet affects your energy and mood levels is essential for kicking that lockdown lethargy. Read.

It's important to remember the mental health of everyone on your team - not just those you employ. Read.

Exercise is a critical part of keeping our physical and mental health positive during lockdown. Read.

After days and days of unusual, uncertain and unsettling times, a new feeling is starting to kick in - a sort of continual tiredness, low energy, low motivation: lethargy. Read.

Even if you're not a person who likes to plan, lists are an amazing tool in helping to keep on top of our mental health - and are especially valuable right now, whilst there's a lot going on (even if there's not a lot going on). Read.

We all need to take time ask whether we’re new tools in the best possible way, so we work well together - regardless of where we’re sat. Read.

Commutes create a useful boundary and regular time to use however we wish, let's create a positive commute whilst working from home. Read.

Leapers is changing our strategy over the coming weeks, and moving into 'calm' mode. Read.

IR35 'off-payroll' reforms have been pushed back by twelve months, in order to better support small businesses during COVID-19. Read.

We all need to give ourselves a break, literally and emotionally - else we risk burning out from the very same modern working practices which promise a better way of working. Read.

COVID-19 is looking set to have huge impacts globally - should the worse happen, and you need to stay at home, what things should the self-employed think about to prepare for the coronavirus? Read.

IR35 is causing stress and anxiety for many self-employed and freelancers in the UK - here are some of our thoughts on how to better manage those concerns. Read.

A feeling of self-doubt of your skills regardless of evidence to the contrary, affects 70% of people, including the many of the self-employed. What is it and what can you do about it? Read.

You might not have a desk, but today could be a great day to think about some small business housecleaning techniques which may help manage your stress levels as a member of the modern workforce. Read.

We're offering our support to the newest members of the independent working community. Read.

As more people move to freelancing - what will we see happening in 2020, and what do businesses need to do to lean into the modern workforce? Read.

Many businesses are not actively considering how to work with freelancers in the most effective and supportive way, with freelancers often being ‘bolted on’ to teams and expected to get hit the ground running. Why does this matter? Read.

Identify those in your network who might be your cheerleaders - those who can give you some objective positive praise, and shout about you to others Read.

In modern work, the lines of responsibility and support are blurred — but there’s benefit in organisations taking increased responsibility, rather than less. Read.

Designing how you want to work requires thinking about the foundations for being able to work, and doing good work. Not just finding the work. Read.

Ten important questions to ask before you make the leap to self employment. We don’t always have the answers, but sharing and talking helps, and just because you work alone, doesn’t mean you are alone. Read.