Haven’t been around for a while. There’s a lot bubbling in the background, but I haven’t really had the time or maybe the headspace to share much last weeks. But I’m back or at least, I’m trying to be because I missed it. And I thought I’d return with something simple and functional, something I revisited last week that I turned into something someone else might find useful as well.

After two years of working full-time, I’m heading back into independent work again as a freelancer. The market feels different now, rates are lower, more people are looking and it’s maybe not the best timing. But it’s the timing I’ve got.

This tool began, years ago, as a little flowchart I made for myself. A kind of back-pocket compass for those moments when a job offer landed in my inbox and my first instinct was to say yes before I’d even had time to ask: should I take this job?

I’ve learned (the hard way, more than once) that money is rarely the only factor worth weighing. There’s also time. Energy. Curiosity. Alignment with the things you actually care about and the work you want to be known for.

Now, having returned to freelancing, I’ve come back to this little decision tree and turned it into a simple website¹. For myself and maybe for others too. It offers a pause, a chance to step back, to think out loud with yourself before you commit to something.

Whether you follow the tree’s advice or ignore it entirely is up to you. Either way, you’ve given the decision the attention it deserves.

You can try it out yourself on shoulditakethisjob.com

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