People often tell me: "It must be great working from home and being your own boss." It is - but my work day rarely looks like those stock photos of someone on a terrace with a laptop and a latte. Reality is different, and I think it's useful to hear it if you're considering this career or hiring a developer and wondering what we actually do all year.
7:30 AM - Waking up without an alarm, but with a mental list
I don't wake up at the same time every day, but I have one constant: before I get up, I already know what's waiting. Yesterday I left an unfinished responsive header for a client from Novi Sad. In my head, the "Request a quote" button wraps awkwardly on iPhone SE.
That's a typical start - I don't open social media first. Coffee, then 15 minutes checking messages. WhatsApp, email, sometimes Viber. Clients in Serbia rarely use Slack. If something's urgent - I respond immediately. If not - I save it for later.
9:00 AM - Deep work: code
This is the part of the day I love most. I open VS Code, play something instrumental, and get to work.
Today I'm working on a React component for a dashboard. Sounds simple - but I need to connect a Supabase query, loading state, empty state when there's no data, and error handling when the user loses internet. Four states for one table. That's what you don't see on the finished website - but it's what separates a serious project from "it kinda works."
11:30 AM - Client revisions and reality
A message arrives: "Can we change the button color? And make the logo bigger. And move the pricing section left."
I've learned to breathe, read the message twice, and ask: is this a real change or is the client just viewing the site on their phone and something "feels off"?
Often it's the second one. And that's fine. My job isn't just writing code - it's delivering something the client can use and show others without embarrassment.
1:00 PM - Lunch and a forgotten commit
Lunch isn't luxury, it's a screen break. Otherwise by 5 PM I have a headache and make bad code decisions.
3:00 PM - A 20-minute meeting
Video call with a potential client. They need a site for a construction materials company. They have a logo, site photos, no copy. They say: "You write it, you know how."
Classic scenario. I explain I can structure content, but they need to tell me what sets them apart. Without that, I build a generic site that looks like every competitor.
5:30 PM - Testing on real devices
I don't trust Chrome DevTools alone. I have an old phone beside me and test on it. Safari on iPhone especially loves causing problems with position: sticky - I learned that the hard way last year.
8:00 PM - Admin work nobody sees
Invoices, emails I've postponed for three days, updating a proposal. Freelancing isn't just coding - it's sales, accounting, and support.
10:15 PM - One more message
"Filip, just one small thing..."
Sometimes I respond tonight. Sometimes I say: "Tomorrow morning, first thing." Boundaries are something I learned later.
What did I actually do today?
I didn't write 500 lines of code. Maybe 80 - but the right ones. Fixed three bugs, had one meeting, sent two proposals, and moved a project one step closer to launch.
That's my work day. Not always exciting. Not always creative. But when a client messages "Site is live, we got our first inquiry through the contact form" - then you know it's worth it.