HOW TO DEAL WITH BURNOUT AS A FREELANCER
I think the most valuable lesson I've learned in the past 10 years of freelancing is how critical it is to manage burnout.
A little background about me. I'm a hustler/high-anxiety/a go-go-go type of person.
In grad school, my schedule was: work at 4 am, classes directly after work, teach Russian class, teach ESL class, study/research/thesis. Rinse repeat.
My grad school goals weren’t small either: graduate with as little student debt as possible, maintain foreign language proficiency, straight As, TESOL certificate, finish thesis on time…You get the point.
Machine mode is my default, but it comes at a cost: MAJOR BURNOUT.
I spent years of my career in gogogo-mode: saying yes too often/to the wrong projects, competing with myself, overscheduling myself—you know how it goes.
Burnout.
Burnout for me = the bum-outs/blues, chronic wrist pain, lacking joy in my work/life, anxiety, feeling like I can't keep up, stress, not focusing on the right priorities, etc.
So, here's what I've done to help manage burnout.
Tips to manage burnout as a freelancer
1. Limit writing hours. I try to limit my daily writing to no more than 4 hours a day. Most of the time, I hit my goal. It helps me stay focused during those 4 hours and then frees up my time to be a human the rest of the day.
2. 3 weeks on/1 week off. I'm a big-time traveler. It re-energizes me in a way that nothing else can. I have been trying to schedule my months with 3 weeks of work and 1 week of travel/play. Disclosure: I often take work with me and work when traveling, but it works for me.
3. I say no. I don't take projects from clients that aren't a fit, red flag clients, or if my schedule is packed. I pass it on to one of the many other talented freelancers I know. The cool thing--they do the same for me. If they are packed, I get referrals too. Neat.
4. I've niched down with the type of copy I offer. I currently only offer long-form copy, including blogs, case studies, ebooks, reports, etc. If it's not long-form, I pass it to another writer friend.
5. I follow processes to save me time. This includes sending an initial email, proposal, contract, content brief, setting expectations with 1 point of contact, outlining, allowing ONE round of revisions, etc.
I have a guide and templates here.
6. I schedule my month in advance. Last-minute projects are hard. It's hard to squeeze them in and give them the time they deserve. My turn-around time is quick, but I need adequate lead time. I ask clients to send me all content requests at the end of the previous month.
7. I leave days open. Long gone are the days of scheduling every day of the month out in advance. I try to leave a few empty spots open in case I need to re-arrange (e.g. sick kid, writer's block, new project, under-scoping a project, etc.)
8. I don't write when I have writer's block AT ALL. Instead, I exercise, play with my kids, take the dog for a walk, talk to a friend, read a book, do something fun. I've learned that writer's block is a sign of burnout. If I pay attention, I can come back the next day and crush it.
9. I require an editor. I can edit & I can write. But, I don't mix my beer and whiskey, you know? I usually write for 4 hrs/day and I always self-edit. But science says that writers will miss obvious things in their own work. If I do have to self-edit, I do it the next day.
10. I exercise. Exercise is the best way to close the "stress cycle" according to Burnout by the Nagoski twins. (Link to the must-read book/affiliate: https://amzn.to/3BN3P2v)
11. I do what helps me relax. Read. Talk to friends. Watch Netflix.
After 10 years of owning a business, I've learned that managing burnout is the best way to tap into my best writing.
Writing well and making money isn't about MOREMOREMORE. It's about managing your time, finding balance, and tapping into creativity when your brain is alive.
Sidenote: My friend, Nanette, said I have to add this link, so people can buy me hot beverages: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/ashleyrcummings