Have you ever felt consistently overwhelmed or easily stressed? What about little to no joy for the work that you enjoyed doing? These are only a few of the symptoms of burnout that we encounter as freelancers. Burnout is a very clear sign that tells us that we are doing something wrong! There are many ways that we can fix this problem, but I have learned 7 ways to beat freelancer burnout. As you read on, you will realize that these 7 ways to beat freelancer burnout are all linked to each other in some way. Let us explore my 7 ways to beat freelancer burnout!
1. Switch Up Your Routine
Despite how glamorous and convenient many freelancers can make the freelancing lifestyle seem, the reality does not always reflect these praises. Yes, the freelancing lifestyle has many benefits, but there are also many disadvantages. One vital disadvantage is the burnout that comes from feeling stuck in a never-ending routine.
The saying that says, “too much of anything is not good” sums it all up. Even when we are successful, financially independent, and we love what we do, this saying still applies. If our days are a constant working routine, we eventually start to feel burnout. Resolving this problem requires some spontaneity, delegation of tasks to free up our time, and switching up how we do things to keep things interesting.
2. Agree to Realistic Deadlines
Every freelancer gets that amazing opportunity in the form of a rushed deadline, last-minute urgent change, or an overwhelming amount of work that a client needs to be completed in an unrealistically shorter timeframe. Stop! Before we say yes, and rush to please the customer, be honest with yourself and the customer.
Is saying yes worth burning ourselves out, missing the deadline, or delivering poor work quality? We have to learn to be honest with our clients. If we do not have the help or competency to do the job, say no or hire extra help. Our health and business reputation depend on it.
3. Stop Working Around the Clock
I get it, the more work we get done as freelancers, the more money we earn. However, there is a smarter way to still keep productive without burning ourselves out from exhaustion, declining health, and the bodily stress of working around the clock.
Instead, why not try scheduling your time? Start off by choosing the hours in the day when you feel most focused and making them your work hours. Secondly, take timely breaks in between work to recharge and rest, as needed. Remember, the longer we keep working our bodies towards exhaustion, the worse our health becomes and the lesser we desire to be productive. Hence, let us vow today to not only work hard but to also work smartly.
4. Change Up Your Workspace
We have all heard the brag and excitement around the fact that the freelancing lifestyle allows us to work from anywhere you choose, especially when we work online. The reality is that this is not the case for everyone. Some persons spend most of their time in one location, such as their house. Many individuals find themselves working around the clock from their bed or living room sofa. That certainly doesn’t sound like the glamorous lifestyle that many talk about, right?
Don’t become the next burnout victim who is stuck in one place. This will certainly reduce your productivity. Switch things up sometimes. Leave your lively family home or lonely abode behind. Invest in a leisurely stay at a hotel, resort, or even an Air B&B. Let the views, sounds, fresh air, and welcoming space soothe your mind and relax your body while you work.
5. Take Care of Your Health
Freelancers are all chasing wealth. However, we should never forget that our health is our number one wealth. No amount of success and money should ever be more important than making our health our number one priority.
Hence, we should beat the burnout of the job by investing time into taking care of our health. Try scheduling breaks to walk, enjoy the meal we prepare, soak up a vacation away from our devices, keep energized through some good exercise, and always make time to rest. If we have a difficult time balancing our wellbeing and running a successful business, then it means that we need to free up some time. We can consider hiring others or delegating our work. We can also contemplate getting a therapist or self-help book to guide us in becoming more disciplined about a healthy work-life balance.
6. Make Time for Fun and Relaxation
We all need some rest and relaxation! Even though we are working from home, setting our work hours, and running our businesses, these are not valid excuses for losing ourselves in our work. Do not become a workaholic! We need to take the time out to enjoy other things in life. It is important that we spend time with our family and loved ones, enjoy leisure activities, and make the time for some much-needed rest.
Working as a freelancer can be a demanding lifestyle. That is why so many of us get burned out. Then we wonder why we feel so miserable, battle stress, keep finding our health declining, or we lose the joy for the work we do. We need to find intriguing ways to enjoy the money we work so hard to gain. Take this seriously, before it becomes too late!
7. Get Help When You Need It
I have heard people say that it is better to work alone as a freelancer instead of sharing the earnings with someone else. Yes, it is wise to avoid this additional expenditure when we are start-up freelancers who can manage the workload. However, the moment our business starts to grow to the point where we are constantly getting an overwhelming workload, we need to consider paying for extra help. Unknowingly, we start heading in the direction of burning out and threatening the financial success of our businesses.
On one hand, we can hire a team to facilitate making task completion faster, without reducing our work quality. On the other hand, we can outsource additional help. We could even do a combination of both options! Whatever we do, our efficiency, productivity, and earnings will reward us for getting help.
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