by Leo Wiles
15 January 2016
Even if you have irons in the fire, as a freelancer it’s easy to find yourself under-employed during June-July – and of course December to February when most clients seem to be sipping Dom Perignon on their private yachts. (Or at least that’s how it can feel when you have schoolbooks and uniforms to pay for and post-Christmas there’s no moolah in the bank.)
That’s why, at these times, it’s crucial to stay sane. Right now, having dropped my lovely house guest at the airport and the kids at their grandparents, I’m actively pursuing changes to make room for a successful year ahead. Starting with:
1. Mass unsubscribing. All those email newsletters and spam choking my inbox and wasting my mornings are at the top of my agenda. FYI spammers, just because I have a traditionally male name doesn’t mean I want to hook up with single ladies or buy Viagra.
2. Updating my Pandora play lists. Thank you Katy Perry; one of many keeping me motivated. On the flipside, I use Calm – hold the dolphins – when I need some peace of mind. They even have 2, 5, 10 minute guided meditations for free or you can listen to the steady fall of rain. Everyone say Om.
3. A general spring-clean. By that I mean emptying my in-tray, giving my physical and Mac desktop a swipe, and getting on top of outstanding filing – including chasing up any invoices that may have escaped my notice. I also find this is a good time to play nice and reach out to clients with a, ‘Thanks for a great year of collaborating, here are some ways I would like to do so again’ handwritten note.
4. Assessing my direct debits. Without a regular salary I find that paying small weekly amounts towards the big bills such as the rates and utilities means I never have to face bill shock again – phew!
5. Backing up files. Nothing gives me more peace of mind than knowing if my youngest once again spills water on my Macbook / iPhone that it won’t destroy my workflow or career (as it once threatened to). Backing up is up there with checking your home insurance cover (we all know what squirmy bastards they can be).
6. Phoning a friend. Having a pal on speed dial is essential during this time when you can start to doubt your abilities, career choice and if you will ever be paid again. So choose an upbeat, preferably successful freelancer, who can help you see this time for what it is (a brief pause in your life) and bounce ideas.
7. Making the most of it. Enforced downtime in a vocation where you never seem to say no can be a silver lining, if you let it. Go see your folks, take that cheap mini-break with your partner or go off for the day hiking, picnicking, swimming… whatever makes you happy. These moments of freedom will be rare in the near future.
8. Smiling when I dial. It changes the way you sound and triggers chemicals in your brain which make you feel better. Also, rehearse what it is you’re pitching before you call. That way you won’t waste their time or sound unsure of yourself.
9. Taking care of myself. Ours is a sedentary job, after all. Is there a fitness Meet Up group near by where you will inspire each other to roll out of bed into your sneakers to take a brisk walk, run, or do jumping jacks? Having children and an on going lower back issue, I’m keeping my pain out of my brain with some of the core strength YouTube tutorials.
10. Renewing my inspiration. I’ve written about this before, the importance of eavesdropping in the real and virtual worlds to see what’s trending. My all time favourite way of finding my creative mojo is to hang out in my local library flicking through their free up to date periodicals.
11. Thinking positive. Louise Hay and your cynicism aside, if you’re feeling angsty nothing will make a client run for the hills faster. So renew or create some affirmations. If you don’t know where to start here are a couple I’ll be using over my vegemite toast: ‘I am well paid for the work I love’ / ‘I choose happiness, success and abundance in my life’. Say it like a mantra with your morning coffee before re-reading your goals for the year.
I know thinking and staying positive is easier than it sounds – and yesterday I was throwing one hell of a pity party when my contract with a major client failed to be renewed. But while writing this – and listening to Calm – a new and returning client both booked me. For me, I believe when you remove mental and physical clutter you make room for clarity and purpose, which in turn allows you to find your diary and take the booking.
How do you stay sane in the holiday lull?
Image by Toa Heftiba, Unsplash
Some helpful tips here Leo. What I do in my downtime is look for potential clients on the web that I’d like to write for then connect with them on LinkedIn after which I send off letters of introduction about me and my work and how I can help them. It’s landed me a client or two!
Great tip Rashida. I am a great believer in Benjamin Franklin’s old adage; “If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail”.
Sitting at home waiting for the email to ping with so many new hungry wannabe freelancers out there means even more prep work than ever to create a business that will support your family so spending that time going through Linked In – in a world where personal emails can be so hard to come by – is a great idea.
I love these tips. I’ve really been embracing 7 this holiday season – painting a few rooms; sending my tax numbers to my accountant; asking a question about my mortgage that was long overdue; chucking lots of stuff out – and still leaving room for 9 (tried a new dance class on Saturday) and doing things that inspire me – reading, going to galleries and SydFest events etc. It’s been a wonderful start to the year.
A totally inspiring way to spend your downtime Catherine – great tip.
As a financial planner once told me other than saving money or spending less it’s just as crucial to protect what you do earn and make it go further.
It’s the major reason that whenever I sign a new contract for one of the big expenditures such as my mortgage or platform of insurances I put the expiry date one month out in my diary to give me time to research the options. In the past I have saved hundreds off my premiums and points of my interest rates playing the big banks off against each other.