Back in the days when I was still looking for a “proper” job, an interviewer told me that freelancing is a lonely life.
After five years of fully immersing myself in this world, I see why they would think that. Having managers and coworkers around is reassuring, and it can make difficult projects feel like a shared chore.
But, I wouldn’t return to employment unless there was no other way.
Making the step to working for yourself and being the sole person responsible for your income is scary. And I’m the first to admit that this life is not for everyone. But if you want more independence and a flexible work schedule, this may be the path you have to follow.
And it doesn’t have to be lonely. Sure, you don’t have managers and coworkers, but let’s be honest here — how many of your former colleagues and bosses have you stayed in touch with once you left the company?
As a freelancer or entrepreneur, you can find and nurture truly meaningful connections, like friends, family, romantic partners, fellow freelancers and entrepreneurs, business partners, and so on.
You have the power to decide how to spend your time, and this is empowering as heck.
Having gone through the process, I also know that it takes time to get to a place where you’ve made peace with the fact that, more often than not, it will just be you and your laptop.
So, here are a few things that helped me out in my times of need:
Stay Connected with Your Network
I’m an introvert.
(Yeah, I know! An online writer who loves spending time alone is an introvert? Shocking!)
All jokes aside, this part of my personality helped a lot. I thrive when I’m alone with my thoughts. But this doesn’t mean I don’t need human connection.
I have weekly chats with my friends and family through text and video calls, and I try to go out for a drink and a fun night out at least once every two weeks. It’s not the most exciting life, but I love it. I can stay connected with people who are important in my life, and I can organize my time the way I see fit.
Key Takeaway
Whether you’re an introvert or an extrovert, you need a social network to keep you connected to the world. Even if your schedule is full to the brim and you feel there’s no time to breathe, carve at least one hour every week and spend it chatting the time away.
Find Your Routine
The productivity gurus out there preach about the benefits of a structured daily routine and how you have to make sure your calendar includes work hours, breaks, and time for social activities.
I understand why a routine is helpful, and there are times when I can stick to a well-defined schedule. But I also have times when I’m not sure if it’s morning or evening or if it’s Tuesday or Sunday.
And it works for me. I like going down a rabbit hole, searching for interesting information. I also like having a schedule so packed that it’s easy to forget about the rest of the world.
The same goes for exercise. My workout routine is always changing. I’ll have months when I exercise first thing in the morning, only to switch to evening sessions for the following months. I also have times when just going for a brisk walk will suffice.
I am not the kind of person who can keep a steady routine, and I’ve made peace with it.
However, I try to be consistent, which is what really matters.
Key Takeaway
Do what works for you. Try the standard routine thing and see how it makes you feel. If you can’t keep up with it, toss it in the bin and try something else.
The beauty of working for yourself is that you can test things out.
There’s no one to tell you work starts at 7 AM (the horror!) and break time is at 2 PM. If you want to wake up at 9 in the morning and start work at 10, you can.
Learn About & Practice Flow State
This idea of deep work (or flow state) has recently popped up on my feed, and I’ve been mesmerized by it.
It came to me at a time when I was struggling to find meaning in my work. Since I had no bigger goal to chase, I was feeling down and unproductive. My focus was out the window after the first hour of work, and I had to constantly fight my brain into submission. By the end of the day, I was exhausted and drained of energy without having accomplished much.
So, the idea of spending hours in a deep flow state was mindboggling. In all honesty, I am still working on achieving that level of flow, but now it’s easier to focus for long periods of time. My advice is to do a search online (there are lots of people talking about it) and apply the things you learn to your own scenario.
Key Takeaway
Learn about the concept of deep work flow and find ways to apply it to your own work habits. There are lots of techniques you can try. For instance, I found the Pomodoro technique quite helpful. Also, removing distractions, like phone, Netflix, or YouTube, helps.
Bonus tip: Some of the people I follow and talk about flow state are Ali Abdaal, Andrew Huberman, and Cajun Koi Academy.
Find Your Tribe
My definition of “your tribe” is people with a similar mindset who can add value to your life. Therefore, my tribe includes a wide range of content creators from whom I learn all sorts of stuff about life and productivity.
I also like to chat with strangers online about topics I find interesting.
Overall, I like to surround myself with people from whom I have something to learn. They may never know I exist, but I can benefit from their wisdom and life experiences nonetheless.
Key Takeaway
Use the incredible power of the internet and connect with people with a similar mindset and learn from them.
Take Meaningful Breaks
When was the last time you had a proper vacation?
By proper vacation, I mean time away from work (physically and mentally) doing something enjoyable and relaxing.
Time off is important, especially as a freelancer or entrepreneur. And it’s not just for rest and health — time off allows all your creative ideas to surface.
This summer, I took a trip to the Norwegian fjords and was completely disconnected from work for two weeks. It was one of the most creative times of my life!
The creative flow is often hindered by the daily routine of work and life. So when you do something unusual (like rest and having fun), your creative neurons have time to recharge (not a science-based observation).
Key Takeaway
Don’t let work and thoughts of work flood your mind. Take a few days off whenever you feel overwhelmed or lacking creativity. You’ll come back rested, more productive, and charged with creative energy.
Soooo, what about loneliness?
I know these sound more like productivity hacks and less like anti-loneliness tips. But I learned there’s a connection between feeling lonely and not having a meaningful direction in life.
If you can find your rhythm and focus on achieving your goals, you’ll find more meaning in your life. In turn, this helps you connect with people with a similar mindset, which helps you feel less lonely.
To be clear, I’m still working on each of the points I made today. And I think I’ll keep working on them (and adding more) for as long as I live. After all, self-improvement is a life-long journey.
