6 Tips For Minimizing Freelancer Regret From A Chronically Depressed Writer

It’s January, the time of the year when a freelancer most regrets becoming a freelancer. Here are some tips to minimize this crushing feeling.

Photo by Andrew Neel on Unsplash

Contrary to popular opinion, freelancing isn’t easy. I’ve been working as a full-time freelance writer since 2017 and while it’s allowed me to explore different kinds of writing, it’s also been harder in ways a traditional office job can never be. This has nothing to do with me or my industry: freelancing is hard in general. Little wonder then that regretting the decision to become one, something I call ‘freelancer’s regret’, is a real problem.

While this feeling can crop up at any time of the year, January is when it’s most likely to show up. The reason? January is infamous for being one of the worst months for freelancing.

‘Freelancer’s regret’ is when one kicks themselves for not choosing a traditional 9 to 5 job.

This regret worsens when one has a chronic mental illness like depression. It’s hard to bear and I can vouch for how overwhelming it can get, seeing as I’ve had depression for 17 years now.

Thankfully, there are ways to cope with freelancer’s regret before it takes over. Here are my tips for the same:

1. Remember why you started freelancing in the first place: Whether you went freelance by choice or by compulsion, it’s important to never forget your why. Maybe you took it up while you were looking for a full-time job, because of some mental or physical health condition, or because you were sick of the restraints of an office role. I became a freelancer while hunting for a regular job and stuck to it because I never found one that suited my needs of a) flexible hours and b) having control over my work. See, I’m one of those folks who struggle to work full-time due to depression — and this struggle gets harder when I’m micromanaged or given work different from what I was hired for and have zero interest in. Whenever I feel bad about my career choice, I remind myself that for the sake of my health, I am better off making less money than being exploited in exchange for a stable income.
2. Focus on the good: It’s easy to get bogged down by the ‘work never ends’ nature of freelancing. From finding, retaining, and being ghosted by clients to constantly marketing and upskilling yourself, it’s easy for a freelancer to envy the office worker who has to more or less do the job they were hired to do. This envy is insidious and can affect one’s self-esteem and mental health. To prevent this, focus on the good things freelancing gives you that a 9 to 5 can hardly ever give you. A freelance career has exclusive pros like taking as many sick days as you need, choosing who to work with, setting your own hours, etc. Plus, we are in the age of the gig economy, and the pandemic has helped make it a far more natural choice. Freelancing is becoming increasingly common not only because inclusive jobs are rare, but also because it is pretty cool. It gives you a sense of control in an increasingly chaotic world, doesn’t it?
3. Work smart to get better clients: The above points are most helpful when you actively try to land multiple clients, clients who are either easy to work with or pay well. Relying on a single client is a recipe for disaster, yet many make this mistake and invariably find themselves out of work. I did it myself too initially and it didn’t end well because my well-paying entrepreneur client suddenly went bankrupt and failed to both tell me in advance and pay me a big sum of money. Since that experience, I’ve made it a point to pitch folks and follow up with them as much as I can. While doing this has not always guaranteed multiple clients, it has helped me get more work than before. The trick is to try your best and leave it at that. Otherwise, you could get carried away and end up working all the time, which, believe me, never ends well.
4. Diversify your income stream: Yes, this is easier said than done, but trying is better than waiting for clients and feeling sorry for yourself. For example, I’m making a small income via interviews and guest posts on my blog. Also, asking for help via Patreon or PayPal is okay and does not make you any less of a person. I recently did it myself by putting up a Support page on my blog. Honestly, I’m not pleased about it on an emotional level, but my rational side knows that asking people to pay for a service I’m providing is exactly how the rest of the world works.
5. Refuse to work for free: Flat-out refuse if someone makes this ask. Work for low pay if you really need the money, but never work for free. All that talk about “getting exposure” and “building a portfolio” is rubbish because these things don’t pay the bills. Not to mention that this treatment is exploitative and putting up with it will eventually make you feel bad about yourself. And I have a weird feeling that clients who do this keep others like them updated about professionals who work for free, so it’s highly likely that once you do this, you’re in their system and will be hounded by them for life. So for the love of whatever you believe in, just say no to these scammers.
6. Remind yourself that nothing is permanent: You can always keep looking for a full-time job while you freelance and a better client might be just around the corner. You can even throw your resume out the window, and thanks to affordable online education, learn the skills for an adjacent or new career. Irrespective of the path you choose, it is important to keep yourself motivated. Personally, I maintain regular to-do lists and track small wins as proof that I’m trying hard to earn a decent living. When depression makes you forget or doubt yourself, you too can rely on your physical or virtual document to remind yourself of all that you are doing.

My name is Mahevash (pronounced Ma-hey-vash) and I am a disabled writer from India. I talk about culture, society, and mental health so that you and I can help make the world a better place — and be whoever we want to be. You can connect with me at https://www.mahevashmuses.com/.