3 Mental Health Tips For Freelancers
How to keep your mental health in check when faced with the stresses of freelancing
When I was working a 9 to 5 job at an office, there were so many things that stressed me out: fake smiling at colleagues I didn’t like, navigating office politics, being asked to turn around a huge project on a tight deadline, the list goes on.
While I didn’t expect my stress to disappear when I launched a freelancing business, I also didn’t anticipate having to face a completely different set of stressors — from worrying about saving enough money for taxes to constantly having to be “on” for my clients. As a result, my mental health suffered. If you’re going through a similar experience, here are a few strategies I’ve implemented to help put me back on the right track:
Tip #1: Get clear on your priorities
Before you even launch your freelancing business, get crystal clear on what you want to get out of the experience. Are you looking for more free time? Or are you looking to make lots of money? Do you want to freelance for the rest of your career? Or is this a temporary solution until you find a job you really like? It’s totally ok for your answers to change along the way, but you should have an idea of what defines “success” in your eyes.
I wish I had done a better job of this, but I didn’t. So I wasted a lot of time waffling on what I want from my business. On one hand, I wanted to make lots of money. But when I became overwhelmed by my workload, I felt guilty for not taking advantage of my flexible lifestyle. There was constant tension between these two sides, and I suffered from decision paralysis because I didn’t know what the “right” choices were.
Finally, I had to sit down and ask myself: “what do you actually need from your business right now?” The answer was money. In the next year, my husband and I need to buy a house and car, pay for a wedding, and move. So as much as I want to work 20-hour weeks and spend more time with my dog, it’s not what I need from my business at this moment. Coming to that conclusion relieved a lot of my mental burden.
Tip #2: Block off 1 hour for yourself everyday
Everyday, block off at least one hour that’s dedicated to yourself. Use this time to do something that energizes you. For me, it’s exercise. When I don’t work out for more than a few days, I become anxious and it affects the quality of my work, my relationships, and my sense of wellbeing. For you, this hour might be dedicated to journaling, meditating, or getting coffee with a friend.
Whatever the activity is, make sure you actually block off the time somewhere, whether it’s as a reminder on your phone or in your Google Calendar. Otherwise, it’s easy to push this time off when you’re busy. This happened to me last month — I had so much work on my plate that I didn’t exercise for two weeks. I convinced myself that taking an hour away would result in me having to stay up late to finish my work. In reality, I ended up staying up late anyway because I was making so many mistakes in my work from being tired.
But when I take the time to take care of myself, I have more energy and can get my work done more quickly, sleep better, and feel better equipped to handle challenges that come my way.
Tip #3: Find a support system
While our coworkers can sometimes be the source of our stress, they can also serve as a built-in support system when things get overwhelming in the office. Suddenly not having this resource can be jarring. That’s why you have to build a new support system for yourself.
My freelancing support system is comprised of my family and close friends. Yes, they were always there for me before, but now I lean on them even more. I FaceTime my family almost everyday, reach out to close friends to grab lunch regularly, and text my best friend way more than I used to.
You can find your support system through online communities, workout classes, or anywhere you feel supported and heard. Don’t neglect building this network for yourself — you want there to be one in place when you go through a rough patch and need help the most.
Despite the picture that society paints of freelancers being carefree individuals, this couldn’t be further from the truth. Running your own freelancing business comes with its own unique set of stressors that, if left unaddressed, can lead to burnout or health problems — just as it would at a normal job. Make sure to proactively take charge of your mental and physical health today to avoid these problems in the future!
