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Burnout is real. I've seen what it is like to hit rock bottom. It's not pretty and shouldn't be glorified.
As a freelancer, you're a sole trader with a LOT of responsibilities. You're the chief coffee maker, financial department, art department, developer, and project manager amongst many other responsibilities. All of this can be crippling should you not keep it in check.
What is Burnout?
Burnout is a state of physical, emotional, and mental exhaustion caused by excessive and prolonged stress. It can affect anyone, but it is particularly common among people who work in high-stress environments or who have a lot of responsibilities.
What are the negative effects of burnout?
If left unchecked, burnout can lead to a variety of negative consequences, including decreased productivity, increased absenteeism, and even physical health problems. Whilst we think of burning the midnight oil in order to get paid faster and grow our business faster, it can actually have the opposite effect when we're burnt out.
Here are some tips for avoiding burnout:
1. Take regular breaks
Make sure to take regular breaks throughout the day to rest and recharge. Step away from your work, go for a walk, or do something enjoyable. I'd often get so caught in work and think 'I don't have time to go for a walk, I need to finish this!' but when I found that it's not life or death if you spent an hour of your day just going for a walk. In fact, I timed myself and I got more work completed after walking.
2. Set boundaries
It's important to set boundaries between work and personal time. Make sure to give yourself time to relax and do things you enjoy outside of work. I feel like a hypocrite for saying this but, try and do something that isn't related to looking at a screen too. I love playing computer games, watching films and generally browsing the internet - but it's often better to avoid screens.
3. Practice self-care
Take care of your physical and mental health by getting enough sleep, exercising regularly, and eating a healthy diet. Meditation can also be a great way to manage your mental health, you can use software such as Calm, Headspace or even search for "guided meditation" on YouTube and you'll have a huge range of resources at your fingertips.
4. Seek support
Don't try to go it alone. It's important to have a support system of friends, family, or colleagues who you can turn to for help and advice. Although being a freelancer can sometimes feel lonely, you're never alone and there are many resources out there that allow you to speak with other freelancers such as Reddit or other design forums.
5. Learn to say no
It's okay to say no to extra work or additional responsibilities if you're already feeling overwhelmed. If you're like me, you're a 'yes man' and you don't want to disappoint people and also you're worried about where that next pay cheque is going to come from. By actually politely saying to a prospect that you're booked actually shows a couple of things:
- You're super busy, which is always a good sign
- You'll better manage your time to perform better on your current jobs
- Avoid overrunning on deadlines due to taking on too much work
6. Practice time management
Make a schedule and prioritize your tasks to make the most of your time and energy. You can simply use reminders on your phone, or if you're into new software, you can try the likes of TeamWork, Plutio, Monday.com, Asana and more!
You can also track your time per project with Harvest. By tracking the time you spend on each project better educates you on future projects to correctly price.
7. Seek out new challenges
Find ways to challenge yourself and learn new things. This can help to keep you engaged and motivated.
8. Take time off
Make sure to take vacation time and use it to relax and recharge. Don't fall into the trap of thinking 'if I'm not working, I'm not earning' - price your work to account for your time off. If you need use something like Monzo to set up a pot for your holiday fun, transfer small amounts each month which you can use to keep you afloat during your holiday.
9. Find a hobby
Having a hobby or activity outside of work can provide a sense of balance and give you something to look forward to.
10. Be Realistic with Deadlines
Give yourself more time between deadlines. Most creatives tend to be people pleasers and you'll think that you've loads of time to finish that one task. The change will actually take much longer than you expected so give yourself more time to work on that project avoiding stressful situations with your clients.
By following these tips, you can help to prevent burnout and maintain a healthy work-life balance. Remember, it's important to take care of yourself in order to be your best at work and in your personal life.
