Comments on: How To Deal With Freelance Burnout

By: Freelancing isn’t all Fun and Freedom - Dealing with Burnout | Essential Keystrokes

Wed, 18 Mar 2009 09:00:48 +0000

[...] How to Deal with Freelance Burnout [...]

By: Cleaning Tips

Cleaning Tips — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 23:13:52 +0000

Nice and usefull post, thanks, this is one for my bookmarks!

By: Meryl Evans

Meryl Evans — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 14:14:08 +0000

I feel like I can never take a day off completely on my own because I have too many days off that come from others — kid appointments, my appointments (like waiting at the doctor’s office for 90 minutes!), volunteering (I enjoy it — but it is still not a break), illnesses, and so on. So I need every day I can get since I have too many days away from work that are out of my control.

Meryl Evanss last blog post..A Real Life Internet Fable

By: Annette

Annette — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 00:22:05 +0000

All great suggestions. I like calling up a fellow writer friend for coffee. Just getting out really helps sweep away burnout.

By: Kathryn

Kathryn — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 00:49:42 +0000

Taking a day off is vital. Getting up and walking around (or just going to the store so that you see other individuals) can also be a nice – like a mini day off. Your muse needs time to recharge!

Kathryns last blog post..Outsider’s Attitude Towards Freelance

By: Dr. Beverly Potter

Dr. Beverly Potter — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 23:12:32 +0000

Burnout is a kind of job depression caused by feelings of helplessness – uncontrollability. When funds are already low and incoming check too few, it is easy wonder if it is possible to succeed and to fear that no matter what you do you can’t.

Burnout is a motivational problem. Constantly searching for assignments and getting way fewer than you need, having to take assignments below your capability or not to your liking, working on tedious projects that pay little and then having to wait for long periods to get paid – while watching prices climb – erodes motivation. And these are only a few of a long list of motivation killers. It is easy to become discouraged, and blaming yourself.

It is imperative to manage your motivation if you expect to succeed as a freelancer. Giving yourself rewards is helpful. But you can’t wait until finishing an assignment. You need to reward yourself for small steps. Important to reward yourself for getting started, for doing a little bit, for getting started again, for doing a little more.

We’ve all heard about the power of goal setting. This is when it is vitally important. But it is easy to set impossible goals and negative goals.

Being a skilled self-manager is essential for succeeding as a freelancer – but awfully hard to develop when struggling with the challenges of freelancing. The problem is that when motivation is damaged, it is very difficult to revive.

For considerable information about burnout, burnout quizzes, what causes burnout and what to do about it, as well as info on self-management, visit my site at docpotter.com.

By: Miz Liz

Miz Liz — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 22:10:37 +0000

SO timely. I'm grappling with this and fighting myself on taking a day off. I will do it, I will do it. Thanks! Miz Lizs last blog post..Wednesday Bubble: Rub-a-dub-dub

By: Stephanie Booth

Stephanie Booth — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 21:16:44 +0000

What works for me:

- definitely, definitely, taking time off
- reading stuff that makes me laugh (icanhascheeseburger top of the list)
- a chat with one of my freelance buddies
- physical exercise/singing
- cleaning the flat/office (no kidding — it reduces my stress and unburns me)

Stephanie Booths last blog post..Links for 2008-09-16 [del.icio.us]