Getting Over Freelancer Anxiety
You’ve just finished a project. The client loves it, the invoice is paid in full, and for a few glowing seconds, all seems well in life. Then, suddenly panic sets in. Where am I going to get my next project from? I have some clients now, but maybe I need to get more?
Then, a single thought runs through your head: “MUST. WORK. NOW!”
If you’re a freelancer, you’ve probably had one of these moments. Even if you know you have interested prospects and plenty of work ahead, somtimes there’s still a sense of loss that comes when a project is closed. Don’t panic, don’t start applying to 9-5 jobs, just take this advice.
- Organize Your Freelancing Business. Whenever there’s a lull in my work with clients, I always take the time to catch up on my own marketing. When you’re a freelancer, you spend at least 30% of your time doing self promotion or marketing (probably more when you’re starting out). Consider the extra time as a blessing to your business, a chance to update your portfolio, a time to send out some new letters to interested prospects!
- Get In Touch With Old Clients. Every few weeks I like to check up on my past clients. 99% of the time, when I get in touch, someone has a new job for me. It really pays to do follow up.
- Take Some Time For Yourself. What calms you? For me, it’s a nice, warm drink and a good book. Time off doesn’t have to be time wasted. If you’re rejuvenating your mind, you’ll be able to offer a higher quality of work to your next client!
Bottom line: Stress never helped anyone work better. It’s linked to many diseases, and really decreases your quality of life. And most of the time, the less you stress, the more you’ll actually get done. So relax and prosper!
Until next time,
Danielle
This is a post from theclearcopywriter.com
{ 23 comments }
My fave article so far, Dani. This was amazing.
I’m going to have to refer to it once my latest project comes to an end! D:
hehe no problem – I’m sure I’ll have to read my own words at some point as well!
HOLY GOD…..you’re a good writer. I want to cry and hug you at the same time lol. /Simon Hästö from facebook.
this is the way a blog should be! thanks!
Hi Danielle,
I remember a few years back that I was in such a pinch, had 3 or 4 clients and I finished one major project that lasted about a year, so I panicked.
The result, I took 3 more clients and had to work 15-16 hours a day for the next 3 months. Yeah the money was plenty, but my head and my private life weren’t.
Now, after I finish a project I take a few days to evaluate and think about my next step. Usually it consists about what client to go for since they are asking for me and I don’t have to apply, but it was a long way to get there
What a great resource!
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Thank you
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Hi Danielle,
Great ways of getting over the freelancer anxiety. I had freelancer anxiety too and managed to escape it by applying advice #2, I had really great results by applying it. Everytime I finished a project, I got in touch with old clients and like it happened to you, it happened to me too, they always had some work for me to do and I was always worked constantly with really nice earnings from the projects I had. Thank you very much for sharing these ways of getting over freelancer anxiety, the other two ways I’m looking forward to applying them.
Best regards,
Maria
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I agree
Wait… O_o
I just finished a project that I had to work on all day for a while, so I can relate to this. What I did (after first stressing out a bit) was to think of this downtime as a chance to learn more and work on my skills. Because when you’re working on a project, you don’t have the time to question the way you work and to read up on the latest research and so on. So I am reading a lot of blogs (like this one hehe) now.