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And just like that, it is November. The clocks have ‘fallen back’, the evenings are darker, and for many of us around the world, life is throwing up even more challenges. Just when we think we can’t manage any more, another one comes – from national lockdowns to the tier system, curfews and countries navigating the virus around life-changing events like elections.
In the freelance world, things are always hectic, there’s no two ways about it. But during Covid times, they’re even more so. And it can sometimes feel like we just don’t know where to start. Sometimes might be too soft a word there, for some of us. Always? Most of the time? Let’s go with ‘often’.
Have you been feeling like that lately? I know I have. Unsure which plan to put into action, which thing to do on my list, which major decision to throw myself into. Oh, there’s a to-do list. And good things are on it! Things I want to do, that benefit me and the future of my business. But still it stays long, things added to it, re-written and re-jigged so it feels like I’ve been vaguely productive! Sure, things do get crossed off, but it’s a slow burn.
All that alongside, as always, just trying to make enough money to pay the bills each month. I’d refer to my mood board, but ‘update mood board’ is on the to-do list!
As freelancers, we have to plan ahead, to keep thinking about what’s next and so on. But this month I want to reflect on what can happen when we take things one freelance day at a time. When we say ‘that list doesn’t have to be completed today’.
I’ve come to this theme for a couple of reasons. Not least, life now revolving around waking, seeing the news and how things have changed during a pandemic. It’s also been inspired by my new fur babies. Yes, the puppies are here! So, I now have a 12 week old Labrador and 12 week old Whippet in the house. They’re adorable. Gorgeous and snuggly and smelling of digestive biscuits and soil and new puppyness. If you want to see more of them, you can follow them on Insta. They are my life’s dream come true. Being a puppy mama is everything I hoped for.
Here they are, the pair of softies…
But they are also extremely hard work. And you don’t know from one day to the next what life is going to be like with them. They might have a good day, being fairly chilled, asking to go out for the loo, then the next day be crazy and full of beans and hardly settle all morning, adding in a ‘protest wee’ for good measure. It’s a bit like freelancing, in many ways. Yep, they are the cutest and most confusing and infuriating and adorable clients I’ve ever had!
At least the only thing they demand on deadline is biscuits!
One thing that’s changed in the past month since they arrived in my life is that work has had to fit around them. Planning ahead? Pah! See ya later, planning ahead. And, actually, it’s been a good thing. I haven’t been able to pitch loads of ideas, I’ve had to focus more on the ‘now’ with the work I’ve been doing. And time is of the essence when you have puppies. They sleep, you work work work!
Have you heard of the Pomodoro technique? As I understand it, it essentially gets you to work to set times, even setting at timer. Well, puppies make you do that, too. You only have the window when they’re resting to either work, make calls, plan, or do other things that’ll make your day a success. You know, shower, dress, weep a little with extreme tiredness.
Anyway, let’s get to the ‘one day at a time’ part of it all. As the puppies have made life more ‘one day at a time’ so I’ve realised that is perhaps the best way to freelance right now.
Instead of saying what we’ll do this week, month or for the rest of the year, we need to (I think) try saying what we’ll try and do ‘today’. And to congratulate ourselves, as I do when another day with the pups winds down, that ‘we did it’. We got through THAT DAY. Not the week, not the year, not our life or career. The day.
We got to the end and things turned out OK.
I know some days it will feel like the day was a huge slog. But that’s the beauty of ‘one freelance day at a time’. Instead of thinking that the list is still so long, you can say ‘OK today was a bit crap, but tomorrow is a whole new one!’.
This is really helping me as I juggle work and the pups. I am judging myself less, and I am worrying less about all the things to get done. It’s a classic ‘giving yourself permission’ thing, I think. Because nobody is telling us to plan ahead like our lives depend on it. Nobody has decreed that we must have a week, month or yearly plan.
I wrote recently for Underpinned about goal setting, and I do still stick with the idea of making goals. I’m not saying throw all your forward planning out of the window. Just like I am not abandoning making plans with friends or family if I can, or plans to do something with the pups in the future (Sunday pub roast is SO on the list).
But I am saying, make those plans but approach them one day at a time. For example, on my list is finish my book synopsis, revamp the Freelance Feels website, finish the next season’s podcast editing and finish some copy due Monday.
Do all those things need to be scrapped from the list? No! But in the ‘one day at a time’ scenario, they don’t all have to be done tomorrow, either. I think it’s the only way to cope, emotionally, right now. Because the world around us can change, so we have to just take things step by step.
Five ways to try and be more ‘day to day’ with your freelance
1. Have a ‘to-day’ list as well as a to-do list. Things that you want to achieve, or feel, or ditch that day.
2. Add some ‘to do’ things that aren’t directly work. Self care stuff – a walk, a run, watching that TV show you like, doing some craft, having a nap, playing with the kids/dogs
3. Write down your successes. At the end of the day, take five minutes to jot down what you HAVE done. What’s gone right? What did you face head on? What was a challenge that you rose to? What felt good? Celebrate your freelance day!
4. Enjoy social media! It gets such a bad rap but I do genuinely love social media most of the time, and it can be a good escape. Yes, we have to tread carefully, but a lot of the time, I am inspired, I connect with new people and I make friends. Hang out on social without work in mind and just enjoy seeing what other people are up to.
5. Focus on what you can control. I was pondering on the fifth thing and my sister, who very kindly proofreads the newsletter for me suggested this. She showed a brilliant Instagram post about it, too, from @journey_to_wellness_. So while it’s hard, and challenging, let’s try to work on the things we can control as freelancers, not the things we can’t.
Insta links to make you think
I haven’t added any links this month (well, apart from the one above!) and I’d like to know what you think. This section can be quite hard to keep up, and stalls me finishing the newsletter. So, the question is, do you like the links I usually share? I’ll see who replies and we’ll go from there. Perhaps it can be one lovely link, like the one above!
Freelance podcast of the month
‘Let’s get you a f**in job’ is a new one and I really like the concept. From fellow freelancer Sarah Finlay, it’s aimed at 2020 graduates (and I know a lot of those people are already working freelance or considering it) and chats to 2008 graduates about their experiences. I look forward to seeing what other topics come up. You can also follow them @getajobpodcast
Freelance Feels and Freelance Corner
I was so chuffed to be on the Freelance Corner podcast this week – talking about dealing with rejection. You can listen here.
Thank you as always for reading my newsletter. If you’ve enjoyed it, do share with anyone you think would appreciate it too, and if you share on social media, you can tag me on Instagram and Twitter @freelance_feels
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