How is it December already?!
Burnout, fatigue and Christmas shutdown like to happen all at once.
It’s December of 2023. Specifically the 8th December. What a year for many people, in good ways and bad.
So many of my friends are speaking of burnout, stress, anxiety of what next year will bring and there are plenty of us who have pivoted, changed direction or even got jobs to combat the unknown of being a freelancer.
I have spoken (and bored the pants off people) about how I’ve struggled this year to get clients (and keep them), how I’ve had jobs that didn’t work out for one reason or another and that I’m finding being a freelancer really lonely and quite annoying.
How can you combat the feeling of dread about freelancing? If you’re feeling in a bit of a slump, not sure what to do, then I’ve got some ideas that might help.
Virtual co-working
I love virtual co-working (mainly coz I can sit there in my pj’s and noone will care), but it means I can see friends and get some real-life accountability for what I need to do.
It also gives you a little nudge to get the rubbish work done that you’ve been putting off. Eat the damn frog and all that! I also love the random conversations I have with people I normally only speak to online.
If you’re getting a little lonely, this is a lovely way to have a chat and get things off your chest if you wanted.
Freelancer Magazine does three lots of virtual co-working every week on a Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday mornings with a bonus session on Wednesday between 4pm and 6pm.
The incredible Bonnie Harrington also does Bon Poms (which are back in the New Year) and these are lovely, wonderful hugs off freelancers. They are fun, chilled and Bonnie does a great job of making sure we’re always on track. These take place on a Tuesday with two sessions.
Keep an eye out on LinkedIn and Instagram too as there are often other virtual co-working links that pop up monthly or weekly.
IRL co-working
Getting out of the house when it all feels a bit much is the perfect way of seeing new people, catching up with other freelancers and having a change of scenery.
If you live in a larger town/city, you’ll be sure to find plenty of decent co-working spaces that will often offer day passes so you can pop in when you want.
I’m based in Manchester, so the following links are for Manchester or Leeds but the big players will have offices all over the UK.
x+y Manchester, 100 The Embankment, Cathedral Approach, M3 7FA
Close to Victoria Station, this is one of my favourite spots in Manchester to work from. The views across the city are wonderful on a clear day and they have so many options for hot drinks, you’ll not want to leave. They also ‘sell’ soft drinks and alcohol with the help of an honesty box. They have open desk spaces and private phone boots for meetings that you don’t want anyone to hear. Day passes start at £25+VAT.
Arrive Workspaces, MediaCity, Tomorrow, Blue and White Buildings, M50 2NT
A wonderful set of co-working spaces that cater for any of your creative needs. They have shower rooms, sleep pods if you know you need to stay late or get in early for meetings and plenty of space to hang out with clients or other freelancer friends.
The White Building is a collaborative space with breakout areas, metting rooms and plenty of space for you to hang out with the other users.
Tomorrow is a more relaxed area where the main focus is to make creativity and innovation easier.
The Blue Building is for those who want to be able to get in early, do the work and stay late. They have sleep pods, a bar on the 10th floor and meeting rooms so entertaining clients is much easier.
Wizu Workspace, Richmond House, Lawnswood Business Park, Leeds LS16 6QY
This place is amazing, perfect for those like me who don’t live near Leeds but have lots of freelancer friends that do. It’s just off some major roads, is 14-minute drive into the city centre but has everything you need. From just £60+VAT per month for a hot desk (one of the cheapest I’ve found), it’s ideal if you want to get out of the house a couple of days a week and not break the bank.
Networking
The dreaded networking.
It doesn’t have to be all corporate and white men in shiny suits. It is often now really relaxed and friendly and there are options for IRL and online networking.
I would recommend going to networking events that don’t require a monthly/weekly commitment at first. This helps find your feet, get used to the vibe and how it all works and see if it is something that you a) have time for and b) want to pay for.
There are free networking events - the FSB has some great ones - that you can do for free or as a member. It’s perfect for those who want to dip their toe in the water without a massive commitment.
Meeow online networking is another good one. You’re in a virtual breakout room with four people. That’s it. 4 people. You can have prompt questions to help you, little quizzes and you can all connect on LinkedIn from the chat. They have dedicated ones for parents, marketers, engineers, IT specialists, location and mixing US and UK so you can talk to freelancers across the pond!
Phone a friend
It sounds really cliche, but having a chat with a friend or family member that doesn’t know anything about freelancing might be a good idea. You’ll get a new perspective and this can often help clear your mind a little to move in a new direction or make a decision you’ve been put off.
You can of course ring another freelancer friend, they’re in the unique position to know exactly how you feel and might have tools to help you.
It’s good to talk (thanks BT) and I think it’s important to have a little offload every now and then. Please be aware though, that the person you’re calling might also be going through stuff and might want to talk about their problems. Communication is always two-way so be present and listen when they want you to.
Write shit down
Having a journal can be a great way to get your thoughts and feelings out (especially if you don’t want to tell anyone out loud just yet). Doing morning pages from The Artist's Way is not only one of my favourite things to do, it also helps clear my mind for the day and get out little random thoughts out of my head that make no sense.
Having a ‘little wins’ journal is also huge for me. I try and make sure I list one thing a day that has made me smile or been a little win. It’s so nice to look at when it’s been a hard week or month.
With all that being said, I’ve decided to get a job (again, but this time it’s going to be a job with a business that I trust, no friends/family involved). It’s been a tough few months of looking but I’m hopeful that will end soon. The business Write Here Right Now will finish as of the 29th February (the day before its 3rd birthday 😭) but this is the right decision for me.
A huge thank you to my past clients, my freelancer friends (the FCA, Leapers, Pods and friends on LinkedIn) for the support and guidance you’ve provided over the last 3 years.
It’s been quite the journey.
WHRN over and out