By Claudia Young, team member
Haven’t read my first blog from this series? Check out my first blog in this series here.
One month of full-time freelance: done.
I’m struggling to find the balance between work and play. Since we just moved into our new house, I have a huge personal to-do list on top of my usual work. I’ve also just been really tired, so sitting down and working diligently for more than 20 minutes is hard for me.
I know I’m not alone on this. I know other freelancers go through these seasons, no matter how long they’ve been in the industry. So, I’m holding fast to that well-known cliché: take it one step at a time.
I reread my last article and I’ve kept to that advice pretty well (I’d give myself a 75% – that’s passing), so I’ve written down a few more things that’ll help with my rut.
Go to bed at a reasonable hour
Okay, guilty. I’ve been going to bed past midnight most nights this week. It’s taken a toll on my brain. We all know that the less sleep you get, the less efficient your brain works, right? So why don’t we put sleep at the top of our priorities? If you want to read more about sleep and brains, check this out. It’ll make you want to go to bed at 9 tonight.
I’ll be working on going to bed earlier this month to see how tangible the results are.
Don’t set unrealistic expectations
If you’re going through a rut, writing a hearty to-do list might seem like a great start, but it’ll become really discouraging when you can’t get yourself to complete all of the tasks. Even if it means letting go of chores for a few days and letting your house get a little messy, make each day’s to-do list manageable so that you don’t lose momentum halfway through the week.
Start your days with whatever you love
I start my mornings with coffee, breakfast, and hanging in my hammock on the patio. It helps me focus on the beauty of the day rather than jumping right in and getting stressed out. Being a freelancer gives you the freedom to start your mornings however you want. So why not make the most of it?
What do you do in the morning? Is it helping your focus on the beauty of the day ahead?
I encourage you to make your own list of things you could be doing better on (focus on three or four) and really work on them this month. Let me know how it goes!