Never fear shadows. They simply mean there’s a light shining somewhere nearby
Ruth E. Renkel
Anxiety has long been my unwanted sidekick, kind of like that annoying friend who never goes away, but you’d rather not see that often. I thought I had these feelings under control for a while, but then I left my full-time job to take the leap into freelance copywriting, and surprise surprise…Mr Anxiety came to visit with a suitcase full of fears, doubt, imposter syndrome, money worries, and a melting pot of other factors I hadn’t anticipated.
However, despite the challenges, many other wonderful things come with the freelance lifestyle. It beats working for someone else any day, so taking control of my mental health has been a top priority.
Freelancing and anxiety
It’s no surprise so many freelancers have their mental health tested. Freelancing is like an intense game of mental Jenga. Pull out one block the wrong way (dealing with a difficult client or missing a deadline), and the tower comes crashing down. From managing the feast/famine cycle to figuring out where those vital two hours went (hello mindless Instagram scrolling!), stressors can pile up fast when you don’t have colleagues to lean on.
Dealing with clients often causes anxiety spikes. While you can manage your own behaviour and expectations, it’s much harder to control these feelings when another person’s actions are involved. It may even feel like herding cats – chaos!
By acknowledging the different ways client interactions cause negative feelings to creep in, you can learn how to respond accordingly and achieve a more positive mental well-being.
Here are some simple solutions to try.
Set client boundaries and expectations
If you’re anything like me, you started freelancing for flexibility. But that shouldn’t give clients the right to treat your time like a 24/7 buffet (Pizza at midnight? Yes please!).
Tips for setting client boundaries:
- Set boundaries early in every client relationship and enforce these consistently! If your client is texting you at 6am on a Sunday, don’t reply until you’re back at work (PRO TIP: I have a separate work phone with out-of-office replies).
- Always set clear communication channels – How can they contact you? Which days and times are you available? Is it easier to schedule a weekly or monthly check-in?
- It’s okay to say NO without guilt. If you struggle to turn down requests ‘in the moment’, practice taking a step back and letting clients know you need to review your workload or think about it before you get back to them.
- Choose clients wisely – Got a nightmare client draining your time and energy? It may be time to ‘gently’ let them go. #You’reFired
- Protect your time – it isn’t for anyone else to decide how and when your time is taken.
- Keep clients in the loop – regular project status updates are the easiest way to stop those pestering messages.
- Let clients know your needs – if you require anything from them by a certain date in order to meet deadlines (e.g., information/photos/questionnaires), make this clear and send reminders.
- Put things in writing – agreed something by phone or text? Send a follow-up email outlining the plan.
- Set your ‘out-of-office’ while away and make it clear you will respond to messages once back.
Create defined processes
As much as I love the flexibility of freelancing, routine is also great to provide some structure and increase the predictability of how projects unfold. Taking the guesswork out of your days gives you more breathing room for actual work (or, you know, snacks).
Once you define a process for each type of project you undertake (including providing quotes and invoicing), what once felt like an overwhelming set of requests and tasks to complete become habit.
A well-organised workflow brings a sense of norm and helps you feel in control of your business, rather than feeling like things are flying at you with no time to react.
Be a leader
My default setting is letting others take control even if I know I could be doing a better job. But your clients are hiring you as their guru, not the other way around. If you pay somebody to do something, do you expect to manage them, or would you like them to guide you through the process? This is another reason to set expectations and make sure your own processes reflect how you work best.
I’ve worked with many clients who don’t know what they want. I have to give myself an injection of self-belief that they come to me because I’m somebody who has copywriting experience (i.e. they see me as an ‘expert’ even if I don’t feel like a writing wizard). It’s time to activate those freelance boss superpowers!
Tailor your processes to each client. For example, if I have a client who’s nervous and unsure about the style of content they want, I ask them focused questions to help inspire them, or I speak to them about businesses they would love to come across like – even if they’re part of a totally different industry. I often write a small sample of content for them to review before continuing so that we nail the tone and style of copy they like.
It’s about finding out your client’s needs and helping them along the way to produce outcomes they love – using the processes you know work well!
Know your triggers
Certain situations can make you feel more anxious (seriously, if you ring my phone without warning me first, you may need to ring an ambulance next).
Try to recognise what triggers feelings of anxiety and affects your enjoyment of the freelance lifestyle. Narrowing this down is one of the best ways to find the ideal solutions for you – whether it’s tackling the fear head-on or finding alternatives.
Get to know your own mental health (aka ‘your brain deserves some TLC’)
It was a huge change when I left my job to freelance as a copywriter, and the feelings of uncertainty, isolation and doubt soon crept in. Anxiety is like one of those annoying pop-up ads that won’t go away despite manically clicking on the X in the corner.
However, there are some great techniques to help you manage it. If you think your anxiety is spiralling beyond the norm (or you’re just sick of it always lurking in the background), it’s okay to seek support. You’re certainly not alone, and you’re already a step ahead by acknowledging how it’s affecting you and wanting to do something about it!
Take care of your mental well-being like you would your physical health. Here are just a few organisations I’ve found helpful:
Remember: Feelings of anxiety can happen to anybody. But there’s lots of help and support available.