This right here is why they say “know your why.”
If you’re frustrated, anxious, and maybe even resentful about the very reason you got started as a freelance writer…read this. You’re not broken and you’re not alone.
Even though I’ve been a freelance writer for ten years now, I still just made a huge mistake…I overbooked myself!
Here’s how I figured out the problem and how I solved it, to save my sanity.
Figure Out the Issues
I soon realized I was overbooked when I started resenting my family.
This is a major issue for me as my family is the whole reason I’m freelancing in the first place. Even before I had kids, I wanted a flexible career that could mesh with my staying home with my (future) kids.
But lately I’ve felt that they were getting in the way of my work.
I’ve been so excited to be working on new, meaty projects and hitting major income goals, that I forgot my why. I was traveling too much for work and not connecting with my family.
I started getting mad at my kids for wanting to be with me!
“No, I can’t play with play-dough with you,” or “I can’t watch PBS Kids with you,” because “I’m too busy working!”
Is that messed up or what?
It turns out that I am still human.
Know Your Why
Now, for some freelance writers, being overbooked might be a dream. Some writers love an adrenaline rush.
But my why is more family time, being able to step away from my work and be more present with them. Obviously, I haven’t been doing so well at this. My family misses me and I miss them.
Your why could be something different. Maybe it IS the loads of work that you get, or the scads of money that you make, but maybe it’s the flexibility of freelancing. Perhaps you have health issues and can’t work in a traditional office.
Get clear on why you’re doing this, because that will be what helps carry you through the rough patches.
If you are in the kind of rough patch that leads you to frustration and resentment and impatience and anger with the very people for whom you are trying to build this business around, then it’s time to refocus and get a little bit of help so that you can get some clarity.
If nothing else, just an arm around the shoulder and the encouragement to refocus on the real priority and do some problem solving and do the right thing.
How to Avoid This So You Can Enjoy Your Life
You need to set up your business so that you CAN pull away to focus on your why.
In my case, I moved deadlines. Also, after I got buy-in from my husband, I busted it for a short, defined period of time to try to catch back up. I worked a week of 14-hour days.
ASHLEY–you are going to add a few more actionables here.
Where to Find Support
My free Facebook group, the Ink Well Guild, is a great place to bounce ideas off of other freelance writers and to find support. In fact, I received a bunch of support from my own group when I was having this current crisis!
So there’s a place in my heart for people who are in this position.
If this is resonating with you and you want some support, I encourage you to post in the Facebook group.
This group is full of real people who are sharing their own real stories and experiences. I see so much camaraderie in there. I just love the folks who have joined this group! Please hang out with us 🙂
