How to Deal with Freelance Writing Burn Out
No matter how much you love your career as a freelance writer there is a chance that you will burn out sooner or later. The fact of the matter is that this happens to everybody; no matter what career path you choose. And in my opinion, freelance writers are more prone to burning out because they work from home and do not have as much personal interaction as others.
If you are worried about burning out, keep in mind that there are many ways to protect yourself against this and deal with this situation if it does occur.
1. Do your best to talk with like minded professionals day in and day out. You can do this via email, instant messenger, phone, or in person. While it may not be feasible to meet with clients on a daily basis, you should attempt to leave home for a work related purpose at least once per week. Take a lunch break with friends, head to the store for office supplies, or go to the bookstore or coffee shop. No matter what, you should try to get out from time to time.
2. There is nothing wrong with taking a day off. When I first started working as a freelance writer I never wanted to leave my computer. Of course, I learned over time that this was a mistake. This does not mean that you should take a day off every week, but you should not feel guilty if you do so every once in a while. Personally, I do not take off many days, but if I begin to feel burnt out it is something that I consider right away.
3. Start a new project that will break up your day to day freelance writing tasks. This is one of the best ways to avoid burn out, and something that I definitely endorse. I have several projects in line that are not the same as my usual freelance writing load. These projects give me the chance to make sales calls, meet other people, and forget about my writing work for a few hours per week.
Freelance writing burn out is something that you will have to cope with at some point in time. As long as you take care of this problem so it does not linger, it should not have any long term negative effects on your career and/or income.Â
