Freelancing anxiety: let's talk about it 🫨

Freelancing anxiety is real. Here's how to prevent it from becoming debilitating.

I am, by nature, an incredibly anxious person. I suffer from Generalized Anxiety Disorder and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), both of which are common but often debilitating mental health diagnoses. I discussed the nature of anxiety and OCD in a particularly vulnerable post last week - it would mean the world to me if you’d check it out and consider sharing it at the link below:

Anxiety and OCD aren't "minor" mental illnesses.

My anxiety and OCD often make my freelancing career much more stressful than it needs to be. What I do know, though, is that all freelancers struggle with the added pressures of such an atypical work-life style. So whether or not you can relate when it comes to diagnosed anxiety and OCD, I bet you still feel extra stress and worry because of freelancing concerns, such as…

1. Unpredictable income

2. Market shifts

3. Having primary responsibility for client satisfaction

4. Marketing and selling yourself

5. Figuring out health insurance and a retirement plan without the discounted rates from working at a traditional company

6. Being your own time manager

7. Getting your taxes right

Don’t worry: I’m not about to say “It’s all okay, just don’t worry about it.”

With the way my brain works, I am the LAST person to offer such platitudes. I know firsthand how useless and aggravating they can be.

Plus, these concerns are valid, so it’s vital to have a plan for dealing with them and the stress/anxiety that accompany them.

Me spending some rest time with my best friend, Grace. Isn’t she the cutest? :)

For the sake of transparency and expectation management, I’ll tell you outright that I obviously cannot rid you completely of your freelancing anxiety with a single post.

However, I do intend to provide you with some general tips that have helped me manage my own freelancing anxiety. Implementing these should help you reduce the overwhelming, productivity-crushing anxiety that can accompany the freelancing lifestyle.

So without further ado, here they are…

1. Have an action plan and use to-do lists.

Having an action plan for your business changes everything.

If you know what your goals are and what steps you need to take to reach them, you can be confident things will keep moving forward.

I wrote an article on the importance of having a freelancing action plan that includes a free, downloadable guide. You can check it out here:

Your freelancing action plan... and a FREE holiday gift! 🎁

Also, I’m a huge proponent of to-do lists. Each week, I list out what I need to accomplish. Some are tasks that need taken care of every week, while others are specific to that particular week. To-do lists allow me to check off what I’ve accomplished as I go, (1) preventing me from forgetting anything and (2) encouraging me to keep going each time I finish something.

2. Save and stick to a financial plan.

If you don’t have a financial plan for your business, I strongly recommend you put one together as soon as possible.

Remember to…

1. Set your earning and spending goals up front (in doing so, consider what you need to make to pay for housing, utilities, food, gas, activities/travel, and savings).

2. Keep track of your revenue and expenses as you go (this will decrease your anxiety substantially during tax season!)

3. Save save save. Savings are essential to reducing freelancing anxiety. When business is slow or things don’t go as planned, savings allow you to keep things running without worrying about meeting your basic needs.

3. Pair with experts.

To reduce freelancing anxiety, be sure to have an attorney review your client contract template and hire a CPA to help you during tax season. Working with experts is often the difference between a scary lawsuit/tax audit and pushing ahead fearlessly in your business.

I also hire a book cover artist/typesetter to prepare my clients’ books for self-publication. If I tried to take care of these tasks myself, their projects would not meet the professional standards I have for my business. Producing high-quality work results in more high-paying clients, so don’t shirk on hiring experts for your client projects.

4. Practice intentional rest.

Anxiety compounds if you don’t practice intentional rest. And no, intentional rest is not binging Netflix every night or spending an extra hour staring at your bedroom wall in worry. It may seem counterintuitive, but intentional rest actually makes you more productive. When you set aside time to relax and let your brain and body take a break, you’ll be far more energized when you return to the page.

Trust me. Rest is necessary to reducing anxiety, so let yourself do things other than work and have a little fun once in a while.

5. Prioritize mental and physical health.

If you’re constantly overbooked and overwhelmed, consider lightening the load. Take on less projects and only accept the projects that pay well so that you aren’t overburdened.

If you’re struggling mentally, consider seeing a therapist to get professional help. Things that I do to calm my brain include journaling, listening to peaceful music, exercising regularly, eating cleaner, spending time with the friends I can really be myself around, and occasionally setting aside me-time days.

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Thanks for reading this Monday’s post. I’d love it if you’d subscribe to The Ghost Post at the link below, or consider upgrading to a paid subscription for exclusive access to paid-only content (and to receive my unending gratitude! 😊)

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⚠️ Disclaimer ⚠️ None of these tips are or should be construed to be medical advice. If you’re concerned about your anxiety, stress, etc., please consult with a licensed medical professional.

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