The truth is, no matter how badass you are at managing time, organisation, pitching and self-promotion, there will come a day where you wake up to a clear calendar in terms of billable work and you will feel quite frankly, panicked. Thoughts like what if I never get another job will float through your mind and how am I going to give my dog the lifestyle he deserves?
First of all, don’t confuse a day with no billable work with a day off. Nope. You will check your work emails, you will refresh new jobs on your favourite freelance bidding site and you will scan Twitter and Linkedin for any last minute lucrative tasks. If like me, you have a side hustle, you may schedule some tweets, create some fresh content or even empty that inbox. When you work for yourself, there’s always work to be done, but here are my top tips for banishing the freelance guilt that comes with downtime.
Ideas and Goals
My quiet periods often coincide with the first few days of the month so I use this time to brainstorm new business ideas and drum up some realistic concepts surrounding passive income. After all, passive income is the answer to fewer downtime days as you will still earn money even when you are in-between client work. Find yourself with a free working day? Jot down some ideas on how you can monetise your website, how you can sell your skills or share your expertise and get paid for it. Create the bare bones of an e-book or gauge interest for an online magazine. I often start downtime days with a podcast or two. At the very least, you’ll feel inspired.
Stay on Track
Are your expenses up to date? Is your Inbox clear? Is it time to amend your hourly rate? Could your client pitch strategy be improved? Is your financial data complete? Are you on track for your tax return? These are all mundane but essential tasks to address when you have free time. Fire off some emails and get in touch with old clients, you never know when an opportunity will arise. Get. Shit. Done.
Do What You Love
Freelance life entails working late on evenings and often weekends too so don’t let feelings of guilt creep in should you find yourself with a little free time on a Monday. Didn’t we all go freelance to enjoy a bit of flexibility and freedom? HERE IT IS. If you spent the week before smashing a deadline, take some time out. Freelance burn out is a thing! Schedule a little last minute catch up with other freelancers or spend some precious time with family. I see so many freelancers leave the constrictions of an office job only to work set hours at home as a freelancer. Of course, whatever works for you works for you, but if you rely on a routine to be productive you may find a day of downtime can make you spiral. Learn to be less rigid and try to go with the flow.
Factor Downtime in
Why not set up a monthly direct debit to create an emergency fund for downtime days. The chances are you won’t even notice it each month. If the worst happens, you have a backup (it is wise to build up a 3-month salary cushion over time but it’s ok to start small) but you can dip in and treat yourself when you have a quiet day. Take that yoga class you’ve always wanted to try, take yourself out for lunch to that instagrammable cafe or indulge in a massage.
Manifest
I’ve recently created a vision board (thanks to a spot of recent downtime) and I now have one for my brand. It has everything from a dream client list to inspiring images and quotes. I’ve dedicated spaces to different opportunities that I want and each day I take time out to visualise working with my dream clients. This helps me set intentions for the working week. This blog has some great posts on how to manifest new opportunities.
So, don’t let downtime drain your positivity or love for your job, use these tips to slay slow season.
