How Freelancers Can Deal with Anxiety

As someone who has been revved up since well before the pandemic, I’ve learned that anxiety is real - and it manifests in a variety of ways. Whether your heart starts racing on a client call or you have difficulty sleeping, anxiety can impact your work and life. As someone who seemed to be in a constant state of anxiety for some time, I had to learn new behaviors to mitigate anxiety and help me, help myself.

In today’s Freelance Friday, I’m going share 3 strategies I’ve used to both identify anxiety and extinguish it. If you’re a freelancer or solopreneur, these skills can help improve the quality of your day and your overall state.

1.?????Identify. Pay attention to what’s going on around you. How does anxiety manifest for you? Do you procrastinate? Do you get short-tempered? Do you reach for a salty snack? Focus on getting more in tune with your anxiety. When you do, it will become easier and easier to recognize.

2.?????Call it out. I had a personal coach who gave me a great technique (shout out to coach Julie). It was a bit awkward for me at first, but it simply reinforced the need for acknowledgment. When you catch yourself feeling anxious, put one hand on your heart and say, “I’m feeling anxious, and that’s OK”. You can replace the word “anxious” with whatever you’re feeling in the moment. The important thing is to acknowledge it and call it out.

3.?????Accept. Anxiety happens for different reasons. The good news is that you don’t need to ruminate on the causes, ask why it’s happening, or even give it much attention. Instead, be accepting of yourself. Practice self-love. Take a moment and say, “I’m feeling anxious, and that’s okay… and everything will be fine.” Remind yourself that everything will work out no matter how difficult things are in the moment. Act as if you are parenting a child you love. It goes a long way.

Some deep stuff, but important. As a freelancer, mental health should determine what you do and how often you do it. Freelancing isn’t just about freedom or money, it's about finding joy in your work.

Weekly Quote

“No matter how much experience you have, how many degrees you have, or how well known you have become — there is always something new to learn. Don’t rest on your past experiences. If you do nothing to improve your skills, you won’t stay where you are.”

― Laura Spencer

Weekly Tips

#1. Plan your day the night before. Take a moment to review the next day’s schedule. Are all the things on your calendar necessary? What can you do to free up some time for yourself? Have you scheduled a specific time to work on defined projects?

#2. Celebrate wins. It’s easy to get caught up in what others are doing or have achieved. Our minds have a negativity bias… we are always looking at the negative. Turn this around and celebrate your wins!

Resources:

Need help accelerating your freelance journey? Here are some resources to guide you on your journey.

• Books: Confessions of a Freelancer, The Freelance Workbook
• Training: Freelance Training Academy
• Community: FTA Community Save 30%. Use Coupon Code: FREELANCEFRIDAY30