5 Ways To Keep Your Freelance Business Healthy Through Self-Care

Looking out for number one (you) has never been more critical.

How sustainable is a freelance business?

There are a lot of factors, to be honest. Demand. Quality of service. The economy.

But another factor — one of the most important factors — is you.

Many people are unprepared for the demands of freelance life. Don’t get me wrong… freelancing can be a great career option. But it can be grueling at times.

Between always hustling for new clients or keeping up with the ones you do have, it’s easy to forget that you’re not a machine. And even if you were, machines still need care and maintenance.

But you’re not a machine. So your care and maintenance are even more critical.

Here are five things to consider when you want to take proper care of yourself and your freelance business.

Get a hobby

Are you constantly working? Or thinking about working? Or planning your next work?

Jeez. Knock it off.

Take a breather. Get a hobby.

A hobby lets you think and obsess about something else for a while and freshen your perspective on many things. Sometimes you see new angles or approaches to problem-solving. Sometimes you see, in the process of your hobby — whether it’s gaming, stamp collecting, or hipster kickball leagues — an opportunity to improve upon your current work process.

It also gives you a chance to get out and hang out with real people from time to time.

That’s pretty healthy.

Remember the people in your life

Speaking of people…

Like it or not, we’re social animals.

Even us freelancers.

Make people a priority in your schedule. I’m not talking Zoom meetings and Discord. I’m talking about meeting for coffee or a walk in the park.

Or, heck, a business meeting.

While we have a window of relative safety with vaccinations, take advantage of that window to make digital relationships analog. Or if you’re in a situation where it’s still not (or no longer) pandemic-safe, get in some face-time with close relatives or others in your bubble.

Freelancing can be a lonely profession even though we have colleagues and clients all over the world.

Fixing that is as simple as a well-timed brunch.

Reward yourself

You work hard. You deserve a reward.

Earlier this year, I finished designing and laying out a 750-page book on the early years of the Lone Ranger series. It has over 300 images and has recently been nominated for a Pultizer for non-fiction.

At the same time, my wife landed a huge new client.

We took ourselves out for a very fancy dinner and later went to a bookstore. (This is our perfect date night scenario.)

Why?

Because we deserved it. We work hard, so when we’ve done something particularly noteworthy, we allow ourselves to be rewarded. Sure, the money is nice. It pays the bills. But we’re people, and we respond well to treats.

Even small wins deserve rewards. Finish your entire to-do list for the day? Take yourself out for some ice cream. Or go ahead and binge-watch the new Leverage series. Whatever your idea of reward is.

Don’t overdo it, but go ahead and indulge yourself for a bit.

You’re worth it.

Are you getting enough sleep? Really?

Look, I’ve been doing this freelance thing for a long time. Over 20 years.

I’ve pulled more than my fair share of all-nighters because of a deadline or because I had a do-or-die rush job or had to fix a major issue before press time.

For those, all-nighters are the rare exception, not the rule.

The more you burn the candle at both ends, the less reliable you become, the more your work suffers, and the more your health and mental well-being suffer.

Keep pulling all-nighters, and you won’t make it 20 weeks, let alone 20 years.

Figure out how long it takes you to perform specific jobs, and plan your time accordingly, so your sleep isn’t sacrificed. Then get in your seven or eight hours per night.

Drink some water as soon as you get up. Do some twists and bends.

You’ll be ready for a new day fresher and stronger than you were when you went to bed.

Take advantage of proper exercise and food

This is an essential tip if you’re an older freelancer.

Our bodies weren’t meant to last forever, but, overall, they’re pretty hardy. You can probably put up with a lot of abuse before anything happens, but why wait for that to happen?

As you set your schedule for the week, include some times — at least every other day — for an actual exercise session. Go for a walk, hit a treadmill, go swimming, or take part in an aerobics class.

Get that heart pumping. Get that blood flowing.

You’ll return to your desk or workshop a new person.

Likewise, watch what you eat. Heavy carbs can slow you down. Sugars can make you crash. Both can make you a bit fuzzy-headed.

Go for high-protein snacks, crunchy greens, and plenty of water. These will help keep your energy up and your mind clear.

Set your own pace

The idea of self-care isn’t new, but it’s too often ignored, especially amidst the sometimes constant hustle of freelance life.

Remember, you’re the boss. You can set your own pace.

And you have to make sure you’re able to keep the pace a year later. You serve no one by crashing and burning out.

Taking care of yourself is a good part of taking care of your freelance business.

Cheers!

John lives in Rhode Island with his wife, son, and dog. He specializes in tech, health, business, parenting, pop culture, and gaming. Visit wordsbyjohn.net for more info and rates. Twitter: @WordsByJohn2