Not sure if I am the best person to advise on how to deal with the isolation of freelancing, as I admittedly struggled from day one with the lack of people suddenly in my office, no boss to grant validation, and no colleagues to seek guidance from… But, what I CAN help you with are some effective strategies I put in place when working from home that kept me feeling supported and sane throughout my freelance journey.
Firstly, I think it’s worth noting that the freelancing lifestyle does not suit everyone.
For example, if you are already suffering from some mental health issues, it is a risky move to isolate yourself without a solid plan. It is also not an ideal career path for highly social individuals to take, as you will be spending A LOT of time running your company in your own company, with your own thoughts and limited opportunities to bounce ideas off others. So if you are uncomfortable with working autonomously for long periods – reconsider taking the leap into freelancing full-time.
Here is what I would write up in a job description for the role of ‘Freelance Writer’:
confident in one’s creative abilities
strong talent to seek out new business
confident to pitch to new clients
must be able to network on short notice
must understand marketing basics to raise profile
excellent project management skills
excellent communication skills
impeccable time management
comfortable working autonomously for long periods
a general fondness of routine, solitude and deadlines
a general distaste for crowds, layers o protocol and team meetings preferred
fiscally responsible (or willing to obtain accountant at own expense)
If, like me, you are a social person who also happens to flourish when working on projects autonomously then a freelance writing career is probably perfect some days but disastrous on others! I have learnt this the hard way (by jumping in head first) and only now can I see the impact this type of career path can have on an individual’s wellbeing.
One thing I have also noticed during my years of freelancing is that this line of work seems to attract a large amount of creative introverts who are unable to reach their full potential in an office environment. Once certain rules and procedures and corporate branding is removed, these individuals must thrive in their workplace of one, communicating honestly online with clients and structuring their creative work around the hours of the day when they are most productive. What a great setup for these kind of professionals!
The downside of course is that for every successful year we work for ourself, we are stacking up the years of separation from the office environment and losing touch with industry trends and water cooler talk. I imagine I am not the only freelance writer who has this impending fear that I am pushing my desk deeper into the freelance cave YoY?
I find it incredibly frustrating that I possess almost all of the above criteria, produce some of my best work when writing from home, but I cannot balance my wellbeing when freelancing full-time! It’s a massive catch 22 situation for personalities like mine.
The solution to freelancer isolation will be different for everyone, but I highly recommend if you are new to this style of work, or have felt alone in the game for a while now, to try the following:
Work every second day from a cafe or public library
Phone clients instead of emailing them
Suggest a meeting over coffee with new clients / client briefs
Don’t look at other writers on Instagram and compare yourself!
Go for a little walk or run EVERYDAY to clear your head
Get involved with client events – if they have a launch party, invite yourself!
Attend one creative networking event a month (these can be time-wasters so choose wisely)
Find a local business support agency and attend any free courses
Sign up to a paid short writing/marketing/branding course for CPD once a year
Share your work – i.e. publish successful projects on LinkedIn
Have lunch with a positive person in your life often.
I wish you the best of luck on your freelancing experience – when I started there was hardly any advice available on the initial (but probably very common) hurdles I faced and in writing this article I hope to give a hand to anyone in a similar situation.
It’s a great privilege to have the skills and talent to work for yourself, but it can also be your greatest challenge as lots of plates need to be kept spinning at once: just don’t forget to keep your eyes on the most important one (no, not dinner you dingbat) your HEALTH AND WELLBEING!