My work has fallen into a comfortable rhythm recently, and for that I am incredibly grateful. Rather than always being oversubscribed and working weekends to manage demand, I’ve enjoyed a consistent and easily managed workflow lately. That said, I know a thing or two about coping with a quiet period as a freelancer.
I know that I’m incredibly lucky to be in this position, as LinkedIn is telling a very different story. From what I have seen, many freelancers are really struggling at the moment. Staring at a blank calendar is a scary prospect for a freelancer. If your brain is anything like mine, you immediately jump to worst case scenarios and head into a stress spiral.
If you want to be a more resilient freelancer, it’s essential to be able to negotiate the waves, rather than trying to control them. You can be riding high one moment and sitting on flat oceans the next. So how do you stay sane and stay productive when it feels like you’ll never work again? Read on to learn more about coping with a quiet period as a freelancer.
Coping with a quiet period as a freelancer: Get some perspective
Are you truly shit at your job? Or are you just having a quiet spell and waiting for new projects to crop up? If you’re prone to despair when things aren’t going well, I’d recommend meditation to shift these thought patterns. Sit with the unease and learn to let the catastrophic thoughts just wash over you and drift away.
When you’re in an anxious state, there is a good chance that you aren’t doing yourself any favours. So, start with some perspective. Look to your wider network and see if this is a downturn for you, or if everyone is in a slump. Look at the feedback from your last few projects if you are blaming your own performance.
If you need a reminder, write it on a post-in note and stick it to your mirror. It sounds cheesy, but it works.
Focus on what you can do
If you still have client work to do, don’t risk neglecting this because you’re too busy focusing on the empty days in your calendar. It could be a great time to demonstrate your worth and increase your retainers for existing clients.
Beyond your remaining client work, there’s always something productive you can be doing for your business. Set the panic to one side and ask yourself what things you’ve been putting off that you finally have the time to do?
For me, it’s nearly always website work and taxes. When I have a quiet moment, I can finally shift focus to these business admin tasks that have been long neglected and take small steps towards a more productive business.
When demand picks up, I’ll have more time in my schedule because I’ve ticked off these annoying but essential tasks. And sometimes, reviewing and updating my website can help to boost rankings and drive more traffic to my site.
Review your finances
Most freelancers have a buffer to help them to manage the ups and downs of freelance income. When you’re worried about how long this buffer has to last, it’s a good time to review your finances and look for areas where you could save.
You might have some subscriptions that you aren’t using now that you don’t have as much work coming in. Pausing and downgrading subscriptions is a great way to free up money to help take the pressure off.
If you don’t have a buffer, be very careful about borrowing to get yourself out of this position, as this can lead to a precarious situation. Also be very cautious about spending your tax savings – I did this during the pandemic and have only just recovered from the fallout.
If you don’t have a buffer and you can’t lean on anyone else, it could be time to think about taking on any paid work to help bridge the gap. It doesn’t have to be permanent and you don’t have to view this as a failure. It’s simply about being flexible and ensuring that your freelance career remains viable.
Talk to friends and family
Everyone needs a supportive friend or family member to talk to when things are tough. If your freelance career is not entirely supported by those around you, it can be difficult to share when things aren’t going well. Look to your freelance community and those who “get it” to keep your mood lifted.
Some days, you just need a pep talk to keep you in good spirits. Sometimes, you just need to be able to rant and get your worst thoughts out so that you can hear how utterly ridiculous they are.
Have an exit strategy
Most freelancers I know always keep one eye on the full-time job openings in their sector. They’re happy with what they’re doing, but they’re not above accepting a full-time job during leaner times.
You might come across fixed-term contracts that will help to tide you over while you wait for demand to increase. You could use this time to fine-tune your marketing, build your reviews, expand your network and then return to freelancing with a financial buffer and some new experience under your belt.
Freelancing isn’t a predictable career choice. If you’re looking for certainty and security, it probably isn’t for you – and that’s okay.
Review your offering
Sometimes a change in demand for your services requires you to pivot and switch things up. It could mean learning new skills that will allow you to better meet the needs of your clients. You might also expand into new niches. Or you could change your marketing approach to try to find new clients. For example, if leads have dried up from social media, perhaps it’s time to explore SEO?
You can also leverage your existing network and reach out to lapsed clients to see if they are looking for support. It’s also a good time to explore networking opportunities in your area. It’s tempting to write these off, but you never know who you might meet and what doors they might be able to open for you.
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