5 Tips for Managing Mental Health for Freelancers

Freelancing is often portrayed as the new American dream – setting your own hours, working from anywhere(read: Bali), and avoiding the dreaded office politics and water cooler talk.  But let’s not kid ourselves:  it can also be a mental health minefield.

With no set routine(work in your pajamas, anyone?), uncertain income amidst promises from "gurus" that they have a surefire way to make sure you get a certain income, and the pressure to constantly get new clients by marketing yourself by writing articles like this one, we're no stranger to mental health struggles. Are we?

In a world where productivity is often equated with success, the self-employed often find themselves juggling multiple projects, balancing deadlines, and dealing with the isolation of working alone. And let’s not forget the added joy of fluctuating workloads, which can leave even the most organized freelancers feeling burnout.

I'm not here to make any big promises about how I have the answers to your mental health struggles. I'm trying to grow up, myself. Aren't we all always trying to grow up? Figure it out?

I am, however, trying to continue an important conversation that we don't have enough.

So grab your favorite mug of whatever gets you through the day - because we're all little beverage goblins, especially this time of year - and let’s get cracking.

Why your mental health matters as a freelancer

I can't believe I have to explain this. But of course I do! The majority of the workforce now are children to people who did not grow up with the idea of therapy as normal. If you were a therapist or went to therapy, you were "dealing with crazies" or were crazy.

And we're all a little bit "crazy" for choosing to freelance, but there is nothing wrong with asking for help. There's nothing wrong with you for wanting to take care of your mental health.

Someone I know and love often says that parents are guaranteed to screw their children up; but at least let's make sure we teach them to seek help for the things the parents didn't get right.

Bottom line: as a freelancer, if your mental health tanks, your work tanks. As a human, if your mental health tanks, the rest of your life will follow suit. And listen up, my friends - life only comes around once.

So I need you to be in your best shape to live it. Feel all of the emotions. Be sad when you need to. But learn how to be with yourself, because we don't get a second chance at this being human thing.

'Kay?

Common freelance mental health issues

I'm no expert, but in my experience - as in, my time perusing Reddit - the most common mental health issues among freelancers are anxiety, depression, and burnout.

The freelance lifestyle often comes with a lot of pressure to constantly find new clients, meet deadlines, and manage finances, which can lead to high stress levels and anxiety - especially if you're already a driven person. Most of us are - seeking out new clients and managing deadlines requires some drive in and of itself.

Additionally, freelancers may work long hours and have irregular schedules at different points in their careers, which can contribute to burnout.

It can also be isolating to work from home - nothing new to most of us, but it has either been solidified as a lifestyle or changed, maybe with a partner at home, since the pandemic.

And friends, let's be real: as my fiance said today, "It hasn't been the cheeriest year". War. Inflation. The climate crisis hasn't ended, shocker.

Elections are still happening. AI! AI is a thing. These kinds of global heartbreaks take as big of a toll as our own personal setbacks, especially as they compound over time.

How to take care of your mental health as someone self-employed

While I haven't exactly got it down to a science - I'm actually feeling a bit overwhelmed right now- I do want to share 5 tips with you that have helped me sustain myself as a freelancer.

I'll be honest - my first year freelancing was a little touch and go. I was all in, and then questioning everything. While I don't really have those extremes anymore, I still go from "everything's great!" to "everything's s**t" from time to time. Here's how I try and stay somewhat okay throughout it all.

1. Know who you like to work with

Here's the thing: not all clients are created equal. Some may send you running into the arms of a 9-5 job with behaviors like nickel and diming, endless revision requests, pushing the scope of work -"what's one more blog post?" - and refusing to pay you. Been invoice chasing recently?

That's why it's important to know who you like to work with. For me, it's usually the clients who don't bat an eye at my rates and respect me from the jump. A little cautious investigating into my background is normal.

A federal-level interrogation reeks of a lack of trust.  It can't be understated that it's important to choose your clients wisely, and to choose when to walk away.

I know that sometimes we don't get to choose - money is money. But friends, when you can choose - do. Just because you had to say yes to everyone once doesn't mean that's true now.

After all, you don't want to spend your days dealing with energy-draining individuals who suck the joy out of freelancing. So, do yourself a favor and set some standards for the kinds of clients you want to attract.

2. Set clear boundaries

We may be our own bosses, but that doesn't mean we have to work 24/7. It's important to communicate to clients that while we truly value their business, there are limits to our availability and capacity.

Think, "Hey, so-and-so, I'm going on vacation at the end of June. Just wanted to let you know." You're not an employee - you're not asking for permission.

By being clear and firm about our boundaries, freelancers can maintain a healthier work-life balance and create pockets of time that are just for us. So, next time a client expects you to respond to their emails at 3 am, kindly(?) remind them that you are not a nocturnal creature and need your beauty sleep.

Take-home point here: it's not just boundaries with your clients. It's boundaries with yourself. And I'm still working on this one. No work emails outside of your set working hours. No checking LinkedIn after 5. If you're driven to work like me, keeping yourself from work is probably the hardest piece of this.

3. Recognize signs of burnout

By the time you're laying on the couch, staring at the wall or reading Reddit threads about how someone "just can't do this anymore", it's too late: you've burnt out again. You missed the red flags. I know it's so hard to keep your eyes open for signs that you are getting tired until it's too late - especially when you feel powerless to stop burnout - but it's so important.

If you find yourself unable to muster up any passion for your work, it might be time to take a step back and regroup. Not just, "this is boring," but, "watching paint dry would be more interesting than this" or "nothing seems interesting". Other signs could include chronic fatigue, irritability, and a general feeling of overwhelm.

While you may not be able to immediately lighten your load when you recognize you're hurtling toward burning out, you can take small steps to introduce more oxygen into your every day life. Space to just be.

What's one thing you can drop tomorrow? Can you make room for a walk that's dedicated to not thinking? Can you wake up early to do something joyful?

The smallest gestures of compassion for yourself can make all of the difference.

4. Have a separate workspace

People talk about freelancing like it's a walk in the park, right? Take meetings in your pajamas! Walk to your office! And honestly, I love the short commute, coffee mug in hand. But here's the catch you're probably well aware of - it can seriously mess with your mental health if you're not careful.

That sense of purpose that gives so many people meaning in their work can start to fade a bit when you're writing in bed every day or munching on a grilled cheese over your laptop again and again and again.

I find it amazing how much a little physical separation can do wonders for your mental well-being. I know several people who utilize coworking spaces, and even just going into mine 5 days a month renews my vigor for work.

My favorite work from home tidbit I heard during the pandemic was that people would leave their houses in the morning as if they were going to work, take walks around their neighborhood, and the enter their house as if entering a workspace for the first time that day. Just the ritual of leaving and entering shifted their mood radically.

5. Remember that growth happens slowly

We're constantly bombarded with timelines for success and advertisements for courses that will change the way we do business or make us rich overnight. Most of us know the truth, though, right? Sustained growth isn't instant. There is no one secret. Except, maybe, to prioritize ourselves, and beyond that, to be proud of ourselves.

Behind every insanely successful marketer making even more insane claims is a person who is well-connected, has enough money to work with a team, and has a bunch of other factors going for them that we can't necessarily see.

The best lesson to take home at the end of every day is that there is only one of you. Are you inherently unique to your clients? No.

But your position in life - the time you're entering the game, where you're from, your background - make you, you.

We're all worse imitations of other people than we are the genuine versions of ourselves.

Growth happens slowly, and that's okay. Here's my secret: growth won't happen if you burn bright and fast, because you'll burn right out. You've got to put yourself first.

A few other mental health tips for freelancers and the self-employed

The tips I shared above were pretty broad. Here are a few daily practices I love doing every day that just make me feel better:

• Journaling

• Going on walks

• Meditating(although it doesn't always happen)

• Drinking coffee slowly in the morning

• Reflecting on what went well

• Drinking enough water

• Taking a hot shower

• Painting(2x month)

Simple things, really. And that's the thing - feeling good shouldn't be some monumental exercise or another thing on your to-do list. However you take care of yourself should work for you.

I know that freelancing is tough overall. I know that in the economy, with AI, it's probably rarely been harder to make a living. And I also know that the hustle, the grind, the urgent need to "make it" somewhere is not nearly as important as the human desire for a fulfilled, rich, connected inner life.

I believe we can hold our need to survive with our need to be fully awake to the reality of our lives and present to who we are.

Or maybe I've finally cracked.

What do you think? I'd love to hear from you.