A Letter To Freelancers To Help Get Through The Holiday Season

Dearest Freelancer,

I am writing this letter for you, as I like to do at the start of the holidays. Every time of year is crazy for you but this time of year is especially crazy.

Your clients all want to do one last push to get money for the end of the year and they load extra stuff onto your plate.

I know that's very overwhelming and can put a lot of pressure on you but I'm here to tell you, you've got this.

Set aside time for self-care. It can feel like the least important thing during this busy time but I'm telling you, your capacity will be so much more if you fit it in. It doesn't have to be a lot either. You can take 5 minutes here or there to do something but trust me when I tell you, you need to do it.

This season also often brings some mental health challenges too. It can feel like a lot... It can feel heavy. But it, too, will pass.

I know that everyone says that, and it feels really cliqué, but from my deeply personal experience, I can tell you, it does. It absolutely does not feel like that while you're in the thick of it. It feels like you can barely keep your head above water; you're barely surviving. But you will survive, you always do.

Working is so much harder when your mental health is crumbling and it feels like, now is not the time to be struggling to work, you have so much on your plate! But it's a message. You are being told you must take care of yourself, so listen and you will be so much more effective.

So, here is what I suggest if you feel like this season is really taking it out of you...

• Take a breath. Let yourself feel it flow through your whole body.
• Do one self-care-related task every day (even if it's as simple as taking a few sips of coffee while looking out the window - Do it!).
• Make a plan for the time off you're going to take during the holiday season and actually take those days off from your business.
• Create a great weekly productivity plan. It won't always work out but create one anyway. Tell your brain that you've got this.
• Organize and structure your days to allow for maximum work for shorter blocks. How can you focus fully for shorter instead of being distracted for longer?
• If you celebrate a holiday this month, pick some holiday-related activities and dedicate time to doing them (this gets your mind off of your hectic work schedule).
• Take all your vitamins and eat food with lots of nutritional benefits.
• But also, go and enjoy those snacks!
• Online shop instead of in person if you don't have time. You're already on the computer lol.
• Create a gratitude practice.
• Have some slow-living moments.
• Go for a walk midday... even if it feels like you're drowning. It doesn't have to be long.
• Appreciate your wins. Now is the time to see what you accomplished through the year and celebrate what you did. Even if you didn't make some of your goals, you may have had other wins.

But dear freelancer... Please remember this...

Your worth is not defined by your productivity. Keep the promises you made but make promises very carefully. It's okay to say no and set a boundary. If your clients don't understand then it might be time to reconsider things.

So, that's it for this year's letter. You can get through the busy season, you can enjoy this season.

Always loving you,
S