What to do when the wind gets knocked out of your sails?
Most of us freelancers will feel a bit lost at times. Maybe even question if we wouldn’t be better off just getting a regular job with a pay check. Well, I’ve had a couple of weeks like this. I cannot even tell you an objective reason why I felt this way. But rather than focus on what happened and why, I want to look at what we can do when this inevitable lull strikes. Just as we equip ourselves for unforeseen situations in the field (spare batteries, lens cloth etc), we need a toolkit: a prearranged selection of go-to tools specifically for these situations.
In no particular order of usefulness, here’s mine.
Stop.
Look rearwards.
Low hanging fruit.
Look after yourself.
Cut social media.
Be ready.
Ok, so what’s the purpose of these tools? Well, I use them to reconfigure my thinking, expectations and minimise any negative effects.
So, let’s look at each of the tools in a bit more detail.
Stop: Just like hiking, when you lose your way - stop. If it’s going wrong, the last thing you want to do is carry on down that road. Give yourself time to figure it out.
Look rearwards: Actively review recent successes. As freelancers, we’re constantly looking to the next job. It’s easy to forget just how well we did on the last job. Use this time to reinforce the positives. Deliberately study the skills and behaviours that brought that success. Ask yourself if you stopped using any of them recently. Be your own great coach and mentor.
Low hanging fruit: Sometimes, all it takes to lift oneself out of a funk, is the next win. So why not create the opportunities for some quick wins. Now’s the time to write a list of three easy to complete tasks that help you and your business function. Things like asking existing clients for a testimonial or review on your website. There are always chores that get pushed when busy. Get them done and feel the satisfaction of both succeeding and no longer having them hang over you like the Sword of Damocles once busy again.
Look after yourself: If you’re like me, when you’re riding the crest of the business wave, it’s easy to neglect your health. Skipping meals, eating low-quality snacks, late sleep to hit deadlines, too much coffee, too little water, stress, exercise sacrificed on the altar of productivity. Now is a great time to recharge your batteries instead of the camera’s. A healthy you is a more productive you. We look after our kit because we know how critical it is to our work. Our body and mind are the most critical pieces of kit. Lose either, say goodbye to work for a while.
Take a break from social media: We all know it’s unhealthy. Never more so than when we’re down. The distorted window through which we view the digital world where everyone is successful, happy, stress free, healthy, hitting their targets, filling their diaries with wonderful assignments. It’s not real. No matter how hard influencers try to convince us otherwise. Screw them. Unplug for a couple of days. Come back when you’re feeling more objective.
Be ready: No lull lasts for ever. That next great assignment or client could come at any moment. When it comes, you want to be full of energy. The best version of you. Give yourself the very best chance of success.
A lifelong salesman once told me, customers can subconsciously detect the subtle differences in our voice when we’re tired, upset, unhappy etc. He told me, they’re consciously unaware of this skill. Irrespective, they use it to decide whether to do business with us. I’ve never forgotten that wisdom. It’s why I’ll never try to reverse a low point by forcibly trying to drum up new business. The chance of success is reduced and likely to set up a vicious circle. So, do everything possible to create a mindset of optimism and readiness for when the next wave comes.
“You can’t always control the wind, but you can control your sails.”