Freelancer Burnout: 8 Freelancers Share Their Stories And Tips For Overcoming It
There’s a lot of content out there that teaches freelancers how to get more clients, increase their rates, and continue chasing the money bag.
After a little over nine years as a freelancer, I’ve realized that it’s easy to neglect the most important part of who we are as we continue in hot pursuit of our goals. We neglect our mental health.
There’s so much pressure on us as freelancers. We can’t pay our bills if we don’t have consistent projects or an amazing stream of passive income. Then there’s the pressure of responding to emails, Slack messages, and client calls as quickly as possible so that our clients are happy. We have no choice, right?
But then, the unthinkable happens. We crash and burn! I’ve been there, done that.
That’s why I’ve put this article together. I don’t want you to experience the same fate. You may be experiencing burnout now or be trying to find proactive ways to prevent burnout from happening. Either way, this article will provide you with the solutions you need.
I’m going to start by sharing my most recent experience with freelancer burnout.
My Freelancer Burnout Experience
August 2021 was a great month for me, at least until I made a huge mistake that still haunts me to this day.
Projects were coming in and I finally hit my monthly revenue goal. Fantastic news! I was finally beginning to see how I could start putting plans in place for a better life.
By the time the last week of August came, I was starting to feel the strain of the work I had been doing since the beginning of the year. My workload kept increasing and I was also working really hard on my podcast.
The solution in my mind was to take a break and my idea of a “break” was to take my birthday, August 30, off. I worked on weekdays, most Saturday nights, and Sundays. I had no real “break” up to that point but I felt that I just needed to keep pushing.
The drive to keep pushing became even stronger when someone I greatly admired and respected hired me to write an article for her. I wrote the outline, submitted it, and addressed her feedback.
But when it was time to write the article, I broke down. I couldn’t think clearly, anxiety was weighing down on me, and I just gave up. I emailed her long before the final due date for the article and told her I wouldn’t be available that weekend and, therefore, couldn’t continue with the project.
She was disappointed. I was devastated. That professional relationship disintegrated.
And the thing is, that type of behavior is uncharacteristic of me. Anyone who knows me describes me as hardworking, diligent, dependable, and reliable. But I chose to be the exact opposite at that moment. It’s a decision that still haunts me to this day.
I felt like a spinning wheel burning rubber but going nowhere at that moment when I emailed her to tell her the bad news. This spinning wheel effect happens when someone presses the gas and brake pedals in a vehicle simultaneously (with the handbrake up) — the wheels spin, rubber burns, smoke starts to rise, but the car is going nowhere.
I was burnt out.
I didn’t realize it then, but I realize it now as I reflect on how everything unfolded. That experience taught me an important lesson — if you don’t pick up that you’re burning out, you’ll make decisions that negatively impact your business and life.
That’s why I feel it’s so important to have open, raw, and authentic conversations about what freelancer burnout looks like (and what we can do to overcome it). So, I reached out to some great freelancers in the Freelance to Fortune Slack group, in the Marketing Twitter community, and on LinkedIn to hear their freelancer burnout stories and tips for moving past it.
I hope that by reading this article, you’ll realize that you’re not alone as a freelancer experiencing burnout and also see the light at the end of the tunnel. There’s hope.
Here are eight powerful tips for overcoming freelancer burnout based on eight freelancers’ real-life experiences.
1. Learn To Say “No” And Let Go Of Clients Who Sap Your Soul
Wendy’s Story
I suffered from burnout a few months after the start of the pandemic, so in May/June 2020. I have always worked from home, and suddenly my husband and two kids were home with me (and the dog) too. I didn’t mind them being here, but I found that my productivity sank like a stone.
I thought it was because I needed to make sure the kids were okay, doing school online, eating well, etc, but then I realized my productivity level was low because I was completely burned out. The onset of the pandemic stressed me out and I didn’t really deal with it emotionally. As a result, my ability to work suffered.
What Did She Do?
I scaled back the amount of time I worked and, whenever I found myself becoming completely unmotivated, I stopped working for the day. It wasn’t easy at first and it definitely took time and practice. But I realized that I only felt shittier if I made myself work in those moments because I wasn’t really working. I was procrastinating.
Also, I started only doing work that brings me joy. I say no to projects and clients that sap my soul. I put my mental health needs first. It’s not always easy but I feel much better when I take this approach.
The Lessons
There will often be unexpected life events (like a global pandemic no one expected). Take time to address how you’re coping with these changes and be mindful that you’re not taking on a ton of projects to fill a void. Yes, you’re trying to make ends meet but that shouldn’t be at the expense of your sanity and productivity, especially during a difficult time.
Connect With Wendy
2. Develop Personal Discipline And Healthy Boundaries
Sonia’s Story
I’ve been a health and wellness writer for five years. At the beginning of my freelancing journey, when I started to get a good amount of work, I found myself working all the time. You know how it goes; you get a project, a deadline, and start working on it. At the same time, you’re still pitching to get more gigs, sending proposals, updating your portfolio, and whatnot!
One of my clients hired me for a project as a team manager just a year into freelancing. It was an exhilarating moment, of course. I loved the sprint. I worked day and night, weekdays and weekends. I was grateful, happy… everything was going great until it wasn’t.
Not having the discipline and healthy boundaries around work and life didn’t allow me to produce consistent quality work. I was tired, unable to give my 100%; my health suffered, my family suffered. That was definitely a wake-up call for me! I experienced burnout as I had never before — piles of work but no energy to tackle it.
What Did She Do?
I did two things to combat what I was experiencing. First, I developed discipline. It’s hard to keep a consistent work schedule as a freelancer, especially when you’re just starting out. So, instead of setting work hours, I set no-work zones throughout the day. No matter the deadline or the backlog, I didn’t work during those times. And I don’t work on weekends anymore unless entirely unavoidable.
Second, I niched down. Doing this helped me produce high-quality work for clients who valued my work and paid me accordingly. Niching down allowed me to do less work, do it well, and get paid better.
The Lessons
Structure your time so that you aren’t overworking. Also, niche down so that you can attract clients who value your work and your time.
Connect With Sonia
3. Make Consistent, Daily Changes For Long-Term Results
Rochi’s Story
My business started booming in August/September of 2021. I started signing more high-paying clients and getting more inbound leads. So, my workload increased along with my prices (win-win financially).
But I didn’t account for the added workload as I increased my prices and continued taking on the same deliverables. I was overwhelmed and struggling to keep up.
What Did She Do?
It was only after speaking with a therapist that I realized I was experiencing burnout. I tried taking a vacation (didn’t work). What worked was making structural changes in the way I work — setting fixed hours, not checking email/Twitter outside of those hours, and taking on a reasonable workload. I can’t say I’m always on balance but it helps!
The Lesson
A holiday won’t cure your burnout. It will just postpone it. You need to make consistent, daily changes for long-term results.
Connect With Rochi
4. Figure Out The Root Cause Of Your Burnout
Kushlani’s Story
I had about five simultaneous projects in mid 2021. They were diverse projects, ranging from content to GTM strategies to consulting. I had to shift my thought process constantly and, therefore, got extremely fatigued.
Some projects were not too fulfilling, and I doubted my decision to start consulting. It was tough because in some ways I loved it but the exhaustion was getting to me.
What Did She Do?
I was honest with myself and my clients. For projects with tight timelines, I explained the approach I was taking and why I needed time. For projects that came with multiple revisions, I spent extra time explaining my thought process, showing them similar samples of work, so they understood where I was coming from. Most importantly, I told myself that even if I was building a brand and needed to put in the work, being overwhelmed was not the way to go.
The Lesson
Find the cause of burnout. This is not always to do with work or client volume. It could be a tough project, a difficult client, or work that is not your passion.
Then identify which parts are within your control. This gives you the clarity to decide the next steps.
Connect With Kushlani
5. Focus On Your Health And Family Ahead Of Work
Rebecca’s Story
I’ve been working as a freelance writer for seven years and my burnout story happened about a year in back in 2016. I was producing blog articles, landing page copy and social media posts for two digital marketing agencies, and was earning about £10 an hour (I think this is about $12–13). Not only was this a super low wage, but I also had two children to look after so there wasn’t a lot of time for relaxation.
My youngest was just a few months old and I’d only taken 3 weeks maternity leave. To fit my writing work in, I was getting up early in the morning, writing late at night and churning out content any time my baby girl was napping. But the combination of post-pregnancy hormones, lack of sleep and working around the clock quickly took a toll on my body.
I was exhausted. And not the kind of exhausted where you have a couple of good nights’ sleep and everything’s ok again. I felt constantly lethargic and couldn’t concentrate on my computer screen due to serious brain fog. I also lost loads of weight and didn’t feel as though I had an appetite to eat, even though I knew it was important to keep my strength up.
What Did She Do?
I had to focus on my health and my family ahead of work, so I dropped my clients for a couple of months and didn’t write at all. I went on long walks, took herbal remedies, listened to meditations, and became the queen of early nights. I also had a series of medical tests to check there wasn’t anything more sinister going on, but my diagnosis was burnout. I’d been running myself ragged looking after my kids and trying to freelance too.
After building up my energy slowly again (which took two or three months), I contacted my clients and asked if I could start taking on more work again. But this time I was better at putting boundaries in place. Instead of saying yes to “Rebecca, I need this 1,000-word article rushed through — can you turn it around today?”, I would say “Sorry, I don’t have availability for that at the moment” or “I don’t work on weekends, unfortunately.”
The Lesson
Rebecca isn’t claiming to have all the answers, and she thinks establishing clear boundaries with clients is an ongoing process.
But her experience of burnout has taught her that no client, no project, and no piece of content is more important than her health and her family. This is an important approach you should adopt if you want to experience some semblance of work-life balance.
Connect With Rebecca
6. Talk About Burnout With People Who Have Different Experiences
Teodora’s Story
When I started, I constantly felt I had to prove that freelancing was a real job and would bring enough income to support myself. I accepted jobs just to make money and I landed a contract with a content mill. I wrote around 3,000 words every day, six days a week. I hated it and myself for not having “a real job.”
I met other freelancers dealing with the same issues and I just made myself believe that everything I was going through was normal. I started working late at night to get free weekends. But I was always tired and disappointed, so I quit looking for better jobs because it seemed there was nothing out there.
What Did She Do?
I was lucky because UpWork sent me an invitation to a webinar. It was the first time I met someone who wasn’t struggling as a freelancer. It opened my eyes. I lived in a tiny bubble where folks would take advantage of my skills and lack of experience at freelancing. So, I decided to try another way. I joined more communities for freelancers and started talking to other people about fees, opportunities, and self-care.
The Lessons
- Talk about burnout with people from different environments, not just those in the same situation as you. That’s how Teodora found resources to learn how to be better at freelancing.
- Pitch for better projects. Teodora didn’t quit the content mill right away, but she did ask for less work to pitch again and land better jobs. Pitching is more effective when you know for a fact there’s better work out there.
- Stop chasing a monthly income goal without context attached to it. Instead, she made it an hourly income goal. She started thinking in terms of the number of hours she needed to work rather than how much she needed to make to pay the bills. This helped her control the amount of time she work.
Connect With Teodora
7. Limit The Number Of Clients You Work With At Any Given Point In Time
Jill’s Story
When I was about a year into freelancing, I had way too many clients. I think nine. It was my own fault, but it was hard to pass up work when the clients were great and the pay was fantastic.
Some days I would grind and work 12+ hour days. Other days I found myself avoiding work during the day, and then working late into the night to catch up on everything. I was making great money, but had no balance.
I was exhausted and depressed. Having this many clients also took a lot of space mentally, even when I wasn’t at my computer. It felt like I never had time away from my brain thinking about upcoming tasks and projects.
What Did She Do?
I went to a therapist for the first time in my life, per my husband’s strong recommendation. Going to therapy helped me realize what was burning me out so that I could set better boundaries. She helped me “budget” my time and mental energy. She had me read Think Like a Monk by Jay Shetty, and The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz.
We were in a video session early one morning and I told her I had seen a stressful email that morning which made me anxious. She helped me see that I don’t need to be checking my phone (and especially my work emails) the moment I wake up!
Now, I don’t get email or Slack notifications on my phone. Clients can’t determine my work hours because I’m a W-9 contractor. When I work and the hours I keep are up to me. I still respond to emails in a timely manner, but I realized I don’t have to respond within minutes to be taken seriously.
Also, I set a lot of boundaries.
- I work with no more than four clients at a time.
- I keep a few months’ salaries in my business savings account for emergencies or slow months.
- I haven’t done this in two and a half years of freelancing, but it’s my goal to take a vacation without my laptop this year!
- I don’t have email or Slack notifications on my phone.
- I used to have a Calendly link that allowed anyone with the link to schedule time with me from Monday through Friday, 8 am to 8 pm. Now, I only allow bookings on Mondays and Wednesdays in the mornings. This has helped me set aside “in the zone” work time and Zoom/video call time and not need to mix the two.
The Lessons
- Place limits on the number of clients you take on within each business cycle.
- Have emergency savings for slow periods.
- Set boundaries around your time.
Connect With Jill
8. Build Professional Relationships With Good Clients
Mads’ Story
I love the outdoors. My kinda vacation is unplugging and being miles away from service. As summer approaches, friends and family have reached out to get some adventures in the books. But, every time I try and plan a trip, the anxiety and internal debate starts to set in…
Who will handle my on-retainer deliverables? What if there’s a future project I can’t accept because I’ll be offline for two weeks…well, maybe I should just cut it and make it one week? Clients can’t be upset with me being offline for one week, right? Does that mean I’ll have to invoice less that month?
It’s so easy to be envious of my W-2 friends. They put in their vacation requests, they’re approved, and then they get paid the same amount. When these moments roll around it gets me questioning whether or not freelancing (and all the challenges that come with it) is worth it.
What Did She Do?
What I’ve learned is that it’s alllllll about the people I work with. Are they flexible, human, and have I built a good relationship with them? I pick good clients who believe in work-life balance and are willing to set you up for success.
Here’s what I do to pick good clients. It’s kinda like a first date. You can really suss out a person in that exploratory phase pre-project signing to see if they’d be a good fit. For example, a new brand approached me earlier this week and they wanted to start my brand therapy process the following week. They never asked what my schedule was like and even proceeded to infer that they’d like the timeline to be shorter…that’s not a client who will ever respect my time or process. Better to pass than get into a sticky situation down the road and potentially for a few months.
Also, I plan ahead when I decide to be offline for one week or two. I get creative and figure out ways to reduce the bumps in the process. I always ask my clients if they’re comfortable or if a plan B is necessary.
The Lesson
There’s nothing wrong with taking a vacation, but ensure you have everything in place to make the vacation possible AND you choose clients who support work-life balance.
Connect With Mads
Final Words
It’s important to know yourself and your clients well so that you can establish clear boundaries and avoid freelancer burnout. You can’t produce your best work if you’re experiencing the symptoms of burnout — overwhelm, depression, fatigue, and the list goes on. So, do what you need to do to prevent burnout from becoming a prominent feature in your life.
Let’s continue this conversation on Wednesday, March 30 at 11 am CT in a special Twitter Spaces event. Here’s the link. I hope you’ll join us and participate in the discussion which will also include a special mental health expert guest.
