How to Avoid Burnout as a Freelance Writer

You decided to become a freelance writer. Working on your own terms. Having your own schedule. Working with amazing clients. Having freedom. Living the dream… At least that was your goal… Your reality is a bit different.

Most freelance writers come with big dreams. Yet, I see so many of them fall into the trap of hustle culture. Working 24/7 as an entrepreneur is something that so many freelancers wear as a badge of honor. But guess what?! This is not a healthy way to run your freelance writing business. Hustling and overworking can lead to freelance writer burnout. 

Freelance writer burnout is NOT something you want. Hustling and overworking are not the way to run a sustainable business. There is another way. There is a way to avoid burnout as a freelance writer — a way that will lead to more fulfillment and joy in life. A way that will lead to the freedom you’ve desired when you decided to become a freelance writer. Keep reading for my tip on how to avoid burnout as a freelance writer.

How to Avoid Freelance Writer Burnout

Experiencing burnout as a freelance writer is unfortunately common. We are living in a hustle culture, and many freelance writers think that hustling and overworking to the ground is the only way to go. You may also be dealing with a full-time or part-time job, children, family, and other commitments outside of freelance writing. 

A mini freelance writer burnout is something most of us will experience at one point. These times can serve as turning points in your freelance writing business to pivot and reduce further burnouts. What you certainly want to avoid is burning yourself to the ground completely. You don’t want to end up having to take up many months just to recover. 

So how do you avoid freelance writer burnout? Here are my top tips to avoid burnout as a freelance writer and create a more fulfilled business.

Work with Clients that are Aligned with your Values and Goals

Newbie and struggling freelance writers are often inclined to take on anyone and anything that comes their way. It’s money, right?! I get it; I’ve been there. But the truth is, if you are not aligned with your client, your work will suffer. You will be suffering. You will feel frustrated and work will take much longer than it needs to. When you are in alignment with your clients' values and goals, work will (usually) feel like a joy. It will also go faster.

Remember, You are a Business Owner

Developing a business owner mindset is becoming such a cliche. But you are not an employee, and your client shouldn’t treat you like one. Unless you act like a business owner who is providing a valuable service and set the right expectations from the start, there is a chance your client will start treating you like an employee or step over your boundaries. Micromanagement, quick deadlines, hopping on quick calls, hourly pay, and bending over backward for them will only lead you to frustration, resentment, overworking, and burnout.

Create a Support System

One potential drawback of being a freelancer is working for yourself — by yourself. Creating a support system is crucial. Having a supportive family and friends is helpful, though not all of us have this luxury. Having a support system full of other freelance writers is even better. They truly understand what you are going through. Join a Facebook group full of freelance writers. I love the Female Freelance Writers group (no affiliation, I’m just a member). Get active on Linkedin and connect with other freelancers. Join a co-writing group. Put the word out and create a little personal group on Whatsapp.

Schedule Breaks

You don’t need to work 8 hours straight. You are not at a 9 to 5 anymore. Break off your day. Schedule breaks. Get up every 30 minutes to stretch. Maybe you want to try the Pomodoro technique — 25 minutes of writing, 5 - 10 minutes for a break, 25 minutes of writing again, and so on. Break up your day with longer breaks. Work for two hours, then go for a walk, work for another two hours and go cook a yummy meal. Find something joyful and relaxing during your break time.

Leave Time for Hobbies and Side Projects

If you want to avoid freelance writer burnout, you need to have some fun too. Scheduling breaks is an important tip for avoiding burnout as a freelance writer. But what do you do with those breaks? I have nothing against binging your favorite show. I love that too. Working on your passions outside of freelance writing, however, can truly fill up your cup. I personally love running, walking, hiking, biking, creative writing, taking photos, and painting bad pictures. I also want to learn how to make tile mosaics. What do you love to do? Leave room for hobbies and side projects. If you don’t have one, it’s time to start experimenting and find your fun outside of freelance writing.

Take Vacations

Daily breaks are important, but they don’t replace an extended time off. One of the major issues for freelance writers is working all 52 weeks a year. Even if they take a trip, they take their work with them. Of course, taking your work on the road and working from anywhere is one of the major perks of freelance writing. But if you want to avoid freelance writer burnout, you want to schedule some work-free vacations. If you are worried about your clients’ reactions, remember, you are your own boss. And trust me, valuable ‘good’ clients will be more than okay with it. They don’t want a burned-out writer. And pro tip: you can always work ahead so you don’t miss out on pay either.

Try Working Part-Time

One of the joys of freelance writing is setting your own schedule and making your own decisions. If you want to avoid burnout as a freelance writer, you may want to consider working part-time. When I say working part-time, I not only mean your actual hours spent on writing and client work. It also includes client outreach, admin, accounting, and so on. And yes, believe me, you can make enough money working part-time. 

Set Your Fees Right

This brings me to my next point. If you want to avoid burnout as a freelance writer, you need to set your fees right. Overworking and being underpaid is a recipe for disaster. If you feel like you are not being valued and paid enough, you will not be motivated to work. You will feel frustrated. You will also have to work a lot more even to make ends meets. Start raising your fees slowly with each client until you reach your sweet spot to avoid freelance writer burnout.

Reward Yourself

You are responsible for yourself and your business. Noone is going to give you bonuses, compliments, and small rewards but yourself. Set goals and acknowledge when reaching your goal with a small reward. The reward may be a short stroll in the park or a yummy treat. It may be getting a massage or going to the art museum. Your reward doesn’t have to cost money either. A walk, an hour to read, allowing yourself to watch trash TV, or an extra hour to sleep in doesn’t cost anything. The joy of a little reward may just help you avoid burnout as a freelance writer.

Remember: Your Work is NOT Your Worth

I repeat, your work is not your worth. The number of hours you work, the amount of clients you have, the money your make, and so on doesn’t reflect on you as an entire person. Don’t take setbacks or negative interactions personally. Letting your business and the pressure to succeed drain your energy is not the way to avoid freelance writer burnout. It’s the way to set you up for one.

Take Care of Your Body

You knew this was coming. To avoid burnout as a freelance writer, you need to take care of your body. It is your home, if it’s not working, you are not working. Even if you are dealing with chronic pain, chronic illness, or disability that causes ongoing challenges, you want to feel as healthy and energized as much as your body possibly can. Drink plenty of water. Nourish your body with whole foods. Move your body regularly. Spend time outside in the sun. 

Try Some Mindset Practices

Taking care of your mind, soul, mental, and emotional health are important. Now I am not going to give you a perfect list of mindset practices or a mind-blowing two-hour morning routine that privileged millionaires have time for. You have to find what’s realistic, feels good, makes sense, and works for you. But here are some ideas. Journaling may help you release frustrations and negative energy and spot negative thought patterns. Meditation, breathwork, and guided visualizations mat help you stay in the present moment, calm your body and mind, and help you handle stress better. Affirmations may help you to improve your self-esteem and confidence. Having a gratitude practice may help you to notice the positive things in your life. Choose what works for you and shift your mindset to avoid freelance writer burnout.

Reach Out for Professional Help

Mindset practices and personal development can also go so far. You may need more support. If you are dealing with trauma, anxiety, low self-esteem, depression, or other mental health challenges, you may benefit from support from a therapist or other mental health professional. Even if you are not dealing with any of these, a therapist or counselor can help you to recognize negative thought patterns and help you notice blind spots you can’t see by yourself. They are there as your support and guide to recover from or to avoid burnout as a freelance writer. 

Reflect, Learn, and Adjust

If you are experiencing freelance writer burnout, it’s a sign that something is off in your business. Even regular mini burnouts as a freelance writer show that your business is not sustainable. Reflect on what’s the real issue. Then adjust your work accordingly. Do you need to drop a client? Do you need to adjust your schedule? Do you need to raise your fees? Do you need more breaks? What else can you change? Remember, you are in charge of your business — and you can change. Pivoting and making adjustments is often necessary to create a more fulfilled business and avoid burnout as a freelance writer.

Are you interested in creating a sustainable freelance writing business without the hustle? Check out my freelance writing course with a step-by-step process of exactly what you need.

Remember, you’re worth it. You can create a business on your own terms — no hustle, no overwork, and no burnouts. Follow my tips to avoid freelance writer burnout. If you have any other tips on how to avoid freelance writer burnout, feel free to share them. I would love to hear from you. We are in this together (it may be a cliche, but I truly mean it).