Why Freelance Writers Feel Overwhelmed and How to Overcome the Issue

Freelance writers often have many projects to juggle at one time. Many freelance writers cannot survive off income from one source and therefore rely on multiple websites or other businesses to generate money.

The various income sources as well as the nature of freelancing itself can contribute to feelings of being overwhelmed. By tackling the issue at its root, writers can reprioritize their schedules, increase their ability to focus, and feel calm than stressed.

Freelance writers may feel overwhelmed due to the independent nature of the freelance business itself. Being a freelancer, the writer is his or her own boss. Writers create their own schedules as they decide which projects to take on and which projects are priorities. While independence is in many ways as positive point, it can also create stress for writers.

The Working Environment Is Not Organized

When writers try to complete their projects within an unorganized space and without a calendar, their feelings of being overwhelmed are likely to increase substantially. Writers need to be organized. With writing projects for multiple publishers on the go, freelance writers must keep track of deadlines and decide how best to spend each day to get those end dates met on time. Writers may damage their relationships with publishers if they do not complete assignments by deadline.

Without an organized schedule, writers can waver from priorities, spend too much time on social media networks rather than completing writing tasks, and have less income to show at the end of the day. For freelance writers who struggle with organization, they may feel overwhelmed.

For writers who work from their homes, disorganized offices and unclear work calendars can lead to missed deadlines, lost paper, and disorganized thoughts. Writers may feel pressure to meet deadlines at the last moment due to poor planning. Feelings of being overwhelmed surface within these writers.

Lack of Time Management

Without a direct boss to keep tabs on their days like in the typical office, freelance writers have to manage their own time. If they spend half of their work day watching television from home, there is not a supervisor to tell them to get back to their desks or to how to better spend their time. Mismanagement of time means that writers are under considerable pressure the day before a project is due to get it completed; the weeks before were not spent preparing for the task due to poor time management skills.

Treat Writing like a Job with Shifts

Writers need to treat their job just like a shift work job, where they work a certain time, with breaks, and stick to the daily schedule. If nights work best for individuals, they need to devote this time to writing. By repeating this schedule for a considerable amount of time, it will become routine for the writers. They are kept on task and are less likely to mismanage their time. They are therefore less likely to feel overwhelmed.

Be More Organized

Freelance writers are able to develop habits to make them more efficient within their daily work schedules, which reduces their feelings of being overwhelmed. Writers need to recognize their weaknesses and work to strengthen them! If writers are not organized, they need to admit it and then seek ways to rectify the situation.

Writers are encouraged to create a schedule, whether it is electronic or a paper copy, to write down deadlines for writing projects.

Seeing the deadlines in print helps writers feel less overwhelmed in a few ways. First, the writer no longer needs to keep the information in his or her mind, which can be mentally tiring. Second, writers are now able to visualize what needs to be done and organize how they will achieve their goals. The calendar is also a reminder that there are projects to be completed which will help keep the writer at his or her desk rather than watching the television!

Talk To Other People

Talking to other people is another great way for freelance writers to feel less overwhelmed. Approach other writers to inquire if they have had similar feelings and how they cope with the issues. Useful tips can be learned through these conversations.

Talking to family and friends is also helpful. Simply speaking to someone else about one’s feelings may help the writer come up with solutions as they articulate their feelings into words. Also, the feelings may not feel as paramount when they are spoken aloud.

While freelance writers can feel overwhelmed due to a disorganized work environment and poor time management, the writers can create new routines that lower their stress levels and help them feel more in control. Feeling overwhelmed does not have to be a permanent state of mind for freelance writers.