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Hello guys, and welcome to another episode! You are probably like who’s the guest today? But my friends, it is just me and you. So sit down, get something good to drink, or take a walk and take a listen today. I am going to be talking all about tips for avoiding burnout as a freelancer.

The term burnout is something we definitely have heard in the nursing world at the bedside. It’s obvious when we’re taking on too many patients, having too many tasks, getting frustrated with coworkers and families, and sometimes even our patients. In the freelance world, burnout looks a little bit different but it’s still there.

As a freelancer, you might feel like you’re scurried to get a deadline done, or maybe you’re getting annoyed with clients. Either way, when we take on too much in our lives we’re taking from a different cup just to fulfill another cup. It’s always at the expense of ourselves.

It is not good and we know this. But today, let’s talk all about some ways we can address it.

Identify your needs

Start to get to know yourself. You can even take a personality test. I really like the one called 16personalities.com. It takes about 12 minutes and really has results that relate to you.

As an introvert, I recharged by being alone, usually in nature. My husband on the other hand is a very active extrovert and he really enjoys having company with friends around them when he’s trying to relax. That doesn’t mean I don’t frequently see family and friends, but it’s just not the way. My brain likes to react and relax. I also know when I am stressed. I need to do some sort of activity that involves nature. Sometimes walking, sometimes running. I always feel better when I come back and I feel refreshed and just ready to go. I’m also a person who likes to start and complete a project at the same time. If I’m cleaning out, I need to get that done or I can’t relax. It’s always like an obsessive-compulsive thing. When it comes to my writing and stuff, I know where to take those breaks and where to batch it out.

I say you find out what your needs are. What you need to do to relax – do you like people around you? Do you not? Would you rather be alone? Do you like nature? Do you like to exercise? What do you do to recharge?

Take time for yourself

You need to block out some time for yourself. Taking time for yourself needs to be something that you can fit into your day. It doesn’t need to be hours long, does not need to be expensive, but it’s something even as simple as reading a book alone or taking a shower is sometimes all you need. Take that time for yourself.

Take some rest periods

You need to take some rest periods. You guys know, if you’ve listened to me for a while, one of the time management productivity hacks I love to use is the Pomodoro method. The Pomodoro method helps me keep focused on activities throughout the day. Take some vacation and just breathe.

Fuel up and eat well

Eat the right kinds of food.

Connect with others

Loneliness is very common for those who work from home. As human beings, we need people. Sometimes, taking a break to be alone is healthy but being secluded all the time is not. Make sure you connect with others, especially if you’re freelancing full-time.

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