I started freelancing full-time in January 2017. Every day since then I've dedicated myself to The Grind, "making that money." Then a funny thing happened in the middle of the year:I made more money in one month than I had made in the entire first quarter of the year. With no financial demise looming over me, I felt my will to hustle diminish. I was no longer driven by necessity. Suddenly, wearing my pajamas after dinner seemed like a perfectly legitimate way to live my life. I responded to emails more slowly. I did not put any energy into attracting new customers. I knew this phase could not last and that it was in my interest to be proactive. Instead of riding when times are good, I've taken to looking for things to do with my free time to advance my career.
Related: 4 Ways to Make the Hustle Feel Natural
1. Cut the boredom.
When I started freelancing, I said Yes to all that paid. But after becoming more established and doing better rates, I found some of these low-paying or uninteresting missions to be a complete slog to skip and made me miserable. It was time to start saying no and closing projects I wasn't passionate about.
Even if you're not a freelancer, you can cut boredom from your list of responsibilities. If there is a weekly networking series that you no longer find beneficial, resume your Tuesday evenings. Next level in your career? Talk to your boss about offloading some of your entry-level tasks to others.
2. Check off stagnant tasks.
OK, when I was legitimately busy, it made sense for me to have months of mileage I needed to log in for tax purposes. But now, when do I have time to watch a full Netflix series in a single day? No excuses. It was time to cut out tedious admin tasks and things that were nice but unnecessary like sending thank you cards to clients and mentors.
For you, this could mean you finally have time to start putting your weight behind that non-profit organization you've had on your resume for years. Maybe even finally dust off that resume and LinkedIn, while you're at it. Cleaning up your home office, canceling subscriptions you no longer use, and getting your inbox back to zero would also be great uses of your new found free time.
3. Improve your goals.
In March, I bought a course to deepen my knowledge. Then I got so busy that I never really finished the course. What better time to eliminate these courses? Not only do I have time to learn something new, but I also have time to implement this new knowledge to enhance my career. I hope this information will help me achieve my next goals.
You have this. Sit back, look at your goals, and think about what's possible beyond that. Set new goals.
If you're coasting, it's probably time for you to review your goals as well. Now is not the time to let your career stabilize. When you've accomplished things you never thought possible, it can be scary to ask, So what? You have this. Sit back, look at your goals, and think about what's possible beyond that. Set new goals. You can be like me and take a course to get you on the path to achieving those goals, look for someone who is a rock star in your field and figure out how they did it, or it might be time to start chart your course for success in a different arena. It's yours. Remember that even the sky is not the limit.
4. Relax.
OK, let's be honest, I didn't fill up everything of my free time to get back on my rhythm. For the past few months, I've been working early mornings and late nights to get my freelance business started. It's just not sustainable if you also want to be healthy and happy.
While I found ways to stay productive, I also enjoyed some much-needed downtime. In our culture, it can be easy to get caught up in the busy cycle for fun, or to allow others to feel less than kick you sometimes. By spending time with the friends and family I care about and having new experiences, I feel more inspired and energized in my work.
Stay aware of how you spend your time. Do what you can to maximize it. Whether that means setting yourself up for success in the future or fully committing to unwind and decompress.
If you have time, take it. If you've wanted to join a softball league or skipped too many game nights, you no longer have a reason not to have a good time. Are you that person who believes you can survive on five hours of sleep? Wait and see what eight hours can do for you. You will feel like a new person after just one week.
Remember that the good times won't last forever. If you don't want your days to pass without doing anything, be mindful of how you spend your time. Do what you can to maximize it. Whether that means setting yourself up for success in the future or fully committing to unwind and decompress.
Related: 4 Ways to Maintain Momentum
