What
Recognise that you’re not going to be busy all the time - and many freelancers experience a dip in workload, not long after they start freelancing, which can be a surprise at best, anxiety inducing at worst.
Accepting this is a normal part of the ebb and flow of freelancing is essential.
Why
Many freelancers a prompted to move into self-employment with the offer of a project, and step into freelancing with work on the horizon, which feels exciting and motivating.
But after the first couple of projects, it’s possible that you might experience a bit of a slow-down in how much work you have.
You might have been focusing on doing the work and not thinking about looking for the next project, it could be a quiet time of the year - as often summer and holiday periods can be a little slower, or simply the market might be generally quieter.
Whilst this can be anxiety inducing, especially if it’s the first time you’ve experience a dip in work, it’s important to recognise that this is a normal part of freelancing.
How
1/ Remember, freelancing is a long-term game, not a week-by-week one - you’ll have periods of time where you’re really busy, and other periods where you might not be. Aim to plan your smooth your income over a year, not month to month, so you can afford to have a few quieter months.
2/ Quieter months aren’t a reflection on your skills or ability - but don’t let it get you down. Double your efforts into networking, community building and marketing.
3/ Lean into your community - and get a sense from others how busy or quiet your industry might be at the moment. There might also be opportunties to find work in those community spaces too.
4/ Use the quiet time to think about developing new skills, or even taking some time off to recharge. Make the most of the time you have when you’re not busy.
5/ Don’t worry immediately when there’s no work - but don’t rely upon hope either. Whilst lots of people might say “something will turn up”, you need to make that happen, rather than just waiting.
5/ Know what your red-lines are, how long you can afford to go without work, and when you might need to consider other options.
