Let’s be honest, it’s a bit scary outside your front door right now. Every day, every hour, every minute seems to have a new statistic, a new update, a tighter restriction. And one thing is for certain; this is going to have a lasting effect on pretty much every industry. I know I speak for many when I say that events have been cancelled left, right and centre, budgets are being cut and the first thing is often the creative non-essentials (I say that with air-quotes).
Now you may be reading this in the clothes you slept in, because lets be honest, our pets and reflections don’t give two shits about what we look like when we work from home. You may also be anxious, nervous, worried about the effect this is going to have on you and your current situation, whether that be freelance life or small business ownership, right up to you normal people who have jobs and offices and are just starting to see what most freelancers are like when we work from home aka the studio, office, multidisciplinary firm that we operate. So this got me thinking, when the work slows, what can you do yourself to boost the momentum?
Build for the future
Many are opting for taking this time to plan ahead. Hell, one of my clients just sent me her 12-18 month plan, talk about utilising the time well! If its preparing the next week to month of content for your Instagram, updating your portfolio or doing that annoying task that’s been sitting in the background since *ahem* 2018, this is the perfect time to do it because, a lot like a Zumba class, no ones watching you, they’re kinda worried about themselves and what they need to do to get through this period.
Pitch solutions, but timeline them
Right now we know that budgets are tight. And if there is one thing that most people are, its optimistic. Life isn’t cancelled, its just postponed to a later date. If you’ve had a great idea for a client to solve a problem for them, but also understand that now is not the best time financially, be honest with that! I’ve already sent a few emails to clients along the lines of this, saying that if they need help, I’m here, whenever they need. The script could go something like this:
Hey Client, Hope you are coping with Corona Craziness! I noticed that your current socials could use a bit of help. Now I understand that budgets are tight at the moment, so if I can help with a payment plan or deferred payment, I’m happy to help. If not, no worries at all, we all need to have each others backs and I am here whenever you need.
Passion projects are a great distraction
You know that passion project that you would get to “one day” or that hobby that you wanted to try but never really had the time? Well now is the time. There are so many great resources like Passion to Paid with Lauren Hom, a bunch of videos and tutorials on Skillshare, we are fortunate to have more resources at the click of a button than ever before. And who knows, you may find the perfect distraction that turns your hobby into a sweet lil money maker.
Remember, we are all human.
With all of these suggestions, I want to be clear on one thing. You do not need to feel guilty for wanting to sloth out. This shit is exhausting. We are consuming so much media these days, much of which is subconscious, and its all still energy use. If you need to keep busy to distract you, then you do you boo. But if you need to take this time to stop, be with family, relax, that is more than fine too. This is about finding your own coping mechanism, and that is different for everyone.