How to tackle freelance burnout for the self-employed

An odd bad day or project can be a hassle. But freelance burnout can have a serious impact on your work and life over the course of months and years.

Constantly feeling tired and lacking motivation makes it harder to meet your current obligations, especially if you’re under time pressure. And even when you’ve managed to complete a task, you’ll feel less achievement. All of that means the quality of your work will suffer.

It can also leave you more reliant on external validation, and prone to self-doubt if it isn’t regularly supplied by clients or collaborators. A growing decline in confidence can lead to serious Imposter Syndrome, which can hurt your confidence and rate of success in attracting new clients. Or when discussing future projects with your current employers. 

The negative feedback loop also means you’re going to be more prone to other illnesses. And sick days will leave you further behind schedule, and feeling less able to tackle the underlying cause.

When you look at the symptoms of burnout, it’s obvious to see how badly it can impact freelancing and self-employment. But unfortunately, this is also likely to feed into your non-work life, with isolation, detachment and a lack of enjoyment in other areas. And the potential for frustration to spill over to friends and family.