Freelancing can be a real source of stress: What with the financial concerns, demanding clients, long hours at the computer, and general disconnect from family and friends. However, you shouldn’t let stress kill your dream job. Freelancing as a graphic designer—or even as a writer or artist—is one of the coolest professions out there, and the following tips will help you keep your eyes on the prize and your stress on the back burner.
1. Get Out And Exercise: The first thing you’ll want to do if you’re arse-deep in work stress is get outside and exercise a little bit. It doesn’t matter if you’re in shape or not: Simply getting under the sun and enjoying all that vitamin-D will really lift your spirits. Studies have shown that people are happier when they exercise regularly, so take an extra thirty minutes a day to go for a walk, or take a swim at the local recreational center. If you’re feeling particularly gung-ho, take up jogging. Stress is a good excuse to take a long run, and by making fitness a goal for your lifestyle, you only improve the benefits you reap from exercise.
2. Take Pride In Your Work: When we start to do the thing we love for a living, we often lose track of the fact that we’re still doing the thing we love. Obviously, you have a passion for graphic design, or you wouldn’t have pursued it as a career. Try to look past all the paychecks and financial stress to remember the time when you first started freelancing: Remember that you perform a service that most people cannot provide. You’ve trained and have worked hard to reach a point of professionalism that’s downright enviable. Have some pride in your work—you deserve to, anyway!
Then, Work On Your Craft: Never forget as well that you’re an artist like any other. In a sense, you’re even more like an athlete. Day after day, you’re called to perform a task with precision and creativity. Not being able to perform could hurt your career. With that in mind, take time out of your work schedule to practice your craft, or to read a couple design blogs for inspiration. You should never stop growing as a designer, and feeling a sense of stagnation can greatly increase your work stress and dissatisfaction.
