charming ways to manage stress as a freelancer-verified methods

Being a freelancer is a very hectic job at the beginning. Just like other jobs. Though freelancing gives you the opportunity to choose where you work when you work, and with whom you work.

As we know nothing is perfect. As with other jobs freelancing also has some flaws. It can be a great cause to develop stress.

We can't neglect stress in our freelancing career. so, today I will be telling you the different ways to manage stress. As they will be tried and tested methods from my own experience.

Here are my few verified ways to manage stress in our own style. Techniques I will be telling you today won't work in the short term. They won't show their magic overnight. You have to practice them daily.

But I will guarantee you that these methods will work like magic. Only if you apply them in your daily life.

You can bookmark it for later. As it is going to be really helpful. So, let's begin with our techniques for stress management.

Ways to manage stress

1. Know the stressors

The best way to manage stress is to identify it. It means you should know which things are causing you stress. This isn’t as easy as it sounds.

It can be easy to identify major stressors like losing jobs, moving or you had a divorce, etc. which are all major stress.

But everything depends on how you respond to it. How you contribute your feelings, thoughts, in these situations.

For example, you are worried about your work deadlines are coming close and it is causing stress. But the reason can also be you are procrastinating your work. This can be the actual reason for developing stress.

You should never blame your stress on circumstances, other peoples, etc. And never ever take stress as normal or unexceptional. Procrastination can play a significant role in developing stress.

You have to take responsibility for your stress. It can develop anytime so be aware of it. But if you are not it will get out of your control.

What you can do?

You can start a stress journal. Now, what is a stress journal? Well, it is more similar to a normal journal but it has some differences. A stress journal will help you to identify your stressors.

But how?

So, here's what you can do: the first thing is whenever you fell stressed write it down and then the second step is to write the cause of that stress and the third step is to do that work as soon as possible.

Whenever the task is completed. Put a cross on it or simply just draw a single line.

Why it is necessary? It is necessary because it motivates you. And motivation is necessary to feel energetic to do that work.

2. The 5 A.M rule

The one who wakes up at 5AM gets the most from life. In our everyday everyone has stress. It is common nowadays.

According to research, sleeping more than 8hours a day develops stress. So, it is better to wake up at 5AM in the morning.

What to do by waking at 5AM?

You can set 5AM-6AM as a holy hour.

  You can do:

·      Meditation: it helps you to connect with the inner world.

·      Read books: it helps you to reduce stress.

·      Exercise: you must sweat while doing exercise.

·      Write in the to-do list.

Why you should do all this?

The biggest benefit of waking up at 5AM gives the ability to sleep early. When you are productive throughout the day.

You get tired and it causes you to sleep early. Which is good for your health.

Books sharpen your mind. Exercising keeps your body healthy. But make sure you are sweating while exercising. And meditation keeps your soul healthy.

3. Start moving

Moving your body is an enormous stress reliever—and you don't need to be an athlete or go through hours in a gym for advantages.

Doing Exercise helps you to release endorphins that cause you to feel great, and it can likewise fill in as a significant interruption from your everyday stresses.

While you'll get the most advantage from daily doing exercise for 30 minutes or more, it's alright to develop your fitness level progressively.

Indeed, even little exercises can accumulate throughout the span of a day. The initial step is to get yourself up and moving.

Focus on the coordination of your breathing while doing exercise

Here’s what you can do:

·      You can talk your dog for a good walk

·      Listen to music and dance

·      You can help your mom/wife in your kitchen

·      You can start bicycling

·      Instead of using the elevator use stairs

4. By setting work hours

As we all know freelancing is a flexible job. We can do it whenever we want, wherever we want, and however, we want. But it is mandatory to set work hours to prevent stress.

Whenever I forgot to set my work hours. I just get so much confusion on which work I should first. And I spend my hours just deciding which work should I be.

And the best is thing is we are not restricted by 9-5. We can set our work hours at any time we want. 

It is as important as you set time for other social activities. So, you can directly ignore other useless activities.

And you can utilize that much time in doing something important as a freelancer.  You can stay stuck with your works.

If something urgent work pops up in your to-do list. Then you can do that work after or before your work hours. And by doing this you can manage your stress more easily.

I am talking about this technique because I have experienced it on my own and it works like charm. 

5. Take control

Many psychologists have named this free-floating anxiety. This is a type of situation where just a sudden and unpredictable anxiety pop-up when things get out of our control.

And it makes us feel unease and we become confused like hell. If we don't control these types of situations. They can ha our mental health and can be a major reason to develop stress. 

You can just write down the worries and rate them from 1-10 according to their priorities.

You can also take control of your freelancing clients. For example, if he says he wants the work to be done in 3 days, he can expect quality work to be done by 4 days.

Everyone goes for quality over quantity. And you can tell them to pay you more for urgent work. But make sure you got no important work than this freelancing client's work. 

6. Say no 

You might have a question as "In what way does saying no helps you in reducing your stress" it is just two letters word. Simple yet helpful.

You just have to focus on your niche. Don't go for any other clients for the greed of money. It will take you nowhere.

If you take that work just for money. Then trust me, dude. It will just develop stress and nothing helped. Why? It's simple because you won't enjoy doing that work. 

That freelancing work doesn't come in your freelancing niche. You just took that work for money. But you are not doing the work.

Every day you are promising yourself that you will do it tomorrow. But tomorrow is never coming. What coming are just deadlines. Given by the freelance client. 

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And this is causing you stress. And simply it is costing you is your time and energy. You are just thinking about that work. But you are not doing it. And it develops mental stress. 

If you could have said to your client that you are a particular niche freelancer. And you can't work outside your niche.

Then you wouldn't have developed that much stress. In fact, accepting that work that is outside of your niche.

You could have found a client in your niche. It doesn't matter much if he pays you a little less. You would have enjoyed doing that work. And you could also be saved your time.

I hope now you know why saying no can be helpful. Don't think outside the box unless and until you fill the box from inside.

Especially more beginner freelancer do these for earning more money. In an easy and fast way. But they don't know that it costs their health and time.

7. Funlaxation technique

Yes, funlaxation, I have created this technique on my own. And it is one of the best ways to manage stress. It's not rocket science to understand.

It simply means fun and relaxation. Yes, I just combined two words and made them funlaxation. It sounds funny I know but this technique works like a charm. 

It is necessary to keep a positive attitude in freelancing. Otherwise, you can't become a good freelancer. A good freelancer is a person who is filled with positivity and never gives up attitude.

He knows how to handle situations. You can't just work like hell and expect the good condition of your health. Funlaxation is an art. 

Here's how to have fun and relax like a pro.

Keep your inner a child alive: yes, the average age of freelancers is 25 years old.

After starting their freelancer journey, they become more serious and have less fun. Here fun doesn't mean to drink, smoke, or do parties every weekend.

Here it means to spend quality time with your friends and playing outdoor games.

Outdoor games help you to feel more energetic throughout the day. And it also helps to reduce stress.

Have a good sense of humour: everyone says laughter is the best medicine. And this is 100% true.

Laughing helps you to trigger your body to be physically and mentally strong. Humour helps you to release anger and stress. 

Do something enjoyable: make sure you do activities that you like to do. It will keep your mind fresh. It can be indoor or outdoor.

It can be reading books or watching t.v. It can be spending time alone or with friends and family. It is up to you what you do. But make sure you do something enjoyable every day.

8. Manage your time well

When you don't use your time to do something productive, someone will borrow your time to do their work. Always make a to-do list before going to bed.

So, you don't scratch your head in the morning while choosing what to work. You can become more productive in your work. Having a to-do list.

And acting according to your to-do list will help you to keep a positive attitude. Do what you can do in your time and let go of other things that are not in your control.

By leaving the things behind which you can't control will help you to release stress. Be assertive instead of aggressive towards others. As I said earlier set 5AM-6AM as your holy hour in the morning. 

conclusion

These are the techniques and different ways to manage stress as a freelancer. They work very well and they are very effective.

Share this with your stressful friends and relatives. it will help them to release stress.