Author: Frances Dredge

PROBLEMS CROP up regularly as part of our working lives. For example, we might get sick, which makes it impossible to meet a deadline or, half way through a job, we might realise that the work involved is going to be much more complicated than we thought, which means that we’ll have to go back to our boss or client to ask for more resources.

However, problems don’t necessarily mean that there is trouble ahead and solved efficiently can actually cement a working relationship rather than damage it.

To ensure that you deliver on your promises and your reputation remains in tact, consider the following steps:

Own the problem: people often shy away from problems because they feel scared, guilty or unsure of what to do. Many problems can be nipped in the bud with little effort if you are quick to react. However, ignoring the problem may mean that it escalates and becomes a real threat to the satisfactory delivery of your work and consequently taint the impression people have of you.

Voice your concerns: remember that other people in the work chain may be affected too and, if you fail to deliver, you could be putting them in an extremely difficult position. If this happens, they may lose trust in your ability and tell others about their bad experience too. However, if they are aware that there is a problem in good time, they are much more likely to be able to avoid negative consequences at their end and may also be able to help you sort things out.

Prepare options: don’t just dump your problem onto someone else’s lap but try to come up with at least one workable solution before you draw attention to it. The person involved may have a better idea of how to deal with it but, at least, you will demonstrate your willingness and commitment to put things right.

Ask for help: if you’re stumped, do ask your colleagues and friends to help you brainstorm a solution. When you’re engrossed in something or perhaps you’re panicking, an objective view from others can be illuminating.

Even if you can’t come up with a solution, still make sure that whoever is involved knows what’s going on. They may get shirty – justifiably, if it’s your fault – but they’ll be much angrier if they find out for themselves when it’s too late to take corrective action.

Be upfront. The best way to avoid problems is to communicate and take a clear brief before the work begins. Make sure that you understand what the work entails by asking lots of questions beforehand – what, when, who, where and how?

Also, you need to be sure that the person you’re accountable to for the work knows what it will take for you to complete it to the required standards on time. If both parties have a clear understanding of what the process will entail including who’s meant to be doing what by when and what resources are available, problems are less likely to occur in the first place.

Usually, I have energy abound for my work and a passion for even the smallest things in life. However, in these strange times, I’ve sometimes felt dog-tired for no particular reason; long since forgotten aches and pains have crept back, slyly whispering ‘go to bed’ and my once deadline-driven concentration seems to wander and ponder eventually landing on the thought …cake.

Many of my creative colleagues including those shy writers who usually relish working within their own imagination, also report an alarming lacklustre for what they would usually do joyfully.

Reflecting on these rolling, raging weeks, I think that, in these abnormal times, being off kilter is perfectly normal. Many of us have lost at least some external energy to create – no motivating deadlines, no live-audience thrill, no post-performance banter and no idea how long before we can reclaim the life that we love. Wonder gone - no wonder we feel flat.

While acknowledging that this tempest is particularly difficult to endure, I’ve been working on some ways to re-engage my creative self and regain the magic. Here are some ideas that may help you too:

Dig these blues

To avoid the blues, I now start the day by looking for an inspiring tune - either an old favourite that I know will fillip my spirits like a vodka shot or, a newbie, to jump-start my enthusiasm. This daily sojourn down memory lane or to pastures new reminds me that, while my physical horizon may be pretty static now, I can still expand my mental horizons. And, starting the day on a good note (couldn’t resist the pun) gets me thinking: “What next?” and makes me feel much more positive.

What have you done today to make you feel proud?

Whether we’re still working or our work has evaporated overnight, most of us want or need to be productive in some shape or form. But, when days roll into one and there are troubles abound, it can be difficult to maintain focus. Therefore, I find it even more important to plan work activities and concentrate on what I can do rather than dwell on what I’m missing out on.

If you’re struggling to get motivated, start off by setting yourself one or two goals each day. If you don’t want to do anymore than this, that’s fine - you can enjoy the rest of the day, guilt-free, knowing that you’ve achieved what you set out to. However, you may well find that one thing leads to another, and before you know it, you’re back in the creative flow.

Ode to joy

I’m also planning at least one enjoyable activity per day to avoid an endless haze of work and chores. While I’ve lost some clients (how careless), I’m keenly aware that I’m lucky to be able to continue to work from home. However, I find that a huge leap to online work saps my energy. Also, because we can’t go out to socialise, it’s more difficult to shake off stress.

Therefore, I now systematically plan something that I take pleasure in - as if it were a work priority. And, while I love binge-watching a box set, I’m trying to find things that aren’t screen-orientated. However, whatever you do, downtime that doesn’t lead to feeling down is the aim.

Changes

While I’m over the first wave of lockdown shock, I still recoil in disbelief at how much our lives have changed and how awful the situation is for so many. It’s the groundhog-day mental equivalent of running into an invisible brick wall: “How did that happen…?”

Rather than go over and over the horror in my mind, I’m now taking a different approach to this enforced change: as much as we didn’t want it to happen, we have to cope with it somehow.

To do this, I’m trying to think what ‘best of times’ could come from the ‘worst of times’. What creative opportunities are available now while I wait for this tale to unfold? What could the future look like? What can I do now to work towards that future, uncertain though it may be?

You’ll never walk alone

This is one big storm and it’s easy to disappear down a wormhole of anxiety when weighing up what might happen as a result. However, I’m now making a concerted effort to stop myself catastrophising because it leads to unnecessary stress about things that haven’t happened yet. Yes, we're already seeing the Covid fallout and there'll be more to come but survival is the most important first step from whence we can re-gather, re-group and re-create the new normal: “Modo liceat vivere, est spes” (While there’s life, there’s hope), Playwright Publius Terentius After (died 159 B. C.). 

More info

Catch up with our lockdown series of webinar recordings at www.feutraining.org:

• Finding a balance, while staying at home
• Controlling freelance finance in uncertain times
• Cash flow planning through crisis and beyond
• Good time to blog
• Make more impact with social media

We’re continuing to develop our online programme for the foreseeable future with a range of workshops and webinars, so please look out for updates.

Most of us realise that achieving our goals is not always plain sailing. We’ll definitely experience setbacks and have to figure out how to overcome these to move forwards and we’ll certainly feel like pulling the duvet over our heads and giving up on occasion. But, when we’re passionate about something, we know that the hard work and sacrifice is worthwhile and this helps us to push on to achieve our dreams.

However, I was reading an interesting piece of research recently (Miller & Wrosh, 2007) that warns against too much struggling. This is because, they say, working on unrealistic goals, which can’t be achieved or show no positive progress, is bad for us - mentally, physically and emotionally – causing side effects such as increases in C-reactive proteins, a mark of systemic inflammation and a major cause of burnout, chronic fatigue and even ME in extreme cases.

This suggestion resonated with me because, while I’m willing to put my all into achieving what I want and living up to my commitments, like most people, I’ve had times when I’ve felt like the mouse on the wheel, always running but getting nowhere. This came with a number of negative consequences too including lack of concentration, less resolve and ability to find solutions and, eventually, sickening fatigue.

So, to ensure that you remain in the best nick for your goal-getting journey, it’s helpful to review your goals on a regular basis and think about the following:

Do I truly want to achieve this goal?

Sometimes we set ourselves a goal that we think we should achieve, maybe something that others have suggested or are doing. But, when we re-consider the goal, we realise that it doesn’t feel authentic and, actually, we’re just not that interested in it.

If this is the case, it’s probably time to drop the goal in question. You may not be able to do this immediately and longer-term planning might be involved. However, if you’ve dis-engaged from a goal and feel little or no genuine enthusiasm for it, it will be much harder to achieve and you’ll feel much less fulfilment in the process and the end result… no matter how good it looks on paper.

Also, it’s exhausting and joyless putting huge amounts of effort into something that you’ve no stomach for resulting in less energy and determination to face hurdles and setbacks…much better to concentrate on something that has real value to you.

Am I still passionate about this goal?

“Find a job that you enjoy doing, and you will never have to work a day in your life,” said Mark Twain. Don’t you just love that feeling when the day speeds by and you haven’t noticed the time because you’ve been so absorbed with and delighted by your work? One of the great things about working in the creative industries is that, when it’s going right, it’s just sooooooo right.

However, even if you love your work, there will be times when you need to draw on your strength and resilience to stare down adversity. If you’re enthusiastic and believe in what you do, you’ll be much more able to dig deep when you need to.

Remember, there’s no shame in admitting that you’ve lost the taste for a particular area. It’s human nature to get bored and maybe you need to explore new avenues, develop new skills and experience the thrill of the unknown again. While change may take courage and consistent effort, it takes a far greater toll to continue to do something that just doesn’t spark your interest anymore.

Am I trying to achieve too much?

Personally, I thrive on a varied range of activities but, to my great relief, I crossed a couple of goals off my list recently. OK, I may want to achieve them one day… but I realised that they obviously weren’t a priority otherwise I would have done them by now.

While it’s often exciting and motivating to have several goals on the boil at once, if you’re working on too many, it can be overwhelming and damage your ability to focus on what you truly need and want to do.

I found it liberating to make a positive decision to re-prioritise my goals and throw out the ones that have been hanging around on my ‘to do’ list without any real attention. Now, these interlopers are no longer lurking in the wings making me feel guilty about what I should have done and this allows me to concentrate fully on what I am doing.

From the range of research I’ve done and my own experience, the art of success and satisfaction seems to be knowing when to try, try and try again until you succeed and when, for whatever reason, to drop something so that you can free yourself up to concentrate on the things that will be much more rewarding. Or, as Miller & Wrosh put it, to avoid struggling too much and disengage before it gets too serious.

More info

• For more on goal setting catch up with our webinar recording.
• Sign up to FEU Training’s e-course Overcoming Freelance Challenges.

I USED to hit the beginning of every January like a lead balloon with a feeling that I couldn’t quite breathe – partially due to too much Christmas cake admittedly - but more to do with anxiety brought on by the thought of what I should or shouldn’t be doing in the coming year.

Sick of this, I decided to rethink this whole ‘New Year, fresh start, exciting adventure, best year ever’ approach to see how I could make the transition from one year to the next a smoother and happier experience. Here are some suggestions that might work for you too:

It’s your choice

Some people find the start of a New Year motivating and can’t wait to make and act on their resolutions. I’m not one of them. Whether it’s caused from lack of sunlight or from bursting out of the festive bubble back to normality, I’ve found that January isn’t the month for me to put pressure on myself to be or not to be…whatever.

Nowadays, I find that choosing not to try to get the year off to a flying start by making a long list of ‘to dos’ helps me ease into it without feeling guilty or panicked about all the things that I must do to enhance my life.

However, this doesn’t mean that I don’t regularly plan and review what I’ve done and set new goals for what I want to achieve in the future. Indeed, I do. But, I choose to do this at times when I feel more energetic and buoyant such as April and September. As a freelance, it’s up to me to appraise where I am now and what direction I want my career to take from here on in, but, in my case, January simply isn’t the best time for this...so I don't do it.

Stop stopping and start starting

I never resolve to give up ‘stuff’ at this time either as I’ve found it sets me up to fail. Darkness and cold weather make the option of a glass of vino and something tasty of an evening a veritable lifesaver. So, if I need to make challenging changes, I address these later in the year when my resolve is stronger and I don’t feel like I’m depriving myself.

Instead of cutting out, I tend to add in. For example, I might take up something new – not necessarily anything momentous or vital to career success but something that’s interesting and will help jolly me along through the winter evenings. For example, my local cinema offers half price tickets once a week so a few friends and I have our own cinema club. Also, buffing up my rusty French is on the cards. The course isn’t expensive and is a cost-effective way of being ‘good to myself’ without having to fight with the bank manager to re-define ‘overdrawn’. Ooh la la.

As a result, not only am I doing something enjoyable, but this bit of reverse psychology has positive results - using my brain in different, non-pressurised ways makes me more motivated and productive at work too.

Getting organised

Apart from the work I need to complete, I like to clear the decks at this time by addressing those tasks that are essential but drop to the bottom of my priority list because I find them tedious, for example, ‘admin’.

It’s equivalent to sharpening your pencils and tidying your room before starting to swat for an exam - I like to think of this as preparation rather than procrastination thank you! The result is both a sense of achievement and relief that these pesky activities are now done and dusted for the time being as well as a sense of clarity that sets me up nicely for the coming months. Also, because I can do such activities in automatic mode, my creative mind gets space to think up and ponder upon ideas that may well turn in to actions in the near future.

Meditation

Not much of a meditator usually, I do find that 15 minutes a day around this time an effective way to shake off anticipatory anxiety. Also, surprising, I find that deliberately not thinking often results in some great ideas. And, if I end up falling asleep, who’ll know? I’m meditating.

Do what works for you

Whether you hurtle into the New Year with the energy of a demented whippet chasing a rabbit, or, like me, your approach is more meandering-come-whistle softly, what’s important is that your strategy works for you.

Wishing you a very happy and successful 2017!

More info

If you need help in 'Overcoming Freelance Challenges' try our e-course, which includes tips on getting motivated, confidence building and dealing with setbacks.

SOMETIMES positive or negative change is forced upon us and we have no choice but to react to circumstances. For example, we land an unexpected commission (yippee) and need to work 24/7 to get it done or we lose a contract and have to find a new source of income PDQ.

However, in many instances, we want to make changes but do nothing about it. For example, we sit on an idea for ages and kick ourselves when somebody else has a similar idea but successfully puts it into action before we do.

As a freelance, the ability to create new opportunities through instigating change is a huge plus, perhaps even a necessity, so why do we stop ourselves taking action even when we have the potential to do so? Consider the following reasons:

It’s unclear. If you have vague ideas but haven’t defined exactly what you want to do, you’re unlikely to do anything. To get yourself off the starting blocks, it’s important to have a clear understanding of what you want to achieve, i.e., your goal, and then you can work out how to get there.

It’s scary. There are no guarantees that you’ll get the result that you’re aiming for and fear of failure and/or the unknown are common reasons why people resist change.

However, while clinging to an ‘uncomfortable comfort zone’ may seem less frightening in the short run, it can lead to negative consequences in the long run especially if lack of action means that you cut off or avoid new experiences including exciting work opportunities.

It is perfectly normal to be scared in the face of change, but don’t let this put you off. Much of our fear is often in our imagination and it only subsides when we actually start doing and stop thinking. As writer Susan Jeffers says ‘Feel the fear and do it anyway’.

It won’t work out for me. We can’t control everything in life but we can believe that we have just as much right to succeed as anyone else. Also, external factors will change even if we don’t, so it’s important that we take control where we can to give ourselves the best chance of moving forward in the direction that we want to go rather than a direction that someone else tells us to move in.

Some people are their own worst critic and talk themselves out of trying even before they’ve started. Any successful person will tell you that there is no such thing as failure so no matter what you do you can learn from the experience. As American presidential candidate Hillary Clinton says: “There is a sense that things, if you keep positive and optimistic about what can be done, do work out.”

It’s hard work. Yes, most things worth doing are and will often come at a cost to other areas of your life – at least in the short run. This means that you need to value what you are about to do to ensure that you stay motivated until you achieve the change you’re aiming for.

Beware of doing things because you think you ‘should’, perhaps because of what others are doing. To test how much you want to change a particular area of your life, ask yourself: “What will happen if I do nothing?” and “What will happen if I do make that change?” Sometimes, you’ll find that you’re happy where you are for the moment (thank you very much) so can enjoy the present without stressing about what could, might or should happen next.

It’s too difficult. Some things may seem too difficult to achieve from a cursory glance but once you’ve looked into it more closely, you realise that it’s more straightforward than you think.

Even if the change you wish to make is going to be difficult – perhaps you will need to gain new skills and make other investments over time - it’s often the case that the more hard won something is, the more interesting the journey and more satisfying the result. So, rather than getting overwhelmed and stopping dead in your tracks, break down the intended change into more manageable steps and take the first leap of faith before you think yourself static.

More info

• Overcoming Freelance Challenges; FEU Training
• Why we do what we do; Tony Robbins; Ted Talks

IN SUCH a competitive environment, it’s vital to be proactive in getting your work under the right people’s noses and showing them why you’re the best person for the job. To help you do this, some direct sales techniques will help.

Identify and target your ‘hot leads’

Establishing new work can be a lengthy process so, to avoid wasting valuable time and resources, it’s important to focus your efforts on those people who are most likely to be commissioning your type of work now rather than take a scattergun approach.

You’ll probably already have some likely candidates in mind. As well as these, it’s advisable to expand your radar by keeping up with who’s hiring whom and when, e.g., through word of mouth and online research. Once you start looking actively and regularly, you’ll be surprised at how many opportunities are out there.

Set realistic targets

If you’re currently going through a hectic period, it can be difficult to find time to do much else. However, to create work continuity, you need to keep an out for future opportunities constantly.

Get into the habit of setting manageable targets, e.g., you commit to contacting one potential client per week. Here, ‘contacting’ doesn’t mean a passive email that you never hear back from or a message left on voicemail. It means getting through to the ‘buyer’ to instigate two-way communication and move a step forward towards agreeing the commission e.g., an email that results in a producer agreeing to look at a demo; a phone call to set up a meeting with an editor.

You’ll probably get some ‘quick wins’ but it often takes several conversations over a period of time to get that final ‘yes’, so patience, persistence and follow- through are key.

Research and prepare

• Find out as much as possible about the potential client and their needs before making contact for the first time and keep asking questions on an on-going basis. This will allow you to pinpoint the specific experience and skills that you have that will best match their needs.
• Think about how the client will benefit from hiring you and be prepared to spell out these benefits. In addition to your talent and experience, think about the less obvious benefits that differentiate you from the competition and add value. For example, the client may be deciding between several wedding bands, all with an excellent reputation. Your USP (unique selling point) is that you live locally, which means that you can pop in to the venue the night before to ensure that things are set up properly for the big day. This re-assures the client that everything will run smoothly and is one less stressful thing for them to think about. Ca-ching.
• Decide on how to deliver your pitch and what you need to use to showcase your work, e.g., you might have a 15-minute window of opportunity over coffee so you take a laptop to show the client your blog on screen or perhaps you’re delivering a formal presentation to a group of executives where you’ll need to ensure all the right technical equipment is on hand.

Practise your delivery

The amount of effort you put in to this will depend on how important the work is to you, how complicated the pitch is and how much time you have to deliver it. At the very least, rehearse your introduction and key messages, i.e., the most important details that you wish to convey at that time.

You need to be aware of how you come across to others too. Just like any performance, preparation and practise will help you manage your nerves and convey confidence. If you feel that you know what you’re talking about, you’ll also be less self-aware with the headspace to better listen and observe the client and adjust what you’re saying if necessary.

Also, using appropriate and dynamic vocabulary that builds a clear and enticing picture in the client’s head, being animated when you speak, using positive body language and varying the volume, tone and tempo of your voice to make it more interesting are all important factors in getting the result you want.

Ask for the work

In sales terms, this is called ‘the close’. If people seem to be reacting well to what you’re saying, do prompt them to make a decision by asking for the work. For example, “You seem to be happy with everything that we’ve talked about. Would you like to go ahead?”

It doesn’t matter if they say ‘no’ because this is a way of flushing out a concern that they perhaps haven’t mentioned yet. So, you might say: “OK, is there anything else that we need to cover before you can make a decision?”

Be courageous

If you’re not keen on the idea of ‘selling’, use the passion and enthusiasm you have for your work to motivate you. You offer something valuable that people want, but they can’t hire you unless they know that you exist and how perfect you are for them! The alternative is waiting and hoping that work will land in your lap. You may get dribs and drabs with this approach but taking control and being proactive is logically a much better strategy.

If you’re nervous to start, bear in mind that the more practise you get the more confident you will become – especially when you see your efforts paying off.

More info (free to members)

• Quick tips on pitching your work
• e-courses on related topics include Business Skills for Freelances; Marketing your Work, Social Media for Freelances and Negotiation for freelances.