When you’re freelancing, you’ll have down days, or even weeks. There will be times when you’ve no work, don’t know who to pitch to, no one is responding, you’re drawing a blank, and questioning your very existence. Expect it, prepare for it. Start with a rainy day task list.
A rainy day task list is basically work that will keep you busy, while there is no one pushing you to do it.
This doesn’t have to be more work. I watched Hitchcock movies for a week after I got fired! This list isn’t about reminding you that you’re jobless. It’s about keeping you occupied satisfactorily in your down time. Here are a few things that I keep in mind, while adding things to the rainy day task list.
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Make it things you wish for, but have no hurry about. It shouldn’t become another list that makes you feel inadequate about not doing it (until the rainy day).
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Add things you can do without having to buy a million things. Don’t add, “go skiing” to the list. Add “go to the Connemara library” instead.
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Keep it to things that can be abandoned if more work comes your way. At least downscaled, without feeling like you’re a chronic ditcher. So, don’t start another business, yet.
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Make sure the ideas are not time-bound. If your rainy day task is to write a long-form article about 2019 Cricket World Cup, you’re probably already late.
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Don’t make it something you need someone else for. No freelancer has down time buddies. Pick things you can do on your own.
In fact, I wish you enough free time to do all the things you wish for! 🙂