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A Sneak Peek at the Episode

[1:44] Our hosts welcome business and operations strategist Jessica Lackey. After climbing the corporate ladder at Nike, Jessica began to feel the impact of putting profit over people. Now, she combines her expertise in business strategy with a human-centered perspective to help entrepreneurs grow and scale sustainable businesses.

[5:15] One of the biggest mistakes freelancers make when scaling their business is jumping too far beyond the stage of business that they’re in.

[9:52] If you want to move out of the early stages of business, Jessica encourages us to focus on gaining a breadth of experience with client work so you can start to see patterns in who you like to serve. You also need to dedicate time to start building your portfolio.

[14:00] As humans, we want to be where we see the future is and we want to be there right now. Jessica advises focusing on one big system in your business every season and one concrete project every month.  

[18:57] What we think is the problem is not always the problem. For example, if a copywriter is thinking, “I’m just I’m not sending out pitches and it’s so hard”, the *real* problem might be that they’re trying to do it at a time of day when they have low energy.

[22:00] Jessica explains how the “five whys” concept can help you go below what seems to be the solution and help you identify the true problem.

[24:07] It’s important to separate your emotions from the objective truth if you want to make effective changes in your business. Grounding exercises can help to make sure you’re in a regulated enough space to notice a truth you may have been ignoring. 

[27:56] Instead of dwelling on missed goals, take a look at whether you executed the plan fully. If not, try to pinpoint the gap—safety, skill, or desire—and address it.

[32:05] As James Clear says, “We don’t rise to the level of our goals, we fall to the level of our systems.” So how can you spend some time every month putting the infrastructure in place to make working on your business easier?

[34:26] Systems are not about restrictions, they’re about holistic organization—people, processes, and tools. They provide freedom by preventing chaos and uncertainty. With systems, you are in control, knowing what’s ahead and where everything stands.

Must-Hear Takeaways

“I think one of the problems is we tend to see people take on methods that are meant for businesses scaling that actually take you away from the core methods that you need to tend to seeds and sprouts. And so we’re doing a lot of work, but it’s actually work meant for a business that’s not ours or a business that’s more senior than ours or more experienced than ours, because that’s what we see our teachers doing. So it’s how can we level set and be like, okay, I am where I am in my business and what do I need to focus on at this stage of business?” – Jessica

“Yes, revenue and numbers are important and yes, we want to make money, but I would rather at the seed and sprout stage see you get more reps in and doing client work and getting those patterns versus being as focused on the pricing per project. Again, we never want to be unprofitable, but I think too many times I see people worrying about the right pricing and the right structure for the offer and I’m like, just go do the work, get, you know, 10 to 20 reps and see what types of patterns are emerging in the type of work you’re doing. And then set aside time to do the heavy lifting in our own businesses that we never want to do again. Update that copy, put that portfolio together, make dedicated time to start building that infrastructure. That’s really important.” – Jessica

“Who doesn’t want to go overnight from a seed to a tree with fruits, like a mature tree, even though we know nature says that you grow a ring every single year and it takes some time to build. But I think we’re human. We want to be where we see the future is and we want to be there right now. That’s, I think, why it’s so hard.” – Jessica

Mentioned on this Episode

• Visit Jessica’s Website
• Follow Jessica on LinkedIn
• Follow Jessica on Instagram

Related Links

• The Fastest Way to Grow Your Copywriting Business
• Career Resolutions to Make Right Now
• Your Copywriting Business Plan for a Successful Year
• Preventing Burnout as a Copywriter
• 5 Ways to Instantly Improve Your Copywriting Portfolio Site

Tell us what you love about the podcast and what you hope to hear next! When you do, you can get access to an exclusive bonus recording featuring five wildly successful entrepreneurs who share what they do (and don’t!) look for when hiring copywriters. You do not want to miss it! 

Get all the details on how to get your recording here »

About the Build Your Business Podcast

Ready to turn your love of writing into a successful copywriting career?

Join professional copywriters Nicki Krawczyk and Kate Sitarz to get the tips, tools, and training to help you become a copywriter and build a thriving business of your own. Nicki and Kate have 20+ and 10+ years of experience, respectively, writing copy for multi-billion-dollar companies, solopreneurs, and every size business in between.

Whether you want to land an on-staff job, freelance full-time and work from wherever you want, or make extra money with a side hustle, the best place to start learning is right here.

See Previous Episode

Ep. 176: How This Ex-Teacher Joined the Filthy Rich Writer Team—As a Copywriter – Rebecca’s Story

The post Episode 177: Reframing Your Copywriting Goals to Align with Your Values – with Jessica Lackey appeared first on Filthy Rich Writer.

TUNE IN: Spotify | Apple Podcasts | Stitcher

Looking for closed captioning or a transcript? Watch the episode on YouTube!

A Sneak Peek at the Episode

[3:07] Feeling unfulfilled by her career in teaching, Jess began looking into copywriting and kept coming back to the Comprehensive Copywriting Academy course.

[8:19] After a short break from the CCA, Jess jumped back into the action sheets, refreshed her memory, and landed an ongoing part-time contract as a copywriter.

[10:36] Entering the freelance world was scary, but Jess didn’t let rejections discourage her.

[15:55] Jess embraced the newfound flexibility in her life by moving to a new state.

[18:32] Having the freedom to create a schedule and routine that really works has been transformational for Jess. 

[21:03] There was a period of adjustment while Jess figured out how to manage her schedule and organize her time.

[23:05] Jess replaced her teaching income within just one month and did not have to sacrifice her lifestyle when she made the transition into copywriting.

[25:23] Jess’s mental health has significantly improved since starting her copywriting career. She feels more fulfilled and challenged by the constant variety of work she gets. 

[27:46] Jess works as a contractor for a pet supplement company, where she does 28 to 30 hours a week and gets to work on a wide range of projects.

[31:23] As adults, we don’t often put ourselves in those beginner shoes again and forget that new things can feel hard at first.

[34:23] Surrounding yourself with the right network and community of people that are going through what you’re going through can help your transition into a new career.

[38:41] Jess’s persistence and willingness to keep going, even when she felt discouraged, has been a major factor in her success.

“This is it. No more excuses. I can’t sit here and complain about my life if I’m not going to do things to change it. And so I went back to the action sheets. I refreshed my memory, pressed forward with the other ones. I didn’t even finish all of the modules if I’m being completely honest. Because then within a couple months, by March, I had landed an ongoing contract part-time. And I was like, holy cow, it works!”

“Did this even just happen? I didn’t need to get another degree to get the same amount of pay? I didn’t need to spend years studying. It blew my mind so that’s huge. So if people are wondering do you get paid well? Yes, you absolutely can.” – Jess

“It’s so discouraging when you just keep getting noes, but you cannot stop because the work is out there.” – Jess

“I get to practice yoga before I start my work, I can do stuff for me and for my own business, and then I can start working on things for my contract position, and then I can work out or I can go for a walk. It’s those kind of things where I have that freedom to create that schedule and that routine that really works for me. That to me is huge.” – Jess

“It is a big deal because there are a lot of people out there who don’t have that, who are doing jobs because they feel like they have to do that job, and whose schedule is not under their control—sometimes from the moment they get up till the time they go to bed. So it’s so wonderful that you have taken that into your own hands and now you get to do whatever you want to do, whenever you want to do it.” – Nicki

Mentioned on this Episode

• Visit Jess’s Portfolio

Related Links

• Ep. 91: Transitioning Out of Teaching to Copywriting – George’s Story
• Great Summer Job for Teachers: Copywriting
• Best Backgrounds and Degrees for Getting Into Copywriting
• How Much Experience Do You Need to Become a Copywriter?

Tell us what you love about the podcast and what you hope to hear next! When you do, you can get access to an exclusive bonus recording featuring five wildly successful entrepreneurs who share what they do (and don’t!) look for when hiring copywriters. You do not want to miss it! 

Get all the details on how to get your recording here »

About the Build Your Business Podcast

Ready to turn your love of writing into a successful copywriting career?

Join professional copywriters Nicki Krawczyk and Kate Sitarz to get the tips, tools, and training to help you become a copywriter and build a thriving business of your own. Nicki and Kate have 20+ and 10+ years of experience, respectively, writing copy for multi-billion-dollar companies, solopreneurs, and every size business in between.

Whether you want to land an on-staff job, freelance full-time and work from wherever you want, or make extra money with a side hustle, the best place to start learning is right here.

See Previous Episode

Ep. 147: How to Avoid Freak-Outs & Solve Any Challenge

The post Episode 148: Copywriting Replaced This Teacher’s Income and She Works Less Hours—Jess’s Story appeared first on Filthy Rich Writer.

TUNE IN: Spotify | Apple Podcasts | Stitcher

Looking for closed captioning or a transcript? Watch the episode on YouTube!

A Sneak Peek at the Episode

[2:53] Chris joined the CCA because he was looking for the digital nomad dream and was determined not to return to office life after the pandemic.

[4:46] Chris was hesitant to invest in a course and leave his employment to jump into a new career in copywriting.

[6:15] Building a client base while traveling was a steep learning curve for Chris. 

[8:34] One of Chris’ biggest hurdles has been making sure to set expectations about what is realistic to get done while traveling, so that he’s not setting himself up for failure.

[10:08] The hosts discuss the importance of setting boundaries in your business that make sense for you and your schedule, and Chris explains how he has implemented this.

[14:04] Chris has moved toward more of an agency model, so that he can offer his clients a suite of solutions.

[16:41] Chris warns anyone interested in the agency model not to over commit as people’s livelihoods are at stake.

[19:25] Traveling too frequently is challenging and it can be better to just stay in one place for a little while.

Must-Hear Takeaways

As with every episode, we highly encourage you to listen to the entire conversation! But here are a few of the highlights:

“No matter where I am in the world, I’ve stopped trying to do meetings across the full 9-5 day where I am, and instead try to fit it in a couple of hours and then fit my work around whatever I want to do.” – Chris

“That’s certainly something that all of us can and should be doing, protecting that time that is your deep work time and then scheduling your client calls for only a specific window.” – Nicki

“We need to have that kind of employee relationship with ourself as well. Would you ask an employee to work from eight o’clock in the morning until 11 o’clock at night, five days a week? No, you wouldn’t. If you can set your own timelines, you need to still treat your business as a business and make sure that you are not just treating it as a hobby because you soon start slipping in different places, but you also need to make sure that you are holding yourself within those boundaries to make sure you don’t burn out at the same time.” – Chris

“It’s even more valuable when our clients can come to us with a suite of problems and we can come to them with a suite of solutions and make that easy for them.” – Nicki

 “I made the mistake of trying to rely too much on one customer at the beginning. And I think since I kind of moved away from that, it’s been a lot better in terms of job satisfaction and also getting more work because you’re forced to go out and speak to different people and figure out what different companies want, rather than just being very good at one company’s requirements.” – Chris

Related Links

• 7 Tips to Living the Digital Nomad Lifestyle as a Copywriter
• 6 Must-Pack Items to Write Copy Overseas
• Is it Really Possible for Copywriters to Work Entirely Remotely?
• Ep. 68: Learning to Embrace the Flexibility of Copywriting

Tell us what you love about the podcast and what you hope to hear next! When you do, you can get access to an exclusive bonus recording featuring five wildly successful entrepreneurs who share what they do (and don’t!) look for when hiring copywriters. You do not want to miss it! 

Get all the details on how to get your recording here »

About the Build Your Business Podcast

Ready to turn your love of writing into a successful copywriting career?

Join professional copywriters Nicki Krawczyk and Kate Sitarz to get the tips, tools, and training to help you become a copywriter and build a thriving business of your own. Nicki and Kate have 20+ and 10+ years of experience, respectively, writing copy for multi-billion-dollar companies, solopreneurs, and every size business in between.

Whether you want to land an on-staff job, freelance full-time and work from wherever you want, or make extra money with a side hustle, the best place to start learning is right here.

See Previous Episode

Ep. 139: Are You Skipping This Essential Copywriting Task?

The post Episode 140: Traveling Europe While Running a Copywriting Agency—Chris’s Story appeared first on Filthy Rich Writer.

TUNE IN: Spotify | Apple Podcasts | Stitcher

Looking for closed captioning or a transcript? Watch the episode on YouTube!

A Sneak Peek at the Episode

[1:20] Vacation time as a freelancer is very different than vacation time when you are on staff.

[2:45] As a freelancer you can take as much vacation as you want to, but freelancers are notorious for not taking vacations and working right through, resulting in burnout.

[4:00] Blocking time off at the beginning of the year is key, and give yourself buffer days around that time off. You don’t need to plan the vacations right away, but if you schedule time off you will have the opportunity to take the vacation or “stay”cation that you need!

[8:00] You can’t take an effective vacation if you don’t tell your clients in advanced. You need to prepare them that they won’t be receiving communication from you during that time. It’s wise to send reminders and then be sure to set out of office responders for your email.

[12:30] When creating your out of office responder for your emails keep it short and to the point. It doesn’t need any travel plans or details.

[16:45] Give yourself at least a work day of buffer when you return, so that you can go through emails and catch up on stuff without feeling overwhelmed by clients.

[19:30] As a freelancer, you may feel like if you aren’t working, you aren’t making money. But if you set up your calendar you can plan for this!

[24:00] If you are afraid of not making money when on vacation, and have not factored that into your rates during the rest of the year, you can compromise and work some of the time you are on vacation.

[28:20] While working hard and taking action and moving forward with your career are important, it’s just as important to take time off and give yourself time to relax and decompress.

Want More Ideas for How to Get Away? Check Out These Ideas!

• 10 Unnecessary Copywriting Stressors
• Tip for Success: Take a Vacation from Your Business
• Keep Copywriting Fun: 3 Must-Implement Business Boundaries
• Preventing Burnout as a Copywriter

“You don’t owe anyone an explanation. I know sometimes we feel like we have to say all these things to justify our time off. But you don’t.” -Kate

“You do need to take time off. You cannot work constantly. You cannot work every single week. Well, yes, can you? Yes, you can. But it’s not going to last long. You need time off.” – Nicki

“I can’t emphasize how important this is. As much as working hard and taking action and moving forward with your career is important, transparently I struggle to say just as important, but real real close is taking time off.” – Nicki

Mentioned on this Episode:

• Ep. 49: How to Build Your Own Benefits as a Freelancer

Tell us what you love about the podcast and what you hope to hear next! When you do, you can get access to an exclusive bonus recording featuring five wildly successful entrepreneurs who share what they do (and don’t!) look for when hiring copywriters. You do not want to miss it! 

Get all the details on how to get your recording here »

About the Build Your Business Podcast

Ready to turn your love of writing into a successful copywriting career?

Join professional copywriters Nicki Krawczyk and Kate Sitarz to get the tips, tools, and training to help you become a copywriter and build a thriving business of your own. Nicki and Kate have 20+ and 10+ years of experience, respectively, writing copy for multi-billion-dollar companies, solopreneurs, and every size business in between.

Whether you want to land an on-staff job, freelance full-time and work from wherever you want, or make extra money with a side hustle, the best place to start learning is right here.

See Previous Episode

Ep. 121: Writing a Call to Action that Maximizes Engagement

The post Ep. 122: 3 Steps to Taking Time Off as a Freelancer appeared first on Filthy Rich Writer.

Whether you’re tackling work for clients, learning how to become a copywriter, or any other task that takes up a significant amount of your time, energy, and focus, you need to plan breaks.

And I’m not just talking taking the weekend off (though definitely plan in days off, whether it’s Saturday and Sunday, or other days of your choosing!) or getting enough sleep (though find out why that is crucial for copywriters right here).

I’m talking planning breaks as part of your work schedule to ensure you’re not racing fast toward burnout and so your brain has time to process everything you’ve been working on (Don’t believe me? It’s been studied.)

Here are some of my favorite ways to build self-care into my routine.

1. Add Mini Breaks to Your Calendar

If it’s on your schedule and includes a reminder, you’re far more likely to take that break than if you just say it in your head or put it on paper. The old-fashioned route of pen and paper is great for goal setting, but it’s not great for remembering to do things you need to do.

I like to schedule three, 10-minute breaks during the day at times I know my energy wanes (if you don’t know when your energy wanes, track your time for a couple of weeks to see where the times is going and note which parts of the day are your most productive).

During these breaks, I do a 45-second plank, 25 push-ups, and 25 squats. The simple act of getting out of my chair and moving in a way that I can’t think about work gives me a true break from whatever it was I was thinking about.

You certainly don’t need to do a workout during mini breaks. Choose a productive activity that you know will take your mind off work. Walks, even short ones around the block, are great for clearing your head.

Stretching, yoga, meditation, reading (non-work material), listening to music (really listening and not multitasking), calling a friend to catch up…there are so many productive uses of 10 minutes that will make you more productive when you revisit your work.

2. Set a Morning Routine…

Getting ready to go into work mode can help you hit the ground running when you do sit down at your desk.

For example, Mondays and Fridays, I like to “commute” to my office. So, I get up a little earlier, I go to a local coffee shop for my coffee, take a walk around the block, and come home to read the paper for a half hour. Just because we work from home doesn’t mean we can’t commute!

Most other days, I get up, make coffee, and listen to a podcast while I get ready. I then look at my to-do list that I’d written out the day before and try to determine which items are best tackled in which part of my day.

Figure out what makes sense for your morning routine.

3. … But Shake Up That Routine

Having a routine doesn’t mean you have to do the same thing every day. Develop a few different routines that allows you to keep things interesting.

Whenever I know I have a particularly challenging day ahead, I build in a “commute” time. It sounds counterintuitive, but the busier or more mentally taxing the day, the more of a need for taking care of yourself.

I’ll also occasionally build in time to pick up lunch from someplace outside the house (usually Wednesdays).

On any given day, challenging or otherwise, I like to have several beverages on hand, too: something hot (coffee or tea), something cold (usually water), and, on Fridays after 4, something bubbly. These beverages act like special treats that keep me going throughout the day.

4. Turn Off

Admittedly, this is the hardest of all for me. As service providers, it can feel like we need to jump as soon as a client says jump. What I mean by that is as soon as we hear a “ding” or vibration of a text, Slack message, Facebook notification, or any of the other bajillion notifications we get each day, we are now conditioned to stop whatever it is we’re doing and address that ding, beep, or buzz.

Schedule time on your calendar to check these notifications (I’m attempting three times: when I first sit down at my desk, around lunchtime, and again at 4:00 p.m. in the afternoon).

All other times? Shut all platforms, apps, and browsers that contain a communication platform. Put your phone outside your office or away from where you work (if you’re afraid of missing important calls, put the volume up).

And, if you’re not setting a hard STOP time to your work (as in, it’s now 6 p.m., I won’t check anything related to work until tomorrow), you’re on the fast track to burnout. I know because I’ve been there with a client who prided himself on answering emails at any hour.

Sleep is critical. Set your “shut down” time and make sure you’re getting sleep.

5. Say “No”

One of the best ways we can take care of ourselves as freelancers is learning to say, “no.”

That may be turning down a project, or letting a client who is pushing you to deliver faster that you have to stick to the agreed upon deadline. Or it may be something else entirely.

The key is being able to say “no” when you really need to.

Think of the last thing you’d rather do in life. Mine is grocery shopping. If I’d rather go to the grocery store than tackle a certain project, then I need to turn it down.

While all of these self-care tips can make you feel like you’re slowing down, they’re only doing so in the short term. In the long term, they can help increase your productivity by giving you the fresh energy you need to tackle your to-do list.

And having a long, successful freelance career is what we all want, right?

Avoid the Self-Doubt Slump

One component that can lead to burnout is self-doubt. If you start to question your expertise and skills, then it will slowly erode your confidence.

You may have heard the common term “imposter syndrome.” But how do you recognize and stop those thoughts from interfering with your work? Learning the skills to overcome the emotions associated with imposter syndrome can help you streamline your success.

In this episode of the Build Your Copywriting Business podcast, Nicki and Kate provide three tips on combatting imposter syndrome and how to fuel confidence rather than doubt.

Your Turn

How do you build self-care into your routine? Let us know in the comments below!

The post Freelancer Self-Care: 5 Tips for Avoiding Burnout appeared first on Filthy Rich Writer.

If you’ve been a part of this community for a while, you might have read that headline with one eyebrow raised. After all, I tell you again and again that the key to your success is taking action consistently and persistently.

(And that is still VERY much true. Write it down somewhere you’ll see it every day. Get it tattooed backwards on your forehead so you’ll see it in the mirror. Make it your mantra!)

But I will also tell you NOT to try to work for three or four hours a day while you’re going through the Comprehensive Copywriting Academy course and beginning your learning. And I’ll heartily tell you to take a couple of days off (a.k.a. a weekend) each week.

Why? Because it’s easy to burn out, and burnout sneaks up faster than you’d believe.

Learning Something New Is Hard for Adults

When you’re learning something new and/or taking on a new venture like copywriting, it’s taxing on you mentally, physically, and emotionally.

Now, don’t get me wrong: It’s absolutely WORTH it. All of the best things in our lives, all of the things that make our lives better, generally start out being at least somewhat mentally, physically, and/or emotionally taxing. But you get through it and you reap the benefits.

But, as adults, it’s not often that we learn something genuinely new, and so it’s a little extra tiring for our brains to process and retain the information. It’s also not that often that we call on ourselves to do something new, and that’s emotionally exhausting. And, frankly, sitting down and getting our work done can be physically exhausting!

Again, consistency and persistence are key…but while working a half-hour or an hour each day on learning and building your business and then taking the weekend off is heading in the right direction, trying to cram in hours’ worth of learning and practice day after day after day is heading in the wrong one.

“Powering Through” Doesn’t Work

When you try to power through without taking a break, you don’t give your brain the valuable time to learn and assimilate the information.

Have you ever been doing a crossword puzzle, been utterly stumped on a clue, set it down to do something later, and then come back to it to have the answer “magically” come to you?

Yup, that’s how your brain works. When you’re learning or practicing your copywriting skills, or when you’re writing for clients for that matter, your brain is working hard when you’re actively engaged in that task.

But it’s also working while you’re not engaged in that task. It’s taking new things you’ve learned and creating neural pathways to make it permanent. Working through problems or challenges to come up with the solution. Generating new and creative ideas.

You need to take time off.

Taking Time Off Makes You MORE Productive

And, believe me, I say this to you as someone who is NOT great at taking time off. I know that I operate so much better as a writer, as a coach, as a business owner, and as a person, when I take a weekend away at least once every six months. (Six months has come and gone since my last getaway.)

But I know that I don’t do anyone any good when I don’t get time off. When I’m away is when I come up with new ideas for ways to support our students, new ideas for ways to grow our business, new ideas for ways to help my clients, and new ideas for ways to grow and improve as a person. Without that time away, I stagnate as a writer, a business owner, and as a person.

So, I often try, at least once a year, to take a weekend alone so that it’s just me and my thoughts.

Yes, you need to take action and make progress consistently and persistently, but you also NEED to give your brain a break. If you happen to have the opportunity to take a weekend getaway by yourself, go for it.

(For other tips on maximizing your time off, check out our blog post here >>)

Go Somewhere You’ve Never Been Before

Go somewhere you’ve never been before. If you can, go for at least two nights. On the first night, you’ll think you were stupid for taking time away from your life to do this. But by the second you’ll have decompressed and gotten into your groove. And bring snacks. (Brie, apples, and good bread are my go-tos.)

Keep the TV Off

Reading is fine, but watching TV isn’t going to rejuvenate you in the way you need. It turns out, you’re still exercising your brain when watching TV. And scrolling your phone on social media can lead to feeling worse.

Get Outside Your House

If you don’t have that luxury to get away for a couple of days, carve out even just a few hours for yourself if you can. The ideal is a few hours by yourself (again, not watching TV–it doesn’t let your mind rest in the right way) outside of your house. I have friends who make a deal with their spouse for a few hours alone and just hop in the car and drive to a nearby park to read for a few hours.

Or, even if you REALLY can’t get time by yourself at all (please try), spending time with people you enjoy can be recharging. (No TV!)

You need a break, I guarantee it. A real and true, high-quality break. Give your brain a chance to do what it does best and let it assimilate and create and ideate while you put your attention elsewhere. Both you and your career deserve it.

Learn more about how to take a vacation as a freelancer >>

Watch More: How To Take Time Off as a Copywriter

A huge perk to being a freelancer is that you can work when and where you want. But even with that freedom freelancers are notorious for not taking vacations and working right through, resulting in burnout. As a freelancer you may feel like if you aren’t working, you aren’t making money. But if you set up your calendar properly you can plan for it! In this episode of the Build Your Copywriting Business podcast, Nicki and Kate share real-world advice for freelancers struggling to take time off throughout the year.

Your Turn

How are you going to give yourself a break? What will you do and when? Let us know in the comments below.

The post Tip for Success: Take a Vacation From Your Business appeared first on Filthy Rich Writer.

A freelance copywriter, master of their own schedule, should have no problem taking a vacation. And yet, it’s often freelancers often have the hardest time taking a break.

After all, you work so hard to get clients and to build up your workload—how can you walk away from that? When clients ask you if you’re available for work, your instant reaction is probably always going to be to say “Absolutely!”

The Importance of Taking Vacations as a Freelancer

As a freelancer, you have to take care of yourself in order to keep working at high capacity, and one of the best ways to take care of yourself is to take some time off. To unwind. To get away. And to not take calls from clients. You know, clients: those people who actually fund your ability to take some time off.

You can (and should!) practice self-care throughout your days and weeks to avoid burnout. But an afternoon off here and there, or a trip where you bring your laptop is not the same thing as having time to power off your computer and truly disconnect.

Without at least two weeks off per year, you’re setting yourself up for long-term burnout. This can lead to producing less-than-stellar work and even hampering your productivity. But if you build in time off, you’ll come back feeling recharged and able to produce your best work without dragging your feet.

Think of your vacation time as an investment in your business. Without it, your revenue can be severely impacted!

After all, what’s the point of freelancing if we can’t set our schedules the way we want?

3 Steps to Taking a Vacation as a Freelancer

1. Block Off Your Schedule

The only way to ensure you don’t burn bridges with clients and you get your much-needed break from work is to plan for it. Once you commit to a client project, you’re committed to it. So, for example, if you say “yes” to a project and forgot that it was over a week in July you wanted to take off, you’ll need to look at a new week.

Aim, at the least, to take a week off every six months or so. And, as soon as you decide when to take this time off, mark it on the calendar and block it off to avoid scheduling anything else during that time.

If you can, do this at the beginning of the year. That way, as clients start to book your services, you can pull up your calendar and let them know when you can start and complete projects. Then, check in each quarter with yourself to make sure your days and weeks off are still the days and weeks you want to do take.

2. Communicate With Your Clients

At the one month out mark, start letting your clients that you’ll be unavailable during that week. With this much notice, both you and they can plan to arrange project schedules to accommodate your week off. In the worse scenario, you could always shift your week a bit, but do you best to avoid this if possible—chances are, if you “shift” your week, you’ll end up skipping it.

If a client needs work taken care of even while you’re gone, work with one of your trusted copywriting colleagues to cover you during this time. Be sure, of course, that this is a copywriter whose work you respect and whose ethics you trust—you don’t want to come back to find your client poached, after all.

At the one-week-out mark, start sending out emails to all of your clients (even ones you’re not currently working with) and any recruiting contacts to let them know the dates during which you’ll be unavailable. That way, they won’t think you’re ignoring them if you don’t respond when they try to get in touch with you that week.

A Note on Out of Office Messages

Before you leave, set away messages for your email. However, remember that you’re also telling anyone who gets in contact with you that you’re not at home.

Keep your message simple:

Hi there! I am currently away from my computer and will return your message when I’m back online Thursday, July 15. Thank you!

Don’t overthink it or feel you have to explain where you are, justify your time off, or add in any more personality. You need to make sure your clients get the information they need, fast.

3. Plan for When You’re Back

A few days before you leave, start scheduling some meetings with clients a few days after you get back. This will help to avoid any extra, unwanted time off on your part and will show your client that they’re a top priority for you.

If you wait to get back to do this, it can lead to a longer-than-you-wanted vacation. As in, you may come back expecting to work, only to realize you don’t have anything to work on.

If you have projects you know you’ll wrap up after your vacation (versus before), prioritize your post-vacation schedule. This will ensure you can hit the ground running when you’re back versus dragging your feet on must-hit deadlines.

Working on Your Vacation?

At least a month out, start investigating your internet and Wi-Fi options wherever you’re going. Now, I’m not saying that you should be checking your email by any means, but you want to know where, when and how you can check it if you really feel you need to. I would recommend avoiding your email as much as possible to really help you relax, but I realize that’s not necessarily always very realistic.

Read on for more tips for what to pack if you’re working on vacation >>

Building Vacation in Your Freelance Rates

As a freelancer, we get to set our own rates. That means we shouldn’t be penalizing ourselves for taking time off. We should be building that time off into our freelancer rates.

Of course, we can’t say “I want to make six figures and work 1 day per year!” But we can say “I want to take at least 2 weeks off per year.” If you want to hit 6 figures with 2 weeks vacation, you can do that with rates that are $50/hour ($50 x 40 hours a week x 50 weeks a year).

Of course, you’ll want to figure out your hourly rate based on your level of experience and where you’re located (US rates are different than UK!), among other factors. But as you figure out your rate, you can calculate it with your weeks of vacation in mind. That way, when you’re building your project quote, you can use your hourly rate with your vacation time factored in.

Now all that’s left is to enjoy your vacation—and begin planning your next!

Watch More

On episode 122 of the Build Your Copywriting Business podcast, Nicki and Kate dig further into the three steps you need to take to enjoy your time off, including the mindset shift you need to make. If you don’t have a vacation block currently on your calendar, watch now and start taking the steps you need to ensure your train does’t pull into burnout station.

Your Turn

Have you been able to take vacations? How have you fared? What are some of the tactics you used to ensure work stayed on schedule? Let us know in the comments below!

The post 3 Steps to Taking a Vacation as a Freelance Copywriter appeared first on Filthy Rich Writer.

In a creative profession like copywriting, it’s very easy to succumb to burnout. It’s that feeling of being utterly unable to do any of the work you need to do and, as you can imagine, it’s dangerous for both your overall well-being—and your career.

We all hit the occasional wall where we don’t feel like working, aren’t feeling creative, or both. Not feeling excited about the work you’re doing and/or trying to just “power through it” are both telltale signs you may have burned yourself out a bit.

The bad news is that “powering through it” is the absolute last thing you should do. The good news is, I’ve got some advice to help you work through it and prevent it from happening next time.

How Does Burnout Happen?

In order to prevent burnout from happening in the future, it’s helpful to identify why it happens in the first place. You’re chugging along just fine, doing your work as always, maybe taking some extra projects on and then…you start to slow down.

It gets harder to get yourself to sit down and work. Finally, you hit a point where you’d rather stick a fork in your eye than do the work you’ve got to do. In extreme cases, your body might even shut down a bit and you’re faced with illness or extreme fatigue. How did you get here?

Most likely, it resulted from one of a few factors: you pushed yourself too hard, you took on too much work, or you did too much repetitive work for too long without a break. (Yes, you can get repetitive work in the copywriting field, too: Product descriptions, while a great gig, can get repetitive if the products are similar and you have a lot of them to do.) Burnout happens when your brain and body start fighting back against all of the demands you’re putting on them. And how do they fight back? They shutdown.

The Cure for Burnout

When you hit burnout, your brain and body are so exhausted that “powering through” is the worst thing you can do to try to remedy your burnout. In fact, it may only exacerbate it.

When you’re running low on gasoline in your car, you don’t drive further, faster or harder—you pull over and refuel. That’s exactly what you need to do when you’re burned out: You need to take a break. (Emphasis on “need.”)

Do something that doesn’t involve writing. Listen to music, take a nap, go out for lunch with a friend—anything to give your brain time off from copywriting. Well, not anything; I actually don’t advocate watching TV as a burnout solution. It tends to turn your brain to mush instead of offering relaxation and recovery.

5 Tips to Avoid Burnout in the First Place

Once you’ve recovered, you have to make sure you’re watchful for burnout in the future. Not only is it difficult for you to go through, but it puts your career at risk: If you can’t get yourself to write, you’ll miss deadlines, turn in sub-par work and disappoint your clients. Definitely things you want to avoid, right?

Here are the top tips for protecting yourself from burnout in the future.

1. Schedule breaks.

If you’re facing a long project, make sure you take the time to actually schedule periodic breaks. It can be tempting to push yourself to motor though and finish it all in one fell swoop, but your work and your well-being will suffer.

Pull up your calendar right now (really!) and add in time for breaks. Whether you take them at the times you set or not doesn’t matter as much as actually taking breaks throughout your day. Having them scheduled on your calendar will increase the chances of you actually taking them.

Plus, if you have time blocked on your calendar, you’re less likely to overbook yourself. If a client says, “can you meet at X time on X day?” you can see that you have zero free time, unless you give up your scheduled break. That allows you to recommend a different time to your client—a time that ensures you’re still taking your breaks.

2. Evaluate each new project to make sure you really can do it.

I know: It’s hard to say no to new projects. Who doesn’t like getting paid? But, at the same time, you have to make sure that you truly have the capacity to take a new project on.

If you’re overloaded and facing tight deadlines, it’s probably not the best time to take on another project. Sometimes you just have to turn work down.

But just because you can’t get to a project in the next week or even two weeks doesn’t necessarily mean you need to turn it down. Let your client know when you do have time to start the project and see if that aligns with their schedule.

Too often, copywriters feel like they have to do every project. Right. This. SECOND! But the truth is, many clients aren’t going to expect you to start a project the same week you discuss it.

3. Build extra time into (almost) every project.

Honestly, I say “almost” because inevitably there are going to be rush projects you opt to take on (charge accordingly!). But for every other project, you should build in extra time.

This can vary based on the project. For example, if you have a 10-page website that you think will take you a week to write, you may give the client a two-week timeline to give yourself space to draft each page and revisit them with fresh eyes. Plus, it gives you space to juggle other projects on your plate, or extra time just in case life happens.

But say you have a single email that the client wants to be less than 100 words that you think will take you an hour or two to write. It doesn’t mean you need to turn it around within a day.

Build in at least enough time for you to write the email and then sleep on it. Looking at your copy with fresh eyes will allow you to improve any areas you may have missed and ensure you’re delivering the best copy to your clients.

4. Take up a new hobby.

Many copywriters are also creative writers on the side. That’s great, but creative writing isn’t going to offer your brain enough of a respite after a long day of churning out copy.

Pick up a hobby that stretches your brain in a different way. Things like painting, learning an instrument, or playing a sport give your brain and body a break verbal challenges.

5. Schedule your vacations and other self-care time.

Daily breaks are a must but so are periods of more prolonged rest and relaxation. Put time on your calendar for a vacation or two (or even a handful of long weekends) right now.

Even if you don’t end up taking those exact days off, the blocks on your calendar will help you plan projects around the vacation if you do decide to take that time off. It’s super helpful so that you don’t get to mid-July and think “I meant to take time off,” but you now have scheduled five projects to deliver in the timeframe you were hoping to get away.

Even building in self-care to your at-home routines (and getting adequate sleep!) can go a long way to helping you prevent burnout and stay performing at your peak.

Resistance or Burnout?

There’s a big difference between “I don’t want to do this because it’s hard” (or scary, or uncomfortable…) and “I don’t want to do this because I physically don’t have the energy today.” The first is resistance. The second? You may be getting real close (or perhaps even experiencing) burnout.

In this episode of the Build Your Copywriting Business podcast, Nicki and Kate dig into some ways you can start to recognize the difference between resistance and burnout and tactics for preventing your train from ever getting close to pulling into Burnout Central Station (like having a couple of days each week that you do not schedule work!).

Your Turn

How do you protect yourself from copywriting burnout? Or how have you saved yourself when you’ve succumbed? Let us know in the comments below!

The post How to Protect Yourself from Copywriting Burnout appeared first on Filthy Rich Writer.

Should you change your career? In a word: Yes. But there are a few signs you need a career change that can help guide you—if you pay attention to them.

Here’s the thing: If you’re at a point when you’re really, seriously considering changing your career or heading in a different direction than you’ve always gone, guess what? You need a change. Continuing to head in the same direction will just continue to you unhappy.

Before considering a career change, we’d recommend taking a vacation. If you haven’t taken at least a week off in the last six months, schedule time off as soon as possible. You don’t want to decide to change careers simply because you’re temporarily burnt out at your current one.

But if you have taken time off, and you’re still feeling the tug of a career change, then there are a few more signs you want to look at.

Sign #1: The Thought of Going in to Work Weighs Heavily on You

Believe me, I’ve been there. I know how deeply soul-sucking to can be to go into a job every single day that makes you absolutely miserable. Maybe you still like your coworkers or maybe the location is convenient, or maybe they give you free coffee. But, despite those positives, there’s something weighs heavily on you at the very thought of going in to your job.

Take this as exactly what it is: a sign that something’s got to change. That discontent in your heart, that fatigue in your body, that cloudiness in your head…it all means that you’re not okay where you are. Really not okay.

Sign #2: When You Think About Leaving Your Job, You Feel Relief

You don’t have to quit your job right this second or even tomorrow (or a month from now). Take a few moments where you can sit somewhere quiet and do this quick visualization exercise.

First, close your eyes. Picture yourself the moment after you’ve told your boss you will be pursuing a new career opportunity. In this pretend scenario, what do you see? How do you feel? Does your body feel lighter? Are you smiling?

Then, picture yourself waking up the day after you’ve left your job. What does that look like?

Sign #3: When You Think About Pursuing a New Career, You Feel Excited

Now, we’re going to extend the exercise you did above. You can do it at the same time, or if you only have a few minutes, you can do these exercises separately. Either way, you want to close your eyes and be in a quiet space.

Picture yourself in your dream career. What does that look like?

When you’re doing that dream career, where are you physically? In an office? On a beach? At your house with your dog curled up beside you?

Jot notes after you’ve done the exercise. This can help you find your big why, or reason for doing whatever it is that you want to do.

As with any career, you need to define what success looks like for you. Do you want to make a certain level of income? Do you want to work remote? More time for your family? More vacation time? Start thinking about what matters most to you and how a new career could help you achieve these goals.

If thinking about that excites you, this may be another sign it’s time to pursue your career change a bit more seriously.

Is Copywriting the Career Change You Need?

Here’s what I can promise you about copywriting. If you’re a good writer and you’re willing to put in a little effort to learn, it can be a great career. Fulfilling, profitable and even enjoyable.

And you know what? Even if it’s not your end career, copywriting can make you plenty of money in the meantime. Yes, you’ll have to put in some effort. Yes, you’ll have to do your best. But isn’t that better than just staying stuck where you are?

Plus, you don’t have to quit your job to get started. You can start learning while you’re working your full- or part-time job. You can even seeing if there are ways to practice copy skills at your current job.

And, as you learn, continue saving money so if you want to quit your job and pursue a career change, you can!

If you want a change, here it is. And your first step is this: commit to making a change. Every time you start to feel crummy about your current job, read one of our blog posts and use it as an action item to getting started. Starting…now.

Watch More

If you’re thinking about changing careers to become a copywriter, one question you may wonder is, “How do I know copywriting is for me?” Watch below as Nicki and Kate dig into this question.

Your Turn

Let us know in the comments section: what are you going to do first?

The post “Should I Change Careers?” 3 Signs the Answer is “Yes” appeared first on Filthy Rich Writer.