π weekly read β
How I Balance Freelance Work With a Full-Time Job (Without Burning Out)
As a freelance marketer with a 9β5, Iβve spent the last few years experimenting with ways to get high-quality work done without losing my mind (or my weekends).
And while I donβt have a magic bullet (or a time-turner), I have developed systems that help me deliver for clients, stay sane, and still carve out time to rest.
Here are three habits that help me manage both sides of my work life, especially when time is tight.
π Stay in Work Mode (Literally)
I don't change into sweats when I get home from my day job. Why?
Because the minute I slip into something comfy, my brain switches to βchill mode.β That might sound harmless, but itβs a momentum killer for me.
By staying in my work clothes β blazer, slacks, even shoes sometimes β I stay in βonβ mode just long enough to knock out client work before dinner.
This tiny change helps me maintain the psychological boundary between relaxing and getting things done.
π Treat Your Freelance Like a Job (Because It Is)
Freelance isnβt βextra work.β Itβs real work β and it deserves real space on your calendar.
Thatβs why I block out recurring one-hour slots on my calendar throughout the week. Sometimes, these slots are for writing emails, sometimes for hopping on a client call, and sometimes for just focused time to move things forward.
Even if I donβt always stick to the exact hour, those calendars are placeholders for my brain. They create mental βappointmentsβ that Iβm less likely to cancel.
And bonus: It keeps me from falling into the trap of saying, βIβll just get to it later.β
βContinue reading...β