TL:DR:
In this blog post, Michelle, the founder of SoGather, shares her personal approach to maintain her mental resilience in the long and often lonely entrepreneurial journey.
Everyone is unique, so pick up useful self-help techniques and keep the ones that work for you.
Start by being aware of triggers of negative emotions and do something to address them.
Adopt a healthier and more productive approach to turn “no-income” downtime into a superpower to optimise opportunities.
Celebrate every small and big achievement as a form of personal motivation and to gain needed rest for the long haul.
As a freelancer and solopreneur, I rely a lot on my own experience and wits to get things done.
I recognise that working as a solo practitioner, there is no team to turn to for third-party perspectives. While I appreciate the concern of family and friends, there is a gap between their understanding of traditional work environments and the intricacies of freelancing. I remember family members giving me advice based on their lifelong experience as employees to forsake my journey to re-join the workforce for financial security. I didn’t take the advice because I knew it was not the end of my entrepreneurial journey yet. It was this mental resilience that has kept me through the highs and lows of my journey.
While I read self-help articles to learn how to practice mental fitness better, I don’t subscribe to any particular methodology but have a mash up of practices that I’ve found to work for me. Here’s what I do to maintain my mental fitness:
Reflecting and visualising
Unlike the visualisation techniques used by professional athletes to visualise themselves achieving a particular goal, I use visualisation tools like Apple’s Freeform or toketaWare's iThoughts to structure my thoughts and stay focused. Reviewing my plans visually reminds me of the ‘why’ behind each goal and thereby, minimises the sway of negativity.
Being self-aware of my emotional state
This involves recognising negative emotional triggers that keep me from realising my personal and professional goals, then proactively shifting towards positive ones.
Wearing my “observer and analytical” hat, I identify the root causes behind these triggers. I’ve found that most of my triggers are the fruit of unproductive behavioural or decision patterns. To minimise “blind-spots”, I seek insights from long-time collaborators for their observations.
Addressing the triggers
I prioritise which trigger to address first based on its frequency and its impact on my mental health. To avoid overly pessimistic or optimistic self-assessments, I work on this when I am in a neutral or medium high state of mind. Again, I seek advice from wise friends.
I am mindful that this process is long and uncomfortable on different levels. But I take comfort that each step I take, brings me closer to my goals.
Embracing Downtime for Renewal
As a Solo, the fear of missing out (FOMO) can be overwhelming. I’ve personally experienced the detrimental impact of unhealthy levels of emotional stress and mental pressure on my physical well-being.
As an independent contractor, “down-time = no income”. However, I’ve learnt to adopt a new mindset where I view “no income” time as an opportunity to recharge to optimise my “income-generating up-time”. This shift breathed new life into my work and well-being.
Where time permits, I may inject up to 2 breaks into my daily work schedule. The criteria for each activity is that it has to contribute positively to my mental well-being, or sense of achievement. It could range from a fitness workout, something more delicious relaxing like cooking a nutritious meal, tinkering with a new gadget, or simply, taking a recovery nap.
Here’s a story of how I was reminded of the importance of breaks to optimise my time and performance:
I had a work deadline due the next day at noon. I had been working on it the whole day and was tired. Instead of resting, I pushed on for another four hours thinking I should “catch up on time”. Unfortunately, I reached my limits and called it a night - without finishing the task. After a good night’s rest, I found the previous night’s work of low quality. But with a recharged mind and renewed energy, I was able to re-do and complete the rest of the task in less than 4 hours, and before the deadline!
Celebrating every achievement
Every milestone, big or small, deserves celebration. I take a moment to appreciate small victories and indulge in rewarding experiences for major achievements – especially the ones that involved personal sacrifices. My celebrations range from a series of nice meals, a well-earned holiday or down-time to recharge with my hobbies and reconnect with friends. The anticipation of these rewards fuels my motivation and keeps me driven. It helps to know what pleasures motivate me best. Pro-tip: The cost of these celebrations is funded by my personal savings, not my business account which I reserve for direct business expenses. It’s just part of financial discipline that makes freelancing and solopreneurship sustainable in the long run.
While what I share may be simplified excerpts of my personal experience as a veteran Solo, I hope it encourages you to take some steps to make your freelancing and solopreneuring experience more sustainable, and fulfilling.
As I reflect on my journey, I remember the times when I wished I had a community of Solos to celebrate with and gain strength from. That is why TribeSoGather exists – so you get that extra boost of emotional support while navigating your entrepreneurial journey!
If you're up for making your solopreneur journey more vibrant and connected, consider joining us. Let us navigate this path together and uplift each other along the way.
Go Solo, Together!
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