Written in March 2026
One of the great things about being freelance is that I can take time off when I need to and make the adjustments I need. I can work in a way that suits me and avoid the 18-month burnout cycle I experienced through much of my working life as an employee.
One thing I don’t benefit from, as a self-employed person, is employee assistance schemes, access to mental health support and other workplace wellbeing initiatives.
It all falls to me to manage. I’m fairly happy about that situation, because I am free to do the things I know work, and I don’t have to tick any boxes or complete any forms, or explain myself to anyone else.
Recently I was asked, as part of being approved as a supplier, what I do to manage employee wellbeing. It was an easy first answer – nothing! I don’t have any employees…
Semantics aside, what do I do to manage my wellbeing at work?
- Stretch, do yoga, get moving! Yoga is great for posture, for tapping into a mood, for energising, for relaxing or for dealing with whatever emotional state you’re in
- Schedule work days with rest days – I manage my diary pretty carefully to make sure I’m never flitting from one place to another. While I can do multiple sessions working from home, it doesn’t translate to in-person training. That involves traveling, transitions, planning, not sleeping well and more.
- Take on work I’m passionate about. There’s no way I can get myself motivated to do something I am not interested in. Pick a job you love and you’ll never work a day etc etc
- Say no to overstuffing my diary. This has been a hard boundary to set and to hold, but it’s getting easier to do so. I know the signs of burnout now well before it gets irreversible, so I use that to ensure I protect my time
- Let my brain take the lead. I have a to-do list that’s a reference for all the things I need to do. Then I can pick what my brain is up for that day, and avoid trying to, essentially, drive on a dual carriageway if my brain is stuck in 3rd gear
- Sit on a backless chair while working – I can’t slump!
- Work in various places depending on the mood/task. I always deliver in the same place, but I can’t work from that place! I can write at my desk, on the sofa, even in the dining room, but I can’t write or design in my delivery space
- Disappear. By this I mean take a break away for a few days every 4 months or so, depending on how busy it’s been. I try to protect a week after a busy month to go away and have a bit of a reset and a rest. As I post this I am enjoying a slow morning in an AirBnB in Somerset!