Writing can be a very creative, gratifying job. However, writing is, for the most part, a one-person job. As a result, many freelance writers face the problem of spending a lot of time alone. Accordingly, the importance of having a great writing space when you are a freelance writer cannot be stressed enough. Aside from having adequate working space, some freelance writers make significant changes to their daily routines to fulfill their social needs alongside their professional tasks. Hence, we will talk about a few ways you can overcome loneliness as a freelance writer.
Taking frequent breaks is important
Sometimes writers tend to overwork themselves. Of course, it is entirely natural to be committed to your freelance writing job. Yet, spending your entire workday at the computer while not talking to anyone can make your day feel incredibly long and uneventful.
Writing requires a lot of focused attention. You may start to feel lonely and exhausted after looking at your computer screen for several hours without interruptions. Since you do not have colleagues you can chit-chat with while you work, taking shorter but frequent 5- to 10-minute breaks should help improve your mood and concentration.
Use the breaks to text with your family or friends, watch a funny or informative video, do some quick yoga, etc. On the other hand, you can be efficient on your break and use it to read up interesting online articles on writing mistakes or other topics relevant to your work. There are so many things that you can do to entertain and refresh yourself. You just have to give yourself some leeway!
See if writing in sprints makes your work more engaging
Taking more breaks can help you cheer up and thus, improve your focus while you are writing. As a result, most freelance writers find it is most efficient to combine frequent breaks with periods of quick, active, and effective writing. For some writers, this can be half an hour, and for others, it can be an entire hour to 90 minutes of focused writing. Experiment with different lengths of time to see what kind of sprint and break periods make your mind work the best.
The sprinting approach to writing can help you keep your mind from steering away and feeling bored. In moments of inactivity, we realize that we have no one to talk to and thus experience feelings of loneliness. If you sprint your way through your writing, you will not have the time to notice anything other than what you are writing about. That is why the ‘sprint-break’, effort-award writing cycles help freelance writers overcome workday loneliness.
Your writing space should be stimulating, pleasant, and positive
Feeling lonely is in tight connection with feeling unstimulated, alienated, or depressed. Hence, it is essential to feel comfortable and productive in your working space. Naturally, keeping your spirits up is much more difficult when you are working on your own, which is why you can compensate by remodeling your writing space to make it more pleasant.
First of all, it is essential to keep your working space as neat as possible. Mess and clutter can make your thoughts unfocused and chaotic. In fact, you could waste a lot of time just sitting in silence without being able to focus on anything. When you have distractions around you, you are more likely to prolong your writing, get bored, and feel lonely as a result.
It also helps to surround yourself with nice-looking furniture, uplifting artwork, or personal belongings such as family photos. Keep your writing space brightly lit and well-aerated. Also, you can make things more cheerful for yourself by buying something that you always wanted to have around, such as a coffee machine or a dartboard. It is the simple things that can have a surprising effect on how we experience our surroundings.
Move to another city or country
Some freelance writers are not even tied to a single place. Instead, they live as ‘digital nomads’. This means it might make a difference if you switch things up a bit and relocate to a new city, state – or even country. In some cases, freelancers use their job as a ticket to visit many countries which are the best in the world for freelance writers.
Basically, this kind of lifestyle allows freelance writers to get acquainted with new people and different cultures. Just think about it. Everything around you will be so new after the move. And novelty is interesting, which will help keep the feeling of loneliness at bay. Also, such a leap into the unknown allows writers to get a fresh perspective on their writing and personal life.
However, finding a reliable moving company that can help you settle in your new place can be tricky. Luckily, there is a comprehensive database of moving companies found at Verified Movers, which you can use to make the relocation less stressful. This way, you will be able to live your digital nomadic life without worrying about how you will move your belongings safely from place to place.
Network with other freelance writers
Connections are everything. Of course, sharing advice and experiences with your fellow writers can significantly improve your writing technique. It also makes finding new clients and collaborators much easier. However, it is not only professional benefits you can attain when you establish a relationship with other freelance writers.
Go to a co-working space, writing conference, or workshop – and just talk to people. You will probably get the much-needed reassurance that other people have similar problems and experiences as you do. You will feel relief knowing that there are writers like yourself that you can contact any time of the day. Simply put, it is easier to overcome loneliness as a freelance writer when you have a support group you can fall back on for information and understanding.
