HOW TO: STAY MOTIVATED AS A FREELANCE CREATIVE
Freelancing can be difficult in an Industry that takes shortcuts. I have a few soul searching ways of keeping myself motivated to persevere.
Photographer: Sarah Ellis (@herestophoto) // Outfit Details: Headscarf, River Island; Turtleneck, Aviator Jacket, Earrings, Primark; Midi Skirt, Zara //
I’ve always liked the idea of working for myself. I get to control the variables and there’s something about having that control really motivated me to pursue the freelance life. It was mostly because there was just no jobs going in my line of work here in Northern Ireland. My thought was that, “Well if there’s no job for me, I’ll just have to make one”. I pushed myself into the crevices of the creative industry here by starting to network and send my work to various people. At the time, I was working an Event Management Internship that kept me afloat but it was monotonous enough that it drove me to push myself hard to continue creating in other ways.
The beauty of the side hustle. When you’re grinding it out, you think “Damn, wouldn’t life be great if I could do this full time?” and low and behold, the opportunity presents itself to make a real go at it. The Pros and Cons of Freelancing seemed apparent and I thought I knew what I was getting myself into but a new obstacle appeared. One that I didn’t expect.
What do you do when you’ve lost the motivation to create?
how do you motivate yourself when you’re basically being told,“we don’t need you.”
All is well and good while you’re busy but freelancing is a wave. You have your busy seasons and you have your quiet seasons but you prepare for it - you can foresee it. Financially, it’s all about budgeting and living within your means but the hardest thing for me is during the quiet times, maintaining that high-level of productivity.
When it comes to work, I know that I have to throw myself into it, submerge myself in it because it’s the only way it will have my undivided attention. If I’m not there, I’m not doing it. So when things slow down, I struggle to get the ball rolling again. At university, we had our classmates to keep us on our toes, we were all in the same boat. During my internship, I had the motivation of wanting more out of my career. Freelancing, it’s just you. It can be a lonely road especially when you’re not sure of your next move. Turns out that in Northern Ireland, there’s not many opportunities for freelancers in my line of work either, simply because people would rather take shortcuts (in the wrong places) but that’s a whole other blog post.
So how do you motivate yourself when you’re basically being told, “We don’t need you.”
Photographer: Sarah Ellis (@herestophoto) // Outfit Details: Headscarf, River Island; Turtleneck, Aviator Jacket, Earrings, Primark; Midi Skirt, Zara; Boots, Dune London //
Photographer: Sarah Ellis (@herestophoto) // Outfit Details: Headscarf, River Island; Turtleneck, Aviator Jacket, Earrings, Primark; Midi Skirt, Zara; Boots, Dune London //
Well, it’s difficult. It’s disheartening to be told that the industry you love just doesn’t appreciate your job title basically. “Anyone can style…” Suddenly you feel inadequate. Imposter Syndrome slips in and I question my own abilities. I might not have a degree in “Fashion Styling” but we live in an era where anyone can be anything when you work hard (and play even harder of course). Gone is the job for life mentality and we know that having a degree means nothing in the creative industry. Industry leaders are self-taught and driven individuals who don’t take no for an answer but they also have unmistakable quality to their work. As I said, anyone can be anything but it is the standard of the work, the quality of the process & final outcome that should take precedences. Those, with this drive and talent, continue to find a way to feed their creativity which is one of my go-to’s for getting back in the game.
TOP 3 TIPS FOR GETTING SOME HEADSPACE
Take a road trip
Escaping to the countryside is one way I like to clear my head. I used to head for home and visit my parents, nowadays, as much as I love a trip home, I’ve sought out the north coast. It is as simple as getting some fresh air with the plus of walking along some of the most beautiful beaches we have on our little island. The adventure helps me organise my thoughts. It gives me the extra space I need physically and mentally. 10/10 Recommend.
Go shopping
Shopping is so incredibly therapeutic. When i’m feeling down, I take myself to the high street and spend my worries away… within reason of course but I honestly get an adrenaline rush from leaving a store with a purchase. It’s how I get my buzz!
Grab a coffee and get creative with someone new.
My life is meetings, coffee and creative things so when I get to collaborate with new people, we meet for a coffee and talk through our ideas. Nothing like a brainstorming session and idea swap to leave you feeling ready to create some kick ass work. Even just being able to talk things through with someone who might understand your position helps gain a better perspective on things.