I have freelance writing cabin fever. Not wanting to dig my car out for the 11th time in a week, I’m stuck at home watching more snow fall and wishing I had an important errand to run. Freelance writing cabin fever strikes the best of us. When we’re bored with working at home and can’t get out, it’s serves as a distraction. Since I’m so distracted by the snow, I’m hoping the topic of cabin fever will help me to get my focus back on track.
By the way, cabin fever doesn’t only happen during times when multiple blizzards hit your area within a two week period. Freelancers also experience cabin fever when:
- It rains a lot
- They’re sick
- The kids are sick
- The car isn’t working
- It’s a regular work day
The symptoms are as following:
- Bald spots from tearing your hair out.
- A worn spot from your desk to your favorite window.
- Frequent conversations with the pets.
- Spying the back of the UPS guy as he drops your package and runs so you won’t try and start up a conversation.
- Talking about lunch on Twitter.
- A rapidly dwindling ice cream carton in the fridge.
- Watching Wife Swap or Rock of Love marathons while hoping the kids don’t come home before the finale.
All joking aside, freelance writing cabin fever is the boredom one gets when working at home for long periods of time without getting out. There are a few things I do to alleviate the boredom.
1. Get on the social networks
Twitter and Facebook save me from feeling lonely and shut in. When I can’t get out or find myself craving company, I find consolation in my Seesmic. The way I see it, if I can’t get out of the house, at least I can be productive. The social networks allow me to visit with friends, enjoy discussions with the Freelance Writing Jobs community and build relationships with potential clients or readers. I ask questions and try to keep friends and followers engaged. Sure, social media can be a time suck, but for me the benefits far outweigh the negatives.
2. Do something different
If you can’t work because you’re too busy thinking about how you’re snowed in and can’t go anywhere, find something else to do. Put work aside and watch some TV or bake a batch of cookies. Call a friend or vacuum the carpet. Distract yourself with a distraction.
3. Get out
So the car is buried and you can’t run to Stop N Shop, does that really mean you have to stay inside? Go for a walk in the snow, have a snowball fight with the kids or shovel the driveway. Fresh air will make a world of difference, even if you’re only taking a walk around the block. You may even run into some neighbors and have a little chit chat.
Focus
Many times, all I need to do is get back on track with my work. Once my rhythm gets going I forget about my cabin fever for a while. It might be a matter of finding something else to focus on once in a while. Once the source of my cabin fever subsides, in this case the snow, I’ll work at the library or Starbucks just to get out of the house.
There’s no denying freelancing can get a little lonely, and yes, it can be boring. Sometimes the best recourse is to give in to your distractions. You might find yourself inspired to get back on course.
How do you deal with your freelance writing cabin fever?
0
65k
6k
Leave a Reply