When the events industry finally reopened last August and work came flooding in, I found it very hard to say no to anything. Although I already know that I am not a person who can work for weeks straight without any time for myself, and am usually very careful about that, it was very tempting to try and build my bank account back up as quickly as possible by pushing myself as far as I could go. As freelancers, we are responsible for our own schedules, and no one but ourselves is going to step in and say hey, maybe taking all that on isn’t a great idea. The instability caused by the various COVID variants circulating also made it extra tempting to overbook myself and say yes to everything – it was unclear many of those shows would end up actually happening.
I have coworkers who go weeks or months without a single day off, but I already know that working like that is simply not sustainable for me. The short-term benefits would not outweigh the massive burnout I would end up feeling.
The strategies I have found that work best for preserving some time for myself when working are the following
- Put days off in writing
I’ve started putting days off into my calendar in the same way that I put workdays. Sometimes I list them a specific activity like ERRAND DAY, sometimes I just leave it as DAY OFF. Having it in writing makes me less likely to change it.
- Know your limits, and stick to them
I’ve been in this industry long enough to know that in regular times, I need time to recharge after working 5 days straight. When scheduling work, I try not to go past blocks of 4-5 days on, 1 day off, or 6-2 at most. Obviously, this isn’t a hard-and-fast rule, but it also helps me mentally to know I am planning some breathing room into my schedule if it’s a really busy month.
- Remember that there will always be more shows
I’ve often felt conflicted and reluctant about blocking off time for vacations, family events, etc. far in advance when I don’t know what my work opportunities for that time period look like yet. But in the scheme of things, there will always be more shows, there will always be more opportunities, and it won’t be the end of the world if I miss one.
- Have a reason for bypassing your limits
As I said above, the rules I have for myself aren’t unbreakable. But for me, it helps to have a clear reason why I am going to push myself beyond what is healthy for me. Maybe there’s a show I really, really want to work on that extends a string of shows from six days to seven. Maybe my venue is offering overtime when it usually doesn’t, and I want to take advantage of that. Maybe it’s an opportunity with a new company that I can’t pass up. Maybe I need the money. Knowing that there is a concrete reason I am overworking myself and that it is only temporary helps me stay focused and get through the work at hand.