AD – This is a sponsored post. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Last year, I experienced burn-out for the first time. Although it helped me re-direct my freelance career – the experience is one I want to avoid in the future.
There were several reasons I burned out. It wasn’t just a case of working too hard. It was a culmination of a few different factors that eventually told my body it was time to STOP.
Looking back, I was definitely burning out long before I knew it. I was really enjoying my work – but there were signs that I should have implemented a few healthier habits earlier than I did.
In fact, if I’d understood these key reasons why I burned out a little sooner, I could have avoided it altogether. Hindsight, I guess!
Burn-out is such a common occurrence for people in all jobs and situations – and, of course, everyone’s experience will be different.
However, I think it can be handy to understand exactly how to avoid burn-out, including a few common reasons that cause burn-out for freelancers in particular.
In this blog post, I’ve put together 5 big reasons why I burned out – and how you can avoid falling into the same traps as me!
1. I STILL treated my freelance work as a hobby
I first started blogging and freelancing as a side hustle alongside my part-time job – and so it was a hobby first and work second. But this mentality didn’t change when I started freelancing full-time.
While it’s great to enjoy your job, it shouldn’t be your hobby. At the end of the day, it’s your work and you need to fill your life with other things, too.
This approach wasn’t sustainable, and I soon started to see everything in terms of money.
Although money is important, it’s not the be-all and end-all.
For me, success means making enough money to pay my bills while maintaining the flexible and enjoyable lifestyle I want. I lost sight of this when I burned out.
You can avoid falling into this trap by pouring time into other hobbies and passion projects – and it’s so important to have other things that you do for fun, instead of putting everything into your job.
2. I took any job I could get
It’s a rookie freelance mistake, but I took any job I could get – and this meant I ended up doing work I didn’t really want to do.
While we’ll all do work that isn’t enjoyable at some point, as a freelancer, I let myself end up doing lots of jobs that weren’t even related to writing or editing, just because I thought I needed to push myself harder.
I don’t think there’s anything wrong with taking jobs that aren’t exactly within your “job description” – but you shouldn’t be doing work that drains you all the time.
You can avoid falling into this trap by understanding exactly what you want to do with your career. Do you want to take great translation work? Do you want to focus on blog posts?
I like to give myself a freelance appraisal every three months. I write down what career success means to me, and I think about my goals for the next few months. It’s a helpful tool – and I recommend trying it out if you’re a new freelancer.
3. I didn’t take enough time off
It goes without saying that I burned out because I didn’t take enough time off – but it’s true!
I planned my weekend days like I planned any other day of the week. To me, they were just days to do more work – not days off. It was a very unhealthy attitude, and it’s no wonder it led to burn-out.
Now that I take the weekends off, it’s actually improved my work. I do as much work as I need to do in the week, and my clients know that I’ll be back at my desk on Monday morning.
I can look forward to rest over the weekend and my work is better for it on Monday.
You can avoid burning out by learning from my mistake: take time off! If you feel like you can’t do that because of your clients or your manager, it’s time to assess your situation.
Do you actually need to do work over the weekend? Is that their expectations or your own expectations for yourself? Understand where your worries come from, and get into the habit of booking regular time off.
Trust me, your work will be better for it!
4. I left notifications on my phone – all the time
I left work notifications on my phone all the time – and this definitely contributed to my burn-out.
I received messages on Slack or via email all day every day – and I answered them, too. This means I was thinking about work constantly, even when I was supposed to be switched off from client responsibilities.
It goes without saying that this isn’t healthy – and it really didn’t help me maintain normal client boundaries as a freelancer. You can avoid falling into this trap by turning off those notifications!
Check your emails one last time before you log off for the day, and then don’t check them again until you log back into your accounts the following morning. If you can, avoid having work messages on your regular phone, too.
You could even take regular social media breaks to look after your mental health.
5. I isolated myself
Last but not least, I burned out because I isolated myself. I didn’t make connections with other freelancers.
By isolating myself, I didn’t have anyone to compare to, and so I presumed all freelancers were dealing with the same stress as me. I now know that’s not true – and I’ve learned to chat with other professionals in my industry.
Whatever your job or situation, surround yourself with people you love and trust, as well as people who understand what you’re going through on a day-to-day basis.
It’s so important to avoid isolating yourself. It stops you from gaining perspective – and you need people to feel connected.
Have you ever experienced burn-out? What do you think of the reasons why I burned out? How do you avoid burn-out?
Let me know all your thoughts in the comments below 🙂
Happy reading x
Not-So-Modern Girl 
Fab post full of really helpful tips!
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Thank you!
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Some useful tips in there, I have definitely suffered burnout probably more times than I would like to admit. I found; taking regular breaks and catching up with friends (the friends that leave you feeling energised) is always a good start. Thanks for sharing!
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I think taking breaks with people who inspire you is such an important point. It’s not just about taking a break, but what you do on that break x
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I’m usually okay with notifications, they don’t bother me. But not giving myself any time off – REAL time off – definitely is the start of a slippery slope for me!
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Yes I think that’s so important- and the distinction between time off and REAL time off can be a tricky one if you work for yourself x
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I agree with the notification one, it puts so much mental load on me, I don’t even understand it anymore. Just the pressure that I have messages that need an answer gives me so much anxiety.
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Yes definitely! I think so too, thank you for reading and sharing your experiences Heidi x
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Thank you for sharing your experiences. This has given me a lot to think about, and has made me realise that I don’t always take a break on my weekends. I usually try and take breaks where I can, yet I usually end up feeling guilty for not doing my work! It’s all about finding a balance in life!
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Yes it’s all about balance! Sometimes working on a weekend can be helpful, but other times you need to let your mind rest. It’s all about finding what works for you x
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I’ve almost reached the point of burnout before, it’s scary when you reach that point! I like that you have recognised the signs of burnout and what to do to stop it from happening again x
Lucy | http://www.lucymary.co.uk
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Yes definitely! Thank you Lucy, I want to stay on top of it now 🙂
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Reaching burnout is hideous and I totally agree with all your points on here. I think we have all been guilty of these things overtime! Hope you are well and truly out of the other side now!
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Yes I think we all experience them – keeping them in check is so important 🙂 thank you! It took a while but I got to the other side in the end x
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I have reach burn out many times as I end up with being in a flare up of fatigue and pain too. These tips are helpful and things to think about. Thank you for sharing.
Lauren – bournemouthgirl
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Thank you Lauren 🙂
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Your post and symptoms are familiar to me because I have gone through all this and more. You are so right because burnout creeps in slowly and most of the time goes unnoticed until you feel extreme fatigue. Your tips are definitely helpful. We should set aside time for a break to refresh our mind.
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Yes I think sometimes it can creep up on you, so it’s important to spot the signs! Thank you for reading and commenting x
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Sorry you had burnout. I had that too related to work spilling over into weekends and ended up working four days a week instead. Great advice on how to manage it. I now use that day off to blog and dream of doing that full time too.
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I understand! I think work can push us to the point of burn-out sometimes, I’m sorry you experienced that too. Taking time off and doing what you love is so important x
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I didn’t realise it at the time but I experienced burn out during 2020 and 2021 when I was helping to care for my grandmother. I felt a lot of the symptoms that describe burn out such as the fatigue, isolation, increased anxiety and feeling helpless, etc and whilst I did manage to claw myself back a bit, it has left me with mild anxiety and depression. I find it hard to manage when the reasons behind my burn out are at home, but controlling my social media time is certainly one that helps – if there is no message to reply to, or nothing important to see, it can be ignored and turned off!
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Thank you for sharing your experiences Emma. I’m sorry to hear you experienced burn-out, that must have been really difficult. I think it can be hard to manage sometimes, but it sounds like you’re doing all the right things. Staying off social media is a huge one, it’s such a relief when you log off x
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Here are the key transferrable principles from this post:
1. Work-Life Balance: Maintain a clear boundary between work and personal life. Even if you love your job, it’s crucial to have hobbies and activities outside of work to sustain overall well-being and avoid burnout.
2. Choose Work Wisely: Avoid accepting tasks or projects that are outside your interest or skill area just because they’re available. It’s important to have a clear vision of your career path and stick to it. Engage in work that you find fulfilling and aligned with your long-term goals.
3. Prioritize Rest: Time off work is essential, no matter your profession. Regular breaks, whether daily, weekly, or yearly, are vital for rejuvenation and maintaining productivity.
4. Manage Digital Communication: Maintain boundaries around digital communication, especially during off-hours. Keeping constant notifications can lead to feelings of being overwhelmed and can contribute to burnout.
5. Avoid Isolation: Connect with peers and others in your profession. Networking helps in sharing challenges, finding common solutions, and gaining perspective. Isolation can lead to a skewed perception of stress levels and work norms. It’s also essential for feeling connected and supported.
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Thank you Jeanette! Yes it can be so tricky, I’m sorry you also experienced burn-out in the past. Thinking about your work is such a common mistake – and it can be so hard to get out of the habit. I’m glad you’re adopting some healthier habits and more achievable goals now, I think that’s so important. Thank you for sharing – good luck with your blog!
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Omg, the 1st point already got me 😀 I can totally relate to drowning in greediness, even though it’s something I thought would never affect me. And when we go to this “I gotta make all the moneee!” mindset, we tend to isolate ourselves without even noticing… It’s scary, but acknowledging it is the first step to getting better about it! Such a good post, thank you for sharing ❤
Teresa Maria | Outlandish Blog
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Haha yes that’s very true, it’s so easy to get into a negative mentality without realising it 🙂 thank you so much!
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