A freelancers guide to surviving lockdown
How our network of marketing freelancers are really surviving lockdown 3.0
Someone said to us last week, “work on the assumption right now that everyone’s answer to ‘how are you doing?’ is going to be negative” and it hit us hard. In the midst of Lockdown 3.0 and let’s face it, not one of us are having an easy ride with it. It’s darker, colder and it’s landed upon us after what can only be described as a truly relentless year, where all of our reserves of strength have been depleted and our resilience pushed to the core. But here we are. Soldiering on. Showing up. Looking after ourselves. Looking after our children. Juggling our jobs. Dealing with extreme loneliness. Losing loved ones. Permanent anxiety. Seeing those we care about struggle. And we really wish we had something more positive to say about it, but, I think we can also safely agree, there just isn’t.
But how do we just keep going? What is it inside of us that keeps the fight up each day? Freelancers and self-employed folks are used to hard knocks. We’re the most resilient workforce there is. And that, in our humble opinion, is something that we’re truly grateful for right now.
We’re actively trying to tune out to every single news alert popping up on our phones each day - only absorbing the news when we really need to and feel emotionally capable of doing so. We’re finding new ways of coping each and every day. We’re learning from those around us. We’re asking how people are and we’re really listening and most importantly, far more than in any of the other lockdowns, we’re being kinder to ourselves.
We wanted to explore the coping mechanisms we’re all finding to work for us, so asked our collective of top-notch marketing freelancers to share the juice. So here are some top coping tips and tricks straight from the mouths of our freelancer collective.
Staying sane when freelancing in lockdown
Jess Sims, Co-Founder of The Doers and Brand Marketing Strategist
I spent the first lockdown back at my mum’s. Just a week before, we found out my grandma had been diagnosed with leukaemia and had just weeks to live and we made the collective decision to lockdown as a family so we could be together when the inevitable happened. Being hit with a global pandemic whilst losing one of the closest members of your family in one hit is something I’m sure far too many of us can relate to. It was extremely hard. What I learnt from that time was the need to lean on others for support. I’m not someone who’s very good at asking for help but I couldn’t juggle grief with running a business and keeping our clients happy and Laura supported in the way she needed with three children at home permanently. We were fortunately set up to furlough me for a few weeks whilst I regrouped - taking much needed time out was really important to me for keeping it together. We took on more freelance support than we had ever had and hired an incredible VA to help with business admin and our own marketing (something I owned fairly tightly) to make sure nothing fell through the cracks. We all had to work together far more collaboratively than ever before. And this is something that has really carried through since. Both personally and professionally, true support is incredibly powerful.
Lockdown 3.0 has been spent in my flat - a flat I absolutely adore - and entirely on my own. Every day has to be taken as it comes. I celebrate the small wins as much as I can. Some days, just getting up and dressed is my greatest achievement. And that’s ok. We’re so used to living our lives with an enormous amount of pressure upon us. The one perk of COVID era is that we’ve all been forced to take our foot off the gas a little and it highlights the things that truly matter. That’s one thing I really hope sticks long after this.
So how do I stay sane during lockdown?
It’s no secret that I love cooking - it’s intrinsically in me (thanks Mum) and I make that my non negotiable each day (except for the odd Deliveroo days here and there but let’s ignore that for now). It forces me to close my laptop, come away from a screen and nourishes me at the same time. I like to stick on podcasts whilst I cook or Facetime with a friend I’ve not spoken to for a while.
I’ve also developed a profound love of bread making. Whilst I’m not unique in finding a love of sourdough in lockdown, it’s fast developed as one of my greatest hobbies - and dare I say it, I’m rather good at it! I joined a cookery/sourdough club by one of my favourite foody writers, Martha de Lacey - The Muff Kitchen. And it’s been AMAZING for educating me more about sourdough and what can be done with it, whilst also inspiring me to get more experimental with my cooking.
Last but not least, to balance out the large volumes of gluten I’m inhaling each week, I’m fortunate to have a Peloton in my flat, which I use to sweat away my stresses as much as I possibly can. Movement, in whatever way you can, does the head a world of good!
Laura West, Co-Founder of The Doers and Brand Marketing Strategist
In the first lockdown every part of it was new, unknown and pretty scary. We didn’t know how it was going to pan out, which clients would stay, which might go or which new clients would come on board. Nurseries were shut and me and my husband were working in shifts between looking after our three kids and work, running into working evenings and weekends. It was exhausting!
This time round nurseries are open - hallelujah - so we’re only juggling one kid and if I’ve learnt anything from lockdown 1.0 it’s to be kind to myself.
So what am I doing to cope better this time round. Not trying to do it all is a big one and the only way to do that is to carve out time for myself or as me and Jess like to call it - wriggle room. So I promised myself to do the following every week:
Yoga - I’m doing a 30 day challenge this month and have gone against the grind and this month I’m not following Adrienne’s 31 day challenge but doing Julia Marie’s 30 Day Yoga for Weightloss challenge which is free on Amazon Prime. Julia mixes yoga with HIIT sessions and each day is around 25 minutes long. Taking the time for myself and feeling my body get stronger when it's not so easy to get out for a run is doing wonders for my mind and my body.
Podcasts - I was introduced to The Therapy Edit by Anna Marthur by Jess and she has blown my mind! Each podcast is only around 10 minutes long, perfect little bite-size therapy session! For anyone out there, but particularly parents, her episode on ‘feeling less guilty’ was eye opening and a real tear jerker. It opened my eyes to how much unjustified guilt I was walking around with. For anyone struggling right now her episode on ‘dealing with difficult times’ is a must. All of us can find 10 minutes for this, I listened whilst putting out the washing to dry - the best bit of multitasking I’ve done in a long time!
Great food and even better wine - One of the big coping mechanisms in the West household through all of these lockdowns has been planning, preparing, cooking and enjoying some bloody fantastic food and drink! We trawled through our best recipes, looked back over photos of some of our favourite meals and plan an incredible weekend menu every weekend so we always have something to look forward to. We recently discovered Sous Chef and have ordered in some incredible and unusual ingredients and this salt brick for cooking and seasoning steak has been an amazing find. One of the things I miss most about this lockdown being in Essex and not London is being able to order in a good ramen so this bundle of ramen making goodies arrived from Father Christmas and we’re going to attempt our first ramen this weekend. We’ve also discovered the joys of our local wine shop Luckins who always offer a glass of wine when you pop in and lots of good advice on great wine and good prices. If you’d like to find out more about wine I can highly recommend the book Wine Folly which is full of information and tips for all levels of knowledge and is beautifully illustrated throughout with handy graphics.
Ben Hayes, Freelance Copywriter
I religiously read Marina Hyde’s Guardian column which is usually a weekly takedown of Boris Johnson. Witty and wonderfully written.
My new hobby? Checking the ingredients list on the packs of food I buy. I have long covid and was told to go on a Palaeolithic diet. No sugar, gluten, or dairy (amongst other things). So far, so fun. And shocking what goes into our food. Check it out for yourself.
Ben is our resident Word Wizard and a top notch copywriter. Find out more about his freelance journey in our interview with him here.
Ellie Austin-Williams, Freelance Online Marketing Strategist and Millennial Money Coach
My top tips that are keeping me going this lockdown...
Regular daily walks around the common to break up work life and home life which is a challenge!
Friday night games night, either with my boyfriend or virtually with our friends to stay connected and have a bit of fun to celebrate making it through another week. We play anything from card games to articulate and bingo!
Weekly calls with my group of girlfriends which is brilliant as it's the most we've spoken in years - pre-lockdown we all had very busy lives and careers so it's definitely reconnected us all and it's a safe space to allow us to moan/rant/be in whatever mood we feel like
Yoga - I'm still very much a newbie but it's always been something I want to get better at and this is the first time I've really got into a routine - it's just 25 minutes each evening and it's really hard! I’m doing FIIT which is on sky q and pretty good value!
Read our interview with Ellie here to find out more about what she does.
Matt Batterham, Freelance SEO Consultant
Running is keeping me sane at the moment. A good run (ideally in muddy woods with some loud music in my ears) always sorts me out when I’m feeling stressed or need some time away from my desk. I’ve signed up for some challenges on Strava which is proving to a be a good motivator as it gives me something to aim for every week.
Ghenet Pinderhughes Randall, Freelance Social Media and Content Creator and Lifestyle Blogger
One of the things that has been helping me this time is making a conscious effort to have time where I'm not online. Whether I'm baking a cake, doing a puzzle or curled up on the couch reading, having a little time where I'm being mindful is a big help!
Benjamin Brown, Freelance Graphic Designer
I’ve been listening to The Blind Boy podcast a lot over this lockdown, he’s incredibly smart and talks about everything from the best budget lager at Lidl, Irish politics, psychology and deep-diving the history of the Royal Family. His stream of consciousness hot takes really well-informed, and importantly for me easy to understand. I’ve also been enjoying Louis’ Grounded podcasts where he talks to a really diverse bunch of characters including Ruby Wax who famously hates him, always a good listen.
Being stuck in without a holiday for over a year is really taking it’s toll, so I’ve been escaping with Antony Bourdain’s Parts Unknown on Netflix, bit late to the party on this, but really enjoying the characters, food and lols he brings to every episode. The Third Day, The Queens Gambit and Rick and Morty have all been good companions.
Eating less salt, doing more yoga, Playstation, cycling and walking are all doing their thing, but here’s my favourite bit of advice, fix or bin everything that annoys you everyday. Get rid of all those tiny aggravations and smooth out your days as much as possible.
Emma Read, Freelance Virtual Assistant
To keep me going this lockdown I've been taking lunchtime walks around my village to get away from my screen for a while and to soak up some much needed Vitamin D. Half an hour outside in the fresh air in the middle of the working day clears my mind and sets me up for a productive afternoon. Plus my fiance bought me a FitBit which is a great motivator to get my steps in come rain or shine.
I also enjoy the free classes and activities in the Virtual Village Hall. There really is something for everyone and the Laughter Yoga has me in tears of laughter - I'd never heard of Laughter Yoga before but it's such a hoot and a great stress reliever! I've also enjoyed some of their craft classes - I'm not much of a crafter but find it really helps me unwind.
Two books that have helped me get through are The Little Book Of Hygge and The Little Book Of Lykke, both by Meik Wiking from The Happiness Research Institute. I could read them over and over... And on cold winter days, I love snuggling under a blanket with a mug of mint hot chocolate and the latest copy of Breathe magazine. I treated myself to a subscription during the first lockdown back in March and it’s such a joy to receive happy mail whenever it pops through my letterbox. We all need something to look forward to right now, don’t we?
Read our interview with Emma here to find out more about what she does.
Katie Raby, Freelance Public Relations Consultant
The things getting me through the deja-vu of lockdown 3.0 are cooking, paddle boarding and taking on a new challenge.
I’ve been cooking every day and trying to experiment with new recipes. Rukmini Iyer’s Quick Roasting Tin: Charred tenderstem with black beans, avocado and peanuts (which I served alongside a delicious Sutton Hoo spatchcock chicken) is my favourite new find. And from her Roasting Tin Around The World book: Tandoori Chicken with roasted sweet potato and mint served with a yoghurt dip and naan bread (these books are great as all done in one tin so very little washing up!!)
I started paddle boarding in lockdown 1.0 and became instantly addicted! I love it at this time of year as there is barely anyone on the water so you feel like the rivers/estuaries are your own, and you get to see spots that you wouldn’t usually have access to.
I’m also taking on a new challenge - a 100km run as part of a group fundraiser challenge. I’m doing this with the people I usually share a workspace with, it’s giving us something to do together even when we are apart and has been great for team morale!
We’d love to know how you’re coping this time round, what you’re doing differently and what’s keeping you sane - drop us a line!
