If you want to rock the socks off self-employment you need to play to your strengths and ignore your weaknesses – right? Wrong. Here are 6 reasons why knowing your strengths AND your weaknesses plays a big part in freelance success.

1) Know what makes you special

In business speak, this is known as your USP – your unique selling point. It’s the thing that makes you stand out from the crowd, and the reason clients will choose to work with you over your competitors.

• Perhaps you offer a unique or unusual service.
• Maybe your strength is an ability to work quickly and efficiently.
• Perhaps working alone means you can provide a tailored, personal service to your clients.
• Or perhaps you’re highly experienced in a particular niche or market.

When you’ve identified your USP, reframe it from your clients’ perspective.

What pains do you solve for them? What benefit will they get from working with you? Whatever it is, don’t be afraid to shout it from the rooftops!

2) Play to your strengths

What qualities and strengths do you bring to the table?

Perhaps you’re great at listening to your clients’ needs and coming up with creative solutions to their problems? Or perhaps organisation is your superpower, and you’re great at managing projects, timetables and budgets?

If you find it hard to recognise your positive traits, ask a trusted friend – or, if you’re feeling brave – ask clients why they’d recommend you (the answer may not be what you expect!).

Knowing your strengths – and what they mean to your clients – can help you recognise the clients and projects that are a good fit for you (and the ones to avoid!).

3) Reframe your weaknesses

When I wrote Survival Skills for Freelancers I asked the self-employed community for the one quality they thought was vital to become a successful freelancer. Two answers that came up again and again were patience and thick skin.

I have neither. And that’s okay. Because being aware of the qualities you lack can work in your favour.

Most weaknesses can be reframed as strengths. For example, impatient people are driven. They get stuff done. And my sensitivity makes me a great listener – an essential skill for freelancers.

Would life be easier without weaknesses? Sure, but they haven’t held me back – and they shouldn’t hold you back either.

4) Know your personality

Are you naturally outgoing and extroverted, or more of the shy and retiring type?

Being aware of your personality type enables you to develop working patterns that suit you.

If you’re an extrovert, like me, you may benefit from building time into your day to chat to friends or colleagues online.

Sharing ideas, advice and laughter with others gives extroverts the energy – and the productivity boost – to smash through an afternoon of deadlines with ease.

Introverts, on the other hand, may need quiet time to recharge after a morning of online meetings or networking. For them, being around other people can be draining. Spending the afternoon focused on productive output can be a great way to achieve this.

5) Know your market

Before you spend time and energy on marketing your business, make sure you understand what your audience needs.

A little research into your target market – and some time spent asking the right people the right questions – can give you a valuable insight into the challenges that potential clients face.

Put yourself in their shoes:

• What are they struggling with?
• What pains can you solve for them?
• How can you make their life easier?
• Where are the gaps you need to fill?

Use this inside information to market your services.

6) Offer solutions

Essential purchases aside, people don’t make buying decisions based on facts and logic – they buy based on emotion.

Instead of focusing on practicalities such as your level of experience and qualifications, try answering your client’s primary question: “What’s in it for me?”.

How will working with you make them feel?

• Will it bring a sense of order and control?
• Will it provide peace of mind, knowing an important project is in safe hands?
• Will it help them meet their deadlines, and make them look good to their boss?

Build this into your sales pitch.

As Maya Angelou said, “People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel”.

As a freelancer, you’re going to be spending a lot of time in your own company! The better you know yourself, the better positioned you are to work on your weaknesses and play to your strengths.

Get comfortable with who you are and you’re on track to freelance success.

Enjoyed this post? You’ll love Survival Skills for Freelancers. Twenty years of real-life freelance experience plus advice from 120 freelancers for just £11.95.

When was the last time you went outside your comfort zone? I mean, really? Or do you – like many freelancers and small business owners – shy away from opportunities for fear of messing up or looking daft?

It’s a common problem – and it’s holding you back.

Many years ago, I watched a Derren Brown show about luck. His point was that people who thought they were unlucky were closed off to opportunities. Like stepping over a stray £20 note on the pavement, they simply didn’t see them. Meanwhile, those who thought they were lucky spotted opportunities All. The. Time.

I decided there and then that I wanted to fall into the second category.

And it works. It really does.

How?

Opportunity knocks

When you open your eyes – and your mind – opportunities are all around you. Whether you grasp them with both hands and use them to develop your skills, your network and your career depends on your mindset.

Perhaps there’s a chance to collaborate with another business owner on Instagram, you’re invited to take part in a live event, or there’s a niche that’s begging for an online course that’s just your speciality.

Without the right mindset, these opportunities will pass you by.

Why?

Because of fear, self-doubt and imposter syndrome.

Imposter what now?!

You know imposter syndrome. It’s that nagging feeling that you’re inadequate, incompetent, and generally undeserving of success – and it runs deep in the world of self-employment.

Sometimes imposter syndrome shows up as a mean voice in your head: “You think you can succeed in business? Who are you kidding?” or “You can’t charge that! Who do you think you are?!”.

Sometimes it’s the crippling anxiety that accompanies the start of a project for a new client. The fear of failure, of disappointing people, and of not being good enough.

Sometimes it’s a feeling that you’ve been faking it and you’ll be exposed as a fraud at any moment. That you don’t deserve success, and you’ve only got where you are today by sheer guts and chance.

You’ve got this

Imposter syndrome and self-doubt stem from a fear of being found out or not measuring up – despite evidence to the contrary.

Of course you know what you’re doing. On a good day, you might even admit you’re damn good at it. Yet still they lurk around the corner, waiting to stop you in your tracks when you least expect it.

If you’re not careful, these powerful feelings will keep you stuck.

They position you firmly in your comfort zone, stops you taking risks, and prevent you from doing those things that are good for business.

The perfection connection

Imposter syndrome’s big sister is perfectionism. As Winston Churchill once said, “Perfection is the enemy of progress,” – and it’s easy to see why.

You can always spend more time polishing that presentation, faffing with that website or sharpening that course content but remember – done is better than perfect.

Whatever it is that’s getting in your way, remember – it doesn’t have to be life-changing or world-class or revolutionary. There will never be a perfect time, and you’ll never be truly ready.

Sometimes you just need to put your big girl pants on and put it out there into the big wide world. Because only when it’s out there can you get feedback, improve, rinse and repeat.

So just do it.

“But what if I fail?”

Here’s a thing – what if you don’t? You can’t make a success of self-employment without taking risks. You may fail big, you may fail often… but failure is how we develop as both individuals and business owners.

We fail, we learn, we grow.

Make fear work for you

It’s easy to feel the fear and freeze, like a rabbit in headlamps – but the flurry of butterflies that descends when we step outside our comfort zone reminds us we’re alive.

Any time you have to do something brave and uncomfortable, like a talk or presentation, remember that being nervous and being excited feel just the same.

Tell your brain you’re excited to be doing something new – something bold – and you’re more likely to enjoy it, and to do well.

Show that fear who’s boss

Being aware of the situations and circumstances that trigger self-doubt can help you feel more equipped to deal with them. A few simple strategies – covered in the brand new 2025 edition of Survival Skills for Freelancers – can help you keep self-doubt and imposter syndrome in check:

• Accept mistakes
• Stop comparing yourself
• Keep negative self-talk in check… and keep talking
• Reward yourself for taking risks
• List the things you’re good at
• Celebrate your successes

You’re not alone

It’s easy to feel like you’re alone with these fears but you’re not. There are hundreds of thousands of small biz owners out there just like you. The secret to facing – and embracing – them is to find those likeminded people.

And when you find them? Reach out, connect, learn, support, collaborate and grow.

You’ve got this.

Twitter chats are a free and effective way to grow your business network by connecting with others in your field of expertise or your geographical area. I recommend them in Survival Skills for Freelancers as a great way to connect with fellow business owners and freelancers – and because I couldn’t find a central list to refer people to, I decided to create my own.

The list below is a work in progress. If you know of, take part in – or even host – a Twitter chat, and you’d like me to add it to the list, drop me a DM. Equally, if you spot any mistakes, please let me know!

First, a quick overview:

What are Twitter chats?

Twitter chats are organised online conversations that take place at the same time and on the same day each week.

How do Twitter chats work?

Participants – often freelancers and small business owners – use a designated hashtag (such as #FreelanceChat or #ContentClubUK) to introduce themselves, find new people to connect with, and often answer questions posed by the host.

Twitter chats most commonly last for an hour – sometimes less. Most Twitter chats are hosted by the organiser, though some regularly invite guest hosts to pose the questions and guide the discussion.

What is the benefit of Twitter chats?

Freelance life can be isolating. When you’re working from home day in, day out, it’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking you’re the only person who understands the things you’re going through.

In reality, there are hundreds of thousands of people who are in the same boat, and who struggle with the same issues.

Twitter chats present an opportunity to build your network by connecting with other people who get it. They’re a great way to find new likeminded, inspiring people to follow, to share advice and resources, and to get answers to your burning questions.

How do I find Twitter chats to take part in?

Start with the list below. Find a couple of chats that fit your niche – whether that’s your area of expertise or your geographical location – and take part in a couple. You’ll quickly find the groups that are friendly and welcoming. Set a weekly reminder to take part, and get involved!

Pro tip: approach Twitter chats with a generous mindset. Think about giving and sharing advice and expertise, rather than focusing on what you can get from it. Interact with other people’s posts, retweet, like and comment before expecting others to do the same.

---

An important disclaimer: Twitter chats take place around the world. I’ve been caught out many times by time differences, and so the published times in this list are all based on UK time – whether the chat originates outside the UK or not. It’s not ideal, but neither is trying to work out time differences when you’re very much not someone who’s good with figures!

---

Niche Twitter hours	Day	Time	Hosted by
#AgencyChat	Thursday	7pm to 8pm	@agorapulse
#allinbizhr	Monday	12pm to 1pm	@ALLinBIZnet
#allinbizhr	Friday	12pm to 1pm	@ALLinBIZnet
#ContentClubUK	Tuesday	11pm to 11.30	@Fi_digitaldrum
#creativebizhour	Monday	7.30 to 9pm	@lizzie_chantree
#ecomchat	Monday	1pm to 2pm	@danbarker @JamesGurd
#EmailHour	Thursday	8pm to 9pm	@robandkennedy
#EthicalHour	Monday	8pm to 9pm	@EthicalHour
#eventprofs	Monday	8pm to 9pm	@themiceblogHQ
#eventprofs	Friday	8pm to 9pm	@themiceblogHQ
#eventprofstalk	Monday	9pm to 10pm
#FreelanceChat	Thursday	5pm to 6pm	@PRisUs
#FreelanceHeroes	Wednesday	8pm to 9pm	@FHChat
#handmadehour	Wednesday	7.30 to 9pm	@handmadehour
#handmadehour	Sunday	8pm to 9pm	@handmadehour
#IndieHour	Tuesday	8pm to 9pm	@retailmentoring
#ManUKHour	Tuesday	8pm to 9pm	@ManUKHour
#PetworkingHour	Tuesday	6pm to 7pm	@petworkinghour
#remotechat	Wednesday	6pm to 7pm	@workingrem
#SmartNetworking	Monday	7pm to 8pm	@smart_bn
#SEMrushchat	Wednesday	4pm to 5pm	@semrush
#SMESupportHour	Wednesday	8pm to 9pm	@mbsmih
#TwitterSmarter	Thursday	6pm to 7pm	@MadalynSklar
Geographical Twitter hours	Day	Time	Hosted by
#BrightonHour	Monday	8.30pm to 9.30pm
#BrumHour	Sunday	8pm to 9pm	@BrumHour @DavidWMassey
#CotswoldHour	Thursday	9pm to 10pm	@ShireMarketing
#MalvernHillsHour	Wednesday	8pm to 9pm
#EveshamHour	Thursday	8pm to 9pm
#HampshireHour	Tuesday	8pm to 9pm	@HampshireHour
#HerefordHour	Monday	1pm to 2pm
#Midlandshour	Wednesday	8pm to 9pm
#NetworkNorthEast	Tuesday	2pm to 3pm	@Durham_Business @easymarketingne @CannyInsights
#Oxbusinesshour	Wednesday	1pm to 2pm	@CypherHQ
#SurreyHour	Tuesday	7.30 to 8.30pm	@surreyhour
#uptonhour	Tuesday	8pm to 9pm	@uptonhour
#WiltshireHour	Monday	8pm to 9pm	@WiltsHour
#WorcestershireHour	Wednesday	12 to 1pm	@WorcsHour @StuartAllenFCMI
#WorcestershireHour	Monday	8pm to 9pm	@WorcsHour @StuartAllenFCMI

 

My live interview with ProCopywriters – the professional association for copywriters in the UK – focused on the wellbeing aspects of freelance life…

…the ups and downs, the importance of boundaries and balance, the need for community and the importance of asking for help. All topics covered in my guide to freelance life, Survival Skills for Freelancers.

Ready? Let’s go.

Q Welcome to #ProCopyChat, Sarah! Tell us a bit about yourself.

A Hello! I’ve been a freelance marketing copywriter for 20+ years.

I love freelance life, but it took me the best part of 15 years to get good at the business end of it – and I made a lot of mistakes along the way.

I’ve written a book for freelancers – Survival Skills for Freelancers – to share my experience and help freelancers get more enjoyment from self-employment.

Q Sounds great! Can you tell us a bit more about the book for freelancers, and how it came about?

A Sure! Most of us decide to go freelance because we have a skill we want to share. In most cases, we’re utterly unprepared for how relentless the business end of freelance life can be – let alone the challenges freelancing can present to our mental health.

The book is designed to help freelancers become more successful by working smarter, not harder – and to learn from the things I’ve done that worked, as well as the things that didn’t.

It’s a combination of real-life, heart-on-your-sleeve anecdotes and tried and tested advice – all backed up by research, resources and quotes from 120 freelancers.

And now there’s a brand new 2025 edition.

Q How and why did you become a freelancer?

A I was working as an editor and account manager for a magazine publisher in Clifton, Bristol when I became pregnant.

I knew I didn’t want to go back to full-time work, and liked the idea that I could fit freelance work around family life. My employer promised to provide work to keep me going, so it seemed like a good decision.

I worked on my brand and sent out cold enquiries while I was on maternity leave, then worked three days a week while my daughter was at nursery.

My business grew as my family grew. And here I am – now with grown-up kids – still loving freelance life.

Q What do you believe are the most important qualities to make it as a freelancer?

A I don’t think you have to be a particular type of person to make a successful freelancer. There are always exceptions. But there are traits that help and others that hinder.

Skills and talent alone aren’t enough to guarantee success.

It helps if you’re determined, motivated, organised, ambitious, disciplined, confident, outgoing, flexible, reliable, personable, patient, thick-skinned… it’s a pretty long list!

Q What would you say to anyone reading that list who knows they don’t have all those qualities?

A Don’t worry too much. No one will tick off every quality on the list.

If you don’t have any of them, you might struggle more than most – but I’m neither patient nor thick-skinned and I haven’t let that hold me back!

Q Isolation is a real challenge for many freelancers. How do you recommend we deal with it?

A It absolutely is. So many of the freelancers I talk to loved the idea of working from home but found themselves completely unprepared for the loneliness! It’s easy to feel like no one understands what you’re going through – but they do!

Connection is vital when you’re freelance, and there are three fundamental ways to find it:

• online communities (like this one, or the many Facebook groups that exist for freelancers)
• networking groups and events
• coworking spaces and coffee shop working

The great thing about the online community is that it spills out into real life with events and conferences.

It’s possible to make great real-life friendships with people who are in the same boat as you.

People who really get it.

Q How have you dealt with the unpredictability of freelance life over the years?

A You never really get used to the peaks and troughs of freelancing.

Quiet spells are pretty rare for me now, but I still keep a list of projects I want to work on, blogs I want to write and books I want to read, in case work drops off.

Having too much work can be just as problematic as not having enough, though.

Either you work yourself into the ground, boundaries go out the window and your mental health suffers as a result, or you can do what I do – have an arrangement with a small team of trusted freelancers who you can pass work on to when you need to.

You’re solving the problem for your client and helping another freelancer into the bargain.

Q There’s a lot of talk about imposter syndrome. Do you suffer from it, and how do you deal with it?

A Yes, absolutely – even now.

Self-doubt can hold you back if you let it, so don’t let the fear of failure get in your way. Celebrate your wins – even the little things – so you can see how far you’ve come. And don’t compare yourself to others!

It’s easy to put things off if you keep striving for perfection but there’ll never be a right time and you’ll never be completely prepared. Just do the best that you can do.

Sometimes good enough really is good enough.

Q You have a chapter in your book about avoiding burnout. Can you share a few tips here?

A Freelancer burnout is something I feel very strongly about and I go into a fair bit of detail about it in the book.

In a nutshell, it’s about setting boundaries, asking for help, learning to say no, and taking simple steps to look after yourself.

It takes time to learn what works for you, but most people need fresh air, exercise, a balanced diet and decent quality sleep as a minimum.

It sounds obvious, but if you’re not feeling your best you can’t do your best work.

Above all, it’s important to know that it’s okay not to be okay.

You’re not alone, you’re not the only one who feels this way, and you are perfectly normal. Respect your boundaries, prioritise your own wellbeing, and keep talking!

Q Where can we get hold of your book for freelancers? 

A The 2025 edition of Survival Skills for Freelancers – which busts the eight myths of freelance life – is available on Amazon worldwide in paperback and Kindle. The original 2020 edition is still available on Audible.

My much-loved book, Survival Skills for Freelancers, started life as a blog on LinkedIn. That blog is below: still as relevant today as it was back then. Which of these do you relate to?

In the 20 years since I set up my business, I’ve learnt a thing or two about how to make it as a successful freelancer.

It’s about time I shared some of my secrets to help you rock the socks off freelance life.

Success. Funny word.

Highly subjective.

Success to me means I’m financially secure. I have the time and money to do the things I want to do.

Being a single parent for 12 years has made financial independence even more important to me – but success isn’t just about the money.

I can pick and choose who I work with. I can make life easier for people who are in the same position I was in way back when.

Most of all, success to me means I get to do a job I love – day in, day out.

It’s bloody great. And not a day goes by that I don’t remind myself how lucky I am.

A word of warning…

All this stuff. It’s easy for me to say – I get that.

It takes time to build a reputation for being great at what you do – and the recommendations that back that up.

If you’re just starting out, having someone tell you you should choose who you work with, charge what you’re worth and invest in your business… it might seem unrealistic. Hell, it might even piss you off.

But if even a bit of my advice helps to make your freelance life – or even your day – a little better, I’ll be happy.

So let’s crack on and dispel some of the myths about solo working.

1) “I like my own company. I don’t need anyone else.”

I say you’re wrong.

Being a sole trader doesn’t mean going it alone.

I’m pretty extrovert. Based on what I’ve learned from the copywriting conferences I’ve been to over the years, that’s unusual. But that’s not the point.

However independent, self-contained and introverted you are, everyone – even you – needs to know they’re not alone.

Freelance life can be damn hard.

And lonely.

And isolating.

And it’s even harder if you’ve no one who understands just how damn hard (and lonely and isolating) it is.

But it doesn’t have to be like that.

Common ground is a great starting point for lasting friendship and support – and it’s out there. You just need to know where to look.

Whether you join a networking group or professional body, find a thriving coworking space, mix it up by attending various different events or simply go all-out on social media, finding your people – your tribe – is a great way of feeling less alone in your freelance life.

I’ve made great real-life friends from people I originally met on Twitter and Instagram.

For example, there’s an active #copywritersunite community on Twitter that spills out into real-life socials and conferences, where we all get to meet in person.

To quote Amy Boylan after this year’s ProCopywriters conference: “You all take the lonely out of working alone for me, and it’s genuine because it works fab in person too.”

I couldn’t have put it better myself.

2) “I have to do it all: sales, marketing, admin, accounts, IT…”

Err… no.

Trying to do everything yourself is the fast train to burnout.

To become successful doing the thing you love, you need to surround yourself with good people.

Hire an accountant to file your tax returns and handle your VAT. Find a virtual assistant to do those annoying admin tasks you hate. Use an IT support company who’ll be on hand every time your computer begs you to throw it out the window.

You’ll save SO much time, headspace and frustration.

Straight up? It took me 15 years to get to the point where I was willing to pay other people to do the jobs A) I loathe and B) I suck at. I’d spend longer procrastinating about doing my tax return than it’d take my accountant to do a year’s worth of accounts. It’s a no brainer.

Here’s a simple equation:

as much time as possible doing the things that make you money

+

as little time as possible doing the things that don’t

=

freelance success 

It’s a game-changer. Don’t take as long as I did to see this.

3) “I’ve got an eight-year-old laptop – that’s good enough, right?”

It really isn’t.

To become successful in business, you need to invest in technology.

If you’re a professional photographer, I trust you aren’t snapping away on an iPhone 6 (no offence to iPhone 6 owners).

If you’re a graphic designer, you probably don’t make do with a copy of QuarkXPress on a vintage Apple Mac.

You need up-to-date, reliable software and hardware to do your job properly.

If you’re using an ancient version of Microsoft Word that crashes every five minutes, or a printer that jams so often you’re tempted to chuck it through the nearest window, you can’t do your best work.

And if you’re not doing your best work, you’re not providing your clients with a professional service.

Fact.

Keeping your technology up-to-date can give you the edge over your competitors.

Failing to invest can mean getting left behind.

4) “They want me to do the work, they just don’t have the budget right now.”

Listen up: this is a big one.

We all know who I’m talking about. Those tricksy so-and-sos who promise you exposure in exchange for services.

They’re going to be big. Huge, in fact. Working for them will be SO good for your career! They just can’t afford your prices right now…

Seriously, step away from the tight-arsed client. You’ll end up cursing the day you met them.

They’ll micromanage every last detail. They’ll chase you endlessly (despite the fact you’ve never missed a deadline). And they’ll never be satisfied.

I don’t know why the clients who question costs end up being the biggest headache – they just do.

Charge a fair price that reflects your skills and experience and have the confidence to stick to it.

(Do your research if you’re not sure what to charge. Most industries publish rate surveys to give you a benchmark.)

Just remember – freelance ain’t free.

5) “I’ve been doing this job for 20 years now. I know everything there is to know about marketing/dentistry/accounts.”

Hell NO!

The minute you stop being curious about the world you work in – the second you nod your head with satisfaction and think “I’ve got this. Now I can relax” – will be the moment in which you fail.

Never, ever stop learning.

Invest in yourself and your business by attending conferences and events, and squeeze the living daylights out of them.

Take notes, type them up so they sink in, read and reread them.

Speaking of reading…

Read voraciously. Read about your trade, about business, about psychology. Anything that feeds your imagination, inspires you, and helps you to be a better freelancer – and a better person.

(If you’re not into reading, join Audible or Blinkist, subscribe to podcasts, or watch TED Talks or industry experts on YouTube. Whatever it takes to keep expanding your mind.)

6) “Everyone’s an expert. I don’t know why I bother!”

“Why should I pay for a copywriter? I got a B in my English GCSE.”

If you’re a freelance copywriter, you’ll recognise this attitude.

Because everyone’s a writer – right?

I decided some years ago that I didn’t want to work with anyone who doesn’t already appreciate the value of professional copywriting.

I’m not interested in trying to convince anyone that they need me. I don’t have the patience. And there are enough business owners and marketing managers out there who DO get it.

It doesn’t matter what business you’re in – this applies whether you’re a photographer, graphic designer, accountant, decorator…

Good people are crying out for what you do.

So, unless you want to spend your days convincing potential clients of all the reasons their lives would be easier if only they’d step away from Microsoft Word/Adobe Photoshop/the Dulux trade emulsion* and let a professional take over, don’t waste time on the ambivalent.

*delete as applicable

7) “Something just doesn’t feel right… perhaps I’m being oversensitive.”

Success in business is all about finding the clients (and colleagues, and suppliers) who are a good fit.

These people make your working life SO much better.

You look forward to their calls, leave meetings feeling energised, and you’re excited about the prospect of working with them.

Conversely, you know on some subconscious level when someone isn’t the right fit for you.

It starts with a hunch.

Perhaps their business goals are out of sync with your values. Maybe their attitude doesn’t sit well with you. Or perhaps you just don’t feel comfortable with what they’re asking you to do.

Your heart sinks momentarily when their name pops up on your phone, and you end the call with a sense that something isn’t quite right.

If you had to articulate what you feel, you probably couldn’t. But there’s usually a good reason it exists.

The trick is to get really good at listening to the niggling feeling you can’t define.

Tune in to your instinct, and don’t be afraid to say no. 

Pro tip: find another professional to partner with so you can pass their details on should you need to. You’re turning down the work, but presenting the client with a solution, not a problem.

8) “I owe HOW much in tax?! But I’ve spent it all!”

I grew up in a family where money was tight. Like, really tight.

My mum gave up her job when she met my dad (don’t get me started – it was a different era). My dad lost his job when the US took over the airbase where he worked and was unemployed for so long that my parents ended up becoming collectable toy dealers – but that’s a whole other story.

The good thing about being raised in an environment where every penny counts is that you make damn sure you have enough to get by.

Sure, I can spend when I need to (I love to travel, and I’m always first in line for the latest iPhone) but I’m a saver at heart.

Always have been. Always will be.

I got my first part-time job (behind the record bar in Woolworths) when I was studying my A Levels, and from my very first paycheque I saved 25% of everything I earned.

If more people did this there’d be a lot less debt. They should teach it in schools. In fact, it’s such good advice that Nationwide have started a campaign – Pay Day = Save Day.

You may not be a natural saver like me, but if you can get into the habit of paying yourself first, you’ll find those brown envelopes from HMRC a lot less sinister.

9) “I’m doing a job I love. Every day should be a good day, right?”

If only it were that simple.

Even if you were to follow all the tips in this article – and let’s be honest, it’s taken me the best part of 20 years to adopt them all – working on your own can still present challenges to both your wellbeing and your mental health.

I’ve suffered from anxiety and mild depression at various times in my life so I know how important it is to look after yourself and recognise the signs of burnout before it’s too late.

When it comes to keeping your head above water, everyone has different coping mechanisms, and it takes time to learn what works for you. Below are a few examples.

(The same strategies also work brilliantly to reboot your brain and clear writer’s block. Win–win.)

• meditate
• go for a walk/swim/run/bike ride
• listen to music – loud (singing at the top of your voice, optional, but it works for me)
• dance around your kitchen
• do a jigsaw
• bake a cake
• get out in nature
• above all, get plenty of good-quality sleep

Don’t be afraid to be human and admit that you’re struggling.

Reach out to colleagues and peers for support and empathy – you’ll get it in spades.

We’ve all been there – even the most seemingly together, sorted and grown-up among us.

Pro tip: believe it or not, admitting your weaknesses makes you more likeable. It’s called the pratfall effect.

(I experienced this for myself when I left my suitcase on a train earlier this year. I arrived at Manchester for the Creative North conference, and my suitcase arrived at Nottingham!)

I hope this advice helps to make your freelance life a little bit easier.

Which tip is your favourite? Email me to let me know, or to share your own advice for surviving as a freelancer.