Bandwagon Graphiks

Tonight’s topic on the insane freelancer network is….

Is something we’re all familiar with….Exhaustion.

So hi how are you? Tired? Yeah, me too. In fact, I’m sleeping while writing this blog, amazing eh? Too bad, I patented that talent years ago. It takes a master to sleep, type and think all at the same time. Muahhhaha…all mine. Alright seriously – how do you deal with it? The feeling that at any moment while on the phone with your client you are going to fall right over and sleep on the floor?

I don’t know really, and this blog – while magical at times – can not tell you how to sleep. That usually involves pajamas and a comfy bed…sometimes with furry children who snore next to your head….and maybe a hefty dose of Lorazeprem. Whatever it is – freelancers are well known for always being exhausted insomniacs who are perpetually poor. Its the sad truth. Until you are some god of independent work and make more money on one illustration than most of us do in a year – you have to work harder and faster than any of your lucky full time benefit schmoozing cohorts.

The trick really, is to not get exhausted. Simple eh? It’s really hard but I’m going to share with you two very important tips from two very talented designers I admire. The first is from Stefan Bucher – author, designer, illustrator, god – he once made it abundantly clear that you need to avoid exhaustion at all costs. It can be incredibly hard, especially when your refrigerator has just condiments in it, and the lights start flickering because…whoops…power bills cost money. However, you have to think about you…put yourself first. Otherwise in no time, you’ll find yourself in therapy curled up in a ball…where just the sight of Photoshop makes you let you the most horrible blood curdling scream. Just like in sports, or writing or any past time – pacing yourself deems the best results.

This past weekend I rode my bike to San Diego from Korea Town for the third time, 115 miles. It’s part of a new goal I’m setting for myself to do at least one century a month, and a total of 400 miles the entire month. Most importantly I made it abundantly clear to my current clients that I was going to be on radio silence all of Sunday, and probably not the most punctual on emails for Monday. If you are honest with your clients in the beginning they will understand that you are a human being and need time to yourself. I’ve been there – client phone calls at 1 am, emails at every hour – trying to fall asleep but hearing the email ding on your phone … which of course you have to roll over and check…b/c omg what if? No, just say no. You’re body and brain will explode if you don’t control the exhaustion from the beginning.

Sure, freelancers hours are all over the place, sometimes you want to sleep in and other days you just can’t get that logo quite right during business hours so you put it off and rock it at midnight – that’s fine. But getting into the habit of working 16+ hour days 4-5 days in a row – doesn’t work. Its like trying to land a plane in a thick fog without ground radar. Ain’t happening. That, and I wouldn’t want to be the client on that plane.

So I rode – cleared my head, was rather comatose on recovery Monday – and now have broken all my rules the last three days. Working all day, no release, no riding – just me, Photoshop and lots of caffeine; and guess what? Instead of being productive and objective I’m procrastinating and have a headache. It happens but now I have forced myself to just walk away for a little while and trying to get a handle of the big picture.

Tip number two comes from a local entertainment designer who just cracks me up – he’s Kenny Gravillis of Gravillis Inc. – and he said “If you can’t say no, then you can’t own a business”.

That is so unbelievably true, it hurts. For example, right now – I’m sweating the financial blues and just yesterday turned down a logo gig that would have paid my power bill. Nicest guy, had a great conversation but his budget was so tight for this logo, that I would have not even had the time or budget to download an illustration from istockphoto – type in the bands name and export it. It hurts to say no to nice people, especially those just like you, struggling independents – but when you are full time freelance, you have to do things that benefit you mentally and financially. You have to be able to say no to those jobs that are just not worth your the precious synapses.

In the end, exhaustion can and will be the end to your business. We don’t have the luxury of our fellow full time day job friends with a glorious 9-5 schedule. We have to work hard and long hours, but we also have to exercise some self control. Being a creative is all dependent on the work your putting out there, if your exhausted and putting out the same ole’ boring crap, then you’re not getting anywhere. You’re doing nothing for your career. So I say it again, work hard – but avoid exhaustion and learn how to say no. In the end it will all pay off if you stay focused and clear headed.