Mindfulness for freelancers

To help us deal with stress and anxiety in uncertain times, Steve invited Ruth Farenga, a Mindfulness Coach, to take part in a Live Q&A in the Being Freelance community.

And the first thing we learned?

Mindfulness is about tuning in, not zoning out.

Ruth said: “It’s a common misconception that Mindfulness is about zoning out to find a sense of calm. It’s the opposite of that. It’s about tuning in, not zoning out.

“Mindfulness is about this moment, however this moment is, and how we deal with it. It’s about how we build and maintain distance from our thoughts so they have less power over us. It’s very much about being present with our experiences.”

With that in mind, we talked about some tips and ideas for practising mindfulness even in scary and uncertain times.

How can we be more mindful about our habits and behaviours? What can we do to help us feel more in control?

Ruth taught us that, most of the time, we already know the answers.

What we need is already inside of us, we just need to tune into it, rather than zoning out.

Questions from the community included:

Marge Ainsley: I find it totally impossible to switch my brain off and not think about what I'm supposed to be doing next, when to have next cup of tea...whatever it is my brain is always full (not necessarily in an anxious way). Any tips to help it stop wandering to enable focus on the present?

Sophie Playle: Do you have any mindfulness tips specifically about anxiety related to uncertainty? (I'm anxious about not knowing how long this thing [Coronavirus] will go on, what the impact will be, what work is going to look like, etc.)

Kirsten Murray: How important is it to switch off from social media/tech distraction and news to help us be more mindful?

Bethany Carter: How can you manage anxiety around things you can't control? One of the reasons I wanted to work for myself was because I struggled with not being in control at work. I’m struggling with all the unknowns that lie ahead.

Olivia Vandyk: We are all of us feeling this surreal atmosphere. I’m wondering how not to pass on the anxiety to my kids?

Adrian Mahoney: We're being encouraged to practise social distancing and keep two metres away from people when out for a walk. How would you suggest we deal with the fear of others? I went for a walk yesterday and felt folks out there were like potential biohazards.

Karen Arnott: What do you recommend for people like me who are fact-finding folk? I have a tendency to want to understand things. In the current climate, there is definitely a need to understand.

Watch the replay below to hear Ruth’s answers to all of these questions and more.

AN EXERCISE IN MINDFULNESS

1. Grab a pen and a piece of paper. Write down a list of all the things you do on an average day. Aim for 15-20 things.

2. Next, write an ‘N’ or a ‘D’ next to each item on the list. Which things Nourish you (‘N’), and which things Deplete you (‘D’)?

As freelancers and business owners, most of us are aware of the need to practice mindfulness and healthy habits to keep us feeling good and in control.

But when times get stressful, Ruth says, those healthy habits slip. And when they do, the ‘Exhaustion Funnel’ kicks in and we can soon find ourselves feeling burnt out.

When you understand what gives you energy and what takes it away, you can start to fix the balance.

USEFUL RESOURCES

Book: Finding Peace in a Frantic World*, by Mark Williams and Danny Penman

Book: Atomic Habits*, by James Clear

Book: Mindfulness for Beginners*, by Jon Kabat-Zinn

App: InsightTimer (for sleep, stress and anxiety)

*The book links are affiliate. If you use them and buy within 24 hours, you’ll be adding a few pennies to the Being Freelance pot. Thanks for your support!

Join us in the community to continue the conversation