Taking Stock

A busy first year of juggling clients and projects was both a blessing and a curse.

Okay, maybe “curse” is a strong word to use, but shifting from a full-time career in publishing to a full-time career as a freelance writer was tough. Rewarding, but challenging. Humbling, but encouraging.

I’m learning how far I can stretch myself in terms. When an unexpected call or email comes in from an interested client, it’s easy to get swept up in the excitement of helping someone. The “yes, I’m available” pours from my lips! And then I start to crunch the numbers. How many actual hours do I have in the day?

This seems like a horrible blog to post on my professional site, but hear me out: The overload of work I experienced has forced me to think about strategy. Without a clear plan of action, everyone is left bumbling and without direction. Expectations are not met, and quality suffers.

In the past year, I’ve learned to take stock of my life. How many clients do I have? How many regular monthly assignments must I fulfill? Do my kiddos have holiday breaks or sports practice I need to consider? The year is fluid and responsibilities constantly shift.

This same dynamic is true within companies. New roles arise, new projects pop up, and some ideas fizzle out. It’s critical to take a hard pause and take a snapshot of what’s feasible for yourself and your business.

I’m optimistic for 2022. I’m excited to lean into the hard questions for myself and help my clients ask difficult questions regarding what’s a priority to their success.