Have you ever procrastinated on client work?
Like, you know you need to do it (especially if its deadline is looming). But you just keep dragging your feet.
I know I have. I would do something else—reply to messages, read the news, scroll Twitter/Reddit, play a short game etc—anything else except the thing itself, until I have no other places to get dopamine hits from and am left to reluctantly grit my teeth and get on with it.
Why does this happen? Upon reflection, I’ve concluded it’s either one of two reasons:
- Not liking the work
- Fear of criticism
1. Not liking the work
Not all projects are fun to do. Maybe they involve writing about a topic I’m not the most enthusiastic about, or the research for it is tedious. Sure, as a freelancer, I have leeway to say no to work I’m not interested in, but turning down work means turning down money, so I have to pick my battles.
Alternatively, maybe the project itself is manageable, but the client is a pain to work with. Right now, I’m thinking of one trial project that ended in failure after the client constantly changed the scope of work. Ugh.
Either way, thinking about doing such unfun work just makes me feel a sense of dread—and puts me off starting on it.
In contrast, when I’m excited to do something, I’ll be like “Okay, let’s get this bread!!” and will rush to do it. Lol.
2. Fear of criticism
This is a big one. There are so many things to fear:
- What if the client doesn’t like my work?
- What if I’ve made mistakes in the work?
- What if the client has left comments all over my work?
- What if I’m not good enough to do the work?
All of these boil down to a fear of being criticised by others.
I’m afraid I’ll screw up the work, so I don’t want to do it.
Or, I’m afraid of others saying negative things about my work, so I don’t want to read their comments.
These are the two main reasons I find myself procrastinating on work. What about you?
How to beat procrastination
Whatever the reason for procrastinating, I’ve found that the only solution to overcome it is to:
Go do what you’re supposed to do.
What happens is that so maybe I will do all my techniques for avoiding the work, e.g. reply to other messages, scroll Twitter/Reddit, etc. Then, when I’ve exhausted them all, I steel myself, hunker down and get started.
And as I do so, I usually realise: things aren’t so bad after all.
Those client comments that hit me like a gut punch the first time? I can better see where the client is coming from now—the comments aren’t personal, and they definitely aren’t saying I’m the worst writer ever.
And that article that I thought would be a pain to write? Sure, maybe it’s not on the most exciting topic, but it’s up my alley. With persistence, I’ll make progress and finish it.
I’ve come to realise that if I’m procrastinating, I might have magnified the issue in my head to make it scarier or more daunting than it really is.
But I’m a professional providing a professional service. Work isn’t always fun, and I can’t let fear hold me back.
The only solution is to be like Nike and Just Do It™.
More freelancer news
Be a digital nomad in Thailand 🇹🇭
The Thai government is doing more promotion of its Destination Thailand Visa (DTV), which launched in July 2024, to attract digital nomads to go on a workcation in the country.
There are three DTV categories:
- Workcation (for freelancers, digital nomads, remote workers etc)
- Thai soft power-related activities (e.g. muay thai or medical treatment)
- Spouse and children (under 20 years old) of a DTV holder
If you’re applying under the “workcation” category, documents you’ll need to submit include financial proof that you have at least 500,000 THB (about S$19,605) and proof of your digital nomad or freelancer status.
The visa lets you enter Thailand multiple times, staying up to 180 days per visit, for up to 5 years.
Learn more about the DTV from the Thai e-visa site here. But it looks like online visa applications aren’t available to everyone. If you can’t apply online, you’ll need to apply in person at your nearest Thai embassy or Consulate-General.
Upcoming events for freelancers in October
Library members can attend these upcoming events for freelancers for free!
- 3 Oct: Setup and Contracting – Learn which business model is right for your freelance work and best practices to follow when signing contracts with clients.
- 10 Oct: Pricing Right for Profitable Passions – Understand how to charge for your work so you make money instead of losses.
- 17 Oct: Branding and Reputation Management – Explore 3 pillars for building a brand. And find out how to defend your reputation.
Seats are available as of writing. (Sign up for free library membership here if you don’t have one.)
Apart from the events mentioned above, the library is also hosting other business-related events on topics like transitioning from a side hustle to a solopreneur. Find the full event list here if you’re interested.
This post was first published in my email newsletter on 30 Sep 2024. If you liked it, sign up for my newsletter here:
