Research reveals that approximately 20 percent of the population is working from home on a part-time or full-time basis. Writers can experience stress while working at home, but you can overcome anxiety with a variety of useful tips. In some cases, stress is motivating, but if you have too much anxiety, it can lead to writer’s block, making it difficult to do anything.
What Causes Your Stress as a Stay-at-Home Writer?
You should identify what causes your stress as a writer in order to overcome it. Some of the things that might cause stress include:
- Inability to get started on your workday
- An income that varies from week to week
- Fear of evaluation from clients or editors
- No paid vacation time
- Keeping track of your work expenses
- Coping with interruptions
- Resisting the urge to watch television while writing
- Trying to multitask on a daily basis
- Continually searching for clients
- Dealing with computer or internet issues
- Meeting rush deadlines
When you have constant stress from working at home as a writer, you should spend some time identifying ways to make your job more enjoyable.
Tip 1: Create a Positive Working Environment
When you were in school, teachers probably told you to create a special place for studying in order to concentrate better. This is also an excellent suggestion for writers. It is important to create a dedicated work zone so that you can begin writing quickly. If you are lucky enough to have an extra room to use as an office, make it look attractive. Alternatively, you might need to use a corner of your living room or a walk-in closet as an office instead.
Whatever space you have for writing, it should help you concentrate on your work rather than getting distracted by other things in your home. Removing clutter from your office and desk is one of the best ways to keep your mind focused 100 percent on writing.
A pleasant working environment can help you to think better, so make sure to have adequate lighting from desk lamps or windows to prevent eyestrain. In addition, it is a good idea to have fragrant air in your home office. Placing a few houseplants in your home is an excellent way to purify the air naturally.
Make sure to open the windows or use circulating fans to have fresh air in an office. If it is too hot or cold to open the windows, then place containers of potpourri in various places in your home’s office. You can spray air fresheners occasionally or try burning scented candles to freshen the air in your office, but use caution with this method – we tend to zone out when we’re creating and candles have a limited burning time.
Tip 2: Practice Daily Mindfulness to Reduce Your Stress
You could probably use a more concentrated mind, so learn how to meditate if you haven’t already. Close your eyes in order to clear your mind for a few minutes several times a day. Connect with yourself in order to connect with your readers.
Surround yourself with positive affirmations by hanging posters on your office’s walls or writing notes to place on your computer. If a client or editor has praised your work in an email, then print it out to read occasionally.
Take time to keep a journal of your thoughts while writing to help you understand how your emotions are affecting your creativity. Avoid negative situations as much as possible to prevent an emotional spiraling down of your thoughts.
Think carefully about your personal life to determine if it is making you happy, and if your life isn’t the way you want it to be, make some changes to improve it. Try to avoid distractions during your writing time as much as possible by having a firm schedule for working.
Tip 3: Get Organized to Become a More Productive Writer
By having a regular schedule when your mind is alert, you can write more words per hour. If you feel more creative in the morning, try being an early bird who begins to write at dawn. Similarly, if you are groggy in the morning, you should plan to write later in the day.
Don’t get distracted by household chores during your writing time by making sure to have a schedule to do the dishes or laundry. Consider your writing an important job by scheduling breaks in the midmorning or afternoon along with taking time to eat lunch and dinner. You should plan ahead to have healthy snacks and meals that are easy for you to prepare.
When you were in high school, you probably used mind maps to help you write essays for classes, and you can use this same technique while writing creatively as a job. Begin by writing your article’s topic in the center of a page and draw lines from that subject to create other ideas. You can add more information underneath each branch of the mind map.
Keep a calendar nearby to help you remember important dates or deadlines so you don’t miss an appointment with a client or procrastinate on an article. To remain on task while working from home as a writer, use the Pomodoro technique.
It breaks down your tasks into 25-minute time slots with short breaks that last a few minutes. After completing four 25-minute time slots, you can take a longer break. In order to remain on the Pomodoro technique, you should use a timer such as the one on your phone. You must keep track of your time slots by making a notation on paper so you don’t take too many breaks.
Tip 4: Remember to Have Fun with Other Activities
Routine physical activity is essential for your mental and physical well-being. Whenever you are feeling stressed, it is a good idea to go on a walk outside in nature to see trees and flowers. By simply taking a walk around the block, you will feel better immediately. Grow a flower or vegetable garden at your home to have an excuse to go outside at least once a day.
At least once a week, find something fun to do in your town, including visiting an art museum or going to a concert. This gives you a chance to relax and socialize, helping to relieve the stress of writing at home.
Understand What Works for You
To become a productive writer who isn’t experiencing constant stress, learn what works for you to help you feel better physically and mentally.