Everyone can relate to it, not just freelance designers. A draught. It can happen to any of us, and it a draught shall show no mercy. One day work is going great, everything seems to be going your way, and there is more than enough to do. Than, things change. Opportunities start to dry up, situations get ugly, and your motivation begins to drain. However, when destiny refuses to smile on your as your workload takes a dip south, getting discouraged is not the answer.

I have been there. Freelance work is sometimes scarce, and sometimes abundant. While I often find myself solving design problem after design problem, sometimes I am left scratching my head and wondering how to solve the problem of having nothing on the horizon.

What I find helps, and beware, it sounds ever so cheesy. STAY POSITIVE. Lame right?  Hang in there, please. Instead of giving in, or feeling distraught, the answer is to remain engaged and assign YOURSELF challenges. For example, when I was in my latest slump I found it hard to go upstairs to my office and try to work, when I had nothing I could really sink my teeth into. I wasted a week or so, before I realized that this has to stop. As I write this, I have a checklist in front of me.

This list contains few action items that I can accomplish to help intrigue new customers, or contact new clients. Or in some cases, just fun little self assigned projects to keep my wits sharp.  A checklist is a valuable tool in any profession, and that’s my honest opinion. Now I know what you’re thinking: “I am not a designer, and work is slow, what do I do?” Down time is a create chance to come out of this survival mode mindset we normally put ourselves into, and start to do some really creative work. Perhaps there is a project that has been begging for an overhaul, or a process in the office that could really be more efficient.

This is a great chance to challenge yourself, better your situation, stay engaged, and keep busy until the next wave rolls in, and trust me, it will roll in.
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Filed under: Working Through A Draught by Adam Botts