Sweating Your Way To Freelance Success

What does sweating have to do with running a successful freelance business?

A lot, actually. And I’m not talking about figurative sweating. I’m talking about literal running-on-the-treadmill, lift-some-weights sweating.

As we all know, freelance writing and editing do not involve any kind of physical activity unless you’re always pacing rigorously back and forth during writer’s block or sprinting back and forth between your house and the mailbox to look for checks on a regular basis.

I don’t know about you, but I was not too keen on physical activity of any kind when I was growing up. When I was in grade school and beyond, if you gave me a choice between taking a walk or reading a book, the book would always win. And I certainly was no track star either. In fact, I’m still somewhat scarred from youth because I was always one of the last ones picked for kickball and softball teams at recess.

Now, I’m a few years older and I have warmed up to this whole idea of exercise. When I was still working in my last corporate job, I’d see these people walking every morning on my way into work, and I’d always get this little twinge of jealousy as I passed them in my car. I’d think to myself: “Now what kind of job do they have? Wish I could go for a walk every morning!”

So when I became a full-time freelancer, I decided I was going to become one of those early morning walkers that all the commuting morning motorists love to hate. I started walking a couple miles every other day about the time that everyone was driving into work—because I could finally indulge in that guilty pleasure. Not that I wanted to rub it in or anything (well, okay … maybe a little).

Now, I walk every day—four to five miles, in fact. And I walk a 10-mile race every summer. I’m certainly not advocating that you take up extreme sports as a freelancer or run any marathons, but I strongly recommend that you consider taking up some kind of physical activity—not only for your physical health, but for the health of your business.

Why? Aside from all the health and wellness benefits, it helps boost your bottom line in some indirect, but very important ways.

Here’s how exercise helps you and your freelance business. From my experience, working out:

1) Lowers your healthcare costs. For those of you who are paying for your own health insurance policies, you have an extra incentive to stay healthy. Speaking for myself, the old group policies I used to have offered more in the way of coverage. For instance, I received full coverage for doctor’s office visits no matter how many times I had to go throughout the year. Under my independent policy, though, I only receive coverage for a certain number and then the rest comes out of my pocket. Since I started walking and working out, I am not having to go to the doctor as frequently. In fact (knock on wood), I can’t remember the last time I had the flu, a cold, bronchitis, or a sinus infection. I just don’t get sick like I used to anymore. Of course, studies also show that exercise helps regulate your weight, blood pressure, and all kinds of other things. And keeping all those vitals in check reduces your risk of developing serious health conditions.

2) Boosts your mood. This time of year especially, it’s easy to get the winter blahs. It gets dark earlier, there’s more of a pull to stay indoors and hibernate, and when it’s cold and snowy, it seems easier to stay indoors than it does to venture outside. But speaking for myself, getting outside and walking makes a huge difference in my mood. And I never feel the same way after I finish a walk as when I started. I also work out at the gym, and there’s no better mood boost than the one that comes from getting your blood pumping and those endorphins flowing. What does all this have to do with writing? A lot actually. I know that a low mood often means less motivation, and over the long term, having the blahs can affect your business. If you’re low in energy and mood, for example, getting a couple of query rejections might impact you more than usual. Feeling down in the dumps, you might feel like sending out fewer queries or LOIs each week. And over time, that will very definitely impact your business.

3) Helps you think. I don’t know how many times I’ve had story ideas pop into my head during a walk. Or on occasion, if I have writer’s block, taking a walk gets things flowing again. I don’t have any fancy statistics to support my claim here, but it makes logical sense to me that exercising supplies more blood and oxygen to your brain. And based on my experience, I seem to think more quickly and clearly after I’ve spent some time on the walking trail or on the treadmill. After a good workout, my writing flows more easily, and it seems like less work is involved in the process.

4) Gives you more energy. I don’t know about you, but every afternoon about 3 p.m., my energy level plummets. So instead of napping during this time, I often decide to work out instead. Of course, sometimes the nap wins out. But I always seem to have more energy (and actually feel more rested and calm) if I push myself to work out instead. And I try to remember that in order to get more energy, you have to expend more energy. And this thought helps get me out the door when I’d rather just curl up and take a nap. Of course, having more energy means that I get more mileage during my waking hours. If I’m working tired or am low on energy, it seems like it takes me twice as long to write stories and do my other work.

5) Helps keep you in balance. Freelancing can be such a solitary profession, and working out at the gym or with a buddy helps keep you connected with other people. I know that I’ve walked with the same friend for the past two years, and sometimes the conversation and company is just as important as the physical exercise I’m getting on the walking trail. When I’m working out at the gym, I’m also enjoying music that I often don’t take the time to listen to otherwise. And I don’t know about you, but when I reach a certain stage in my workout, my mind starts to coast a little. If you’re like me, having your mind go on cruise control for a while is a healthy thing. As freelance writers, we make our living thinking and putting everything on the page. So giving our heads a rest sometimes isn’t such a bad thing. Aside from all these things, exercising just seems to help keep me in balance and everything in perspective. And when you’re the only employee, keeping yourself happy, healthy, and in balance is key to your bottom line.

So how do you stay in balance? Do you work out? How has it helped your freelance life? Drop me a line—I’d love to hear about it!

-Jenny

Photo credit: dotbenjamin (Flickr)