SiteHow to Be an Intolerant Freelancer
We all have lists of things that bug us: The dog keeps jumping on the couch. My nails are a wreck. The coffeemaker is on the blink. I hate the “boing” noise my computer makes when an e-mail comes in. While they aren’t emergencies (except for the coffee maker), these little annoyances — called “tolerations” in life-coach speak — can drain your energy. That’s energy you need to generate ideas, pitch, and write.
Make a list of all the little things that are bothering you. Cross off the ones you can’t do anything about, and then create a plan for putting the kibosh on the rest. (I use Getting Things Done
I love writing out my tolerations — it feels so good to cross them off the list and I get a spark of motivation with each one I take care of.
What are your tolerations, and what have you done to deep-six them? Post your tips in the Comments section! [lf]
12 Responses to “How to Be an Intolerant Freelancer”
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Karen Lynch
Said this on November 15th, 2007 at 8:35am:Wow, the list goes on and on. You sure you want this? The kids toys are on the floor (again); the dog’s toys are on the floor as well; I’m behind in the laundry department; the grill isn’t covered and it’s raining; I haven’t finished my office re-org and have boxes on the floor to sort/sift through still; my nails look awful; I have a fever blister on my lip; there are too many catalogs coming into the house this time of year; my calendar isn’t synced with my husband’s; 20 people are coming here for Thanksgiving and I’ve done nothing so far; ARRRRGGGHHHHHHH!!!!!
Now … onto the deep-six thing. BLANK. Apparently I’m heading to Borders this morning to pick up yet another book.
Chryselle
Said this on November 15th, 2007 at 10:18am:I’m still bugged about the fact that the archives on this site are messed up after the recent revamp.
Kristine
Said this on November 15th, 2007 at 10:37am:That’s funny that you all cite external tolerations. I guess I have those too: the poor lighting in almost all rooms in my house, the intrusion of bill-paying during my day… but most of my tolerations are the distractions of email and websurfing.
Small annoyances don’t get to me. I completely ignore them. I get so absorbed in writing and researching that I don’t notice anything else. This isn’t good; there are books all over my office floor, bills all over the kitchen table and debt mounting, laundry wrinkling in the dryer at this very moment… yet I don’t plan on leaving this chair any time soon.
I’m impressed that you are even organized enough to make a list of your annoyances! I guess that’s why you are successfulI’m new and do not have my routines down, so I’m not even to the point where I have my day structured enough to know what small annoyances are bothering me! I’m happy to have your blog to learn from.
BTW, love the book. It’s one of the first I got when I considered trying to freelance!
DianaBurrell
Said this on November 15th, 2007 at 11:36am:Chryselle, you’re using IE 6.0, an outdated browser … you need to upgrade to IE 7.0. That’s one toleration you can easily take care of yourself.
Victoria E
Said this on November 15th, 2007 at 3:08pm:This is a really good idea and I’m not sure why I didn’t think to do it before!
LindaFormichelli
Said this on November 16th, 2007 at 1:13pm:Karen, I hope things settle down for you soon!
Kristine, now that I think of it I don’t actually notice my tolerations as I’m working, but I think they drain energy from me on another level…somewhere in my subconscious, all these undone things are lurking.
Rachel
Said this on November 16th, 2007 at 1:50pm:I was tired of getting calls on my cell from PR people…while I was at the grocery store, with my kids. So, I took off my virtual business card from email and bam– the calls have stopped.
Kristine
Said this on November 16th, 2007 at 3:24pm:Linda, your comment above- “…I don’t actually notice my tolerations as I’m working, but I think they drain energy from me on another level…somewhere in my subconscious, all these undone things are lurking” - is really important.
A writer’s tolerations come not only from errands, friends, housework, family, and tempting TiVo waiting downstairs-
but from the fact that writing, unlike many other jobs, requires a person to stop. Stop and think. Researching and interviewing keeps your mind busy, but once it’s time to produce, it really is just you and the page/screen.
Many people never stop. Most people never just sit and think, yet that ultimately is what a writer has to do. When you think, the mind can’t help but go elsewhere! And elsewhere can be soooo annoying. I think writers are very brave. Facing your own mind can be difficult.
Susan
Said this on November 23rd, 2007 at 4:31pm:How’s this for an intolerance? My mail key is a copy of a copy and sometimes it just doesn’t work. My roommates are gone this weekend and I’m positive there are checks sitting in the mailbox waiting for me, but I can’t get the darn thing open!!
DianaBurrell
Said this on November 23rd, 2007 at 5:08pm:Susan, I’d be tempted for reach for a sledgehammer!
stephanerd
Said this on November 29th, 2007 at 12:29pm:I’m a huge proponent of taking action, rather than playing the victim…and I love writing lists. I can’t believe I’ve never thought to do this before. Thanks so much for this awesome suggestion!
It’s amazing how one never thinks to tackle the small, niggling annoyances in their life, especially when they can easily add up to one big headache. For the longest time, I was unable to concentrate on anything but the biggest thing that was making me unhappy — my 9-5 job. Instead of wallowing, I took action. I found myself a regular freelance gig proofreading at a daily paper that provided enough money for me to leave my job. With the free time I had left over, I got myself a web mag internship (which has led to future freelance assignments, great contacts, and experience in another aspect of publishing), started my own blog, and have also taken on a number of other freelance assignments that have come my way. I feel so much happier and healthier!!!
Now if only I could use that same ambition and determination to hang up that shelving in the condo, get myself a more comfortable desk chair, start baking xmas cookies (instead of just worrying about when I’ll bake xmas cookies), etc.
Friday and The Infinite Wisdom of Others « SelfHelpMe
Said this on December 2nd, 2007 at 2:31pm:[…] Formichelli over at the Renegade Writer Blog wrote a post on getting rid of the little things that bother us, thereby making a pretty big difference in our quality of life. While her focus was on the niggling […]