Talk to Yourself on a Mountain (And Other Advice for Solopreneurs)

Freelancing is not for the feeble-minded, and we take on a lot of risks when we decide to be our own bosses, find our own work, and manage our own businesses. We have to juggle projects, balance budgets, market our services, and keep it all straight without losing our heads. Since we’re humans, this often leads to overwhelm, stress, and—my personal nemesis—financial anxiety. And yet, the nature of our work makes it so we can’t take a break without advance strategic planning. There’s no PTO, no leave, no clocking out. So what can we do to stay motivated? I’ve collected a few tactics that bring me back to a positive, clear-headed mindset whenever pushing forward feels tough.

1. Talk to myself

Yup, we're starting off weird here. My habit of thinking out loud likely began as a coping mechanism for distractibility, but I’ve come to recognize it as a secret strategy that gives me an edge. Thinking out loud forces me to apply words to the problem at hand. The act of articulation is an extra tier of cognitive processing, one that comes after the subconscious and conscious. I’ve come to think of it like steering my train of thought out of my brain into the world, testing it out to my own ears before presenting it to another person or putting it into action. If my brainstorming goes off the rails, the listening part of me catches it and sends that locomotive back to the station for improvement.

When I have a jumbled calendar, a workflow problem, or a big decision coming up, working through solutions out loud is the best way I’ve found to get it all straight and pick the best way forward.

2. Move my body

Maybe you don’t have a great space to vocalize your brainstorm. You share an office or small apartment, for example. Well, I have good news. The best place to think out loud isn’t sitting at your desk chair, it’s somewhere you can engage your body. My favorite place to problem-solve is in the middle of the woods on a quiet trail. I love chatting up the trees and birds when there’s no one around. There’s also something about the serene indifference of nature that helps defog my brain, and I’m convinced that the blood pumping through my body is channeling my focus. When I first moved to the PNW without a job or a concrete plan, I spent a lot of time hiking. As strange as it sounds, I don’t think I would have found the courage to go all-in with self-employment if I didn’t talk to myself in the mountains.

If you don’t live near somewhere you can escape into nature, going for a walk will also do. Pop in those earbuds and chatter away. Nobody will know there’s only you on the other line.

Other thinkers will tell you that their best thoughts appear in the shower or while driving. If this is your strategy, have at it. I believe that any activity that engages your muscle memory helps to minimize outside distractions and promote cognitive breakthroughs.

3. Make lists

Whenever I hike, I bring a little notebook with me. I’m telling you, these brainstorm hikes are so effective that having a place to scribble my epiphanies is a must. I recommend a notebook over your phone (I use Rite in the Rain because I live in the PNW and its often wet), as your phone will almost certainly attempt to pull your focus elsewhere, such as your email inbox (my greatest weakness).

Whether I’m in the woods or not, my notes almost always take the form of lists. As a writer and editor, I’m easily derailed by bad grammar and syntax. I use a list format to signal my brain that nothing needs to be edited here; we’re just recording information. I make all kinds of lists, and here are my favorites:

• things I need to do today

• things I need to do this week

• things I don’t want to forget

• things I accomplished today

• things I’m stressed about

• things I’m extra grateful for today

• ideas for [insert project here]

Writing down these thoughts works similarly to speaking them out loud–get them out of your messy brain and into a format that makes sense. Once you can see them all stacked on top of each other, they become more manageable. I also like to categorize my to-do list, add priority tags, or include deadlines. This always helps me see what to do next.

4. Learn something

If I’m still stuck after all the muttering and hiking and list-making, it’s time to look outside myself. Sometimes, the thing that’s holding me back is a lack of information or an uncertainty that can only be straightened out by learning something new.

When I started my business, my brain was swimming with phrases such as “tax deduction” and “unified business identifier.” Moving forward as a business owner is not fun when the system doesn’t make sense and I don’t know where to start. The only solution was to educate myself, and I promise, knowledge is power.

It’s also important to understand that there are many ways to access knowledge. I usually start with the web, but once I have a basic understanding of vocabulary or the categories I need to learn more about, I move to books, videos, and podcasts. I find that I internalize information best when I consume it in multiple ways, so reading material (the library is your friend) coupled with audio and visual media works well for me. Throughout this process, I’m taking notes. Whether I return to them later or not, the act of writing down information helps me remember key points.

That first internet search is daunting, yes, but once I’ve done it, the hardest part is over. The more I learn, the more I understand how to find the information I need, and the more I get addicted to those “aha!” moments. I went from dreading and avoiding everything that had to do with retirement accounts to hungering after more tips and tricks. Now, one of my favorite parts of my workweek is updating my finance spreadsheets, something I never would have expected.

5. Join a group

Freelancing can be lonely, even in a collaborative field like mine. Luckily, there are plenty of folks out there who have the same questions and want to jabber about the same not-so-boring stuff like workflows and marketing strategies.

I’m a part of the Northwest Editors Guild, where I attend a variety of online meetings each month and co-host a group that connects editors and designers. I also have a self-study group with two other editors where we foster a safe, collaborative space to support and encourage each other. This blog post, for example, has been sitting in a Word document for months before my powerhouse of an edibuddy Terra Hoy held me accountable for finishing it. Unsurprisingly, they have great insights on healthy productivity mindsets.

Taking some time each month to connect with others who understand the grind, have been through it, and are willing to exchange perspectives has been instrumental to my solo business’s growth. I might be the only one calling the shots, but I can still talk through decisions with others who understand. There’s also the bonus of networking, and you never know when a connection will lead to a great new opportunity–or when you’re able to provide an opportunity for someone else.

Look, I know what you’re thinking.

On top of all the clients and emails and LinkedIn posts and taxes, where’s the time to do any of this? I hear you, and I ask myself the same question. The answer is that you need to make time. For me, that means forcing myself outside every day no matter what, even if the headlamp comes out. It means starting each morning with at least a half hour of reading. It’s putting professional meetups on my calendar in advance so I can plan around them. Think of it like investing time up front so that you don’t have to spend time panicking later.

And when you do panic, be kind. Remind yourself you’re a human doing something awesome (for real, say it with your voice), and take care of yourself first so you can take care of your business. We got this!