Mental health has taken a backseat because of the pandemics and recessions. Covid-19 has taken a toll on the mental health of all professionals, and freelance photographers are not an exception. Being a freelancer you have to set your priorities, and mental health should be your top priority. If you are a freelancer or a self-employed photographer, this blog has some tips that will help you take care of your mental health.
Take care of yourself
When things get rough everyone needs a coping mechanism. Taking regular breaks will help you reduce stress. Listening to soothing music is a great way to reduce stress. A popular saying is that music is the food for the soul. Meditation and praying are also definitely great ways to calm down your nerves.
Find a support system
Freelance photographers generally lack a support system as they are not a part of a team. Also, they do not have colleagues who can support them. They find themselves fighting a lonely battle every day. Reaching out to friends and family will help when a freelance photographer starts feeling isolated. However, the best idea is to join a professional group. Being part of a professional group will keep you surrounded by fellow freelancers and prevent any stress.
Enjoy your work
Having a playful attitude is necessary to reduce stress. Since photography requires self-expression, it can also support your mental health. Being playful with the camera will help you de-stress. If you are under pressure to create anything specific, you won’t be able to enjoy the work, which may cause stress. The good idea is to look at things around you in a mindful manner.
Outsource your tedious edits
It is natural that when there is a workload, you get stressed. While some stress for freelance photographers is normal, it would be convenient to outsource the tedious edits. This may free up your bandwidth for works that involve creativity. Refusing to delegate can add hours of stress. Mental health and business will get the necessary attention if you outsource the edits. Task organization is one of the habits of highly successful, according to Stephen Covey.
Seek professional help
A mental health professional can address the issue of stress. Probably, they will do counselling or psychotherapy to help you out. Nowadays, it is not considered taboo to seek help for a mental health issue. Anxiety and stress are one of the leading mental health issues faced by people across the world. If you are not comfortable with in-person meetings, remote therapy via video conferencing is possible.
Summing all this up, it is normal for freelance photographers to experience stress and anxiety at times as they do not have colleagues to fall back on. However, coping with these mental health issues is nonetheless possible with the help of a support system, mental health professional and outsourcing your edits. Moreover, it is very important that you enjoy photography and be playful with the camera.
