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4 Responses
Thanks for the excellent blog, Suzanna. I live with a spinal cord injury, which is worsening with age, so I have to take that into account whenever I accept an assignment and set deadlines for myself. I, too, am in awe of Jon Morrow. It’s amazing what he has accomplished in spite of monumental challenges. Thanks again for the great advice.
Thank you for sharing your story Robert! I’m sorry that you’re dealing with this problem, but I know that you will overcome in life. Best wishes,
Suzanna
Thanks for the excellent blog, Suzanna. It is helpful to read this as an encouragement to chronic pain patients who strive to make a living and be a copywriter. I suffer from migraines, bilateral SI joint dysfunction, and Temporomandibular Joint dysfunction. Despite being in a wheelchair and having to take breaks, I have managed to take all my courses I needed and have a few clients. Being on disability, I can only make a certain amount each month, so I won’t exceed my income restrictions. That is fine with me, since I’m only able to do so much. But I have learned a lot along the way, and I wouldn’t have it any other way than to be a copywriter for the nonprofit, cause and Christian markets. This is where my heart is, and I’m grateful for the challenges that make me who I am. Thank you so much!
Thanks for the post! I live with Progressive Multiple Sclerosis and fatigue and chronic pain are the bane of my world. It can be difficult to stay focused on my goal of having a successful writer’s life when I’m struggling with being able to get out of bed, much less fighting the need to take a nap or cope with the side effects of medication.
I’ve found that I have to build in down time for any project I take on. I rarely promise 24-48 hour turnaround because I never know if I’m going to be able to deliver on that kind of promise. On the other hand, I continually remind myself that if it was 20 years ago, or even 10 years ago, I wouldn’t have the opportunities I have today!
For regular clients, I try to stay ahead of deadlines by being a few assignments ahead of due dates. I keep a list of “must accomplish” tasks, “need to accomplish” tasks, and “would be great to accomplish but not urgent” tasks. As I cross items off the list, another takes its place.
I learned the hard way that just putting my shoulder down and powering through doesn’t serve me well. It makes everything worse. So, I don’t even attempt to work every day and a 40 hour week is out of the question for me. The good thing about our industry is that it’s possible to work 15-20 hours a week and still earn a fairly decent income.
The biggest challenge for me has been adjusting from being really active and being able to work relentlessly to having to be very conscious about where I spend my energy and for how long.