My routine for years included going on hiatus for a 1-3 months after months of working strenuous hours, burning the candle at both ends down to nada, zlitch, zip. Over 15+ years (five consecutive years for Extreme) this was my routine and entire world. Due to this, I learned quickly to embrace hiatus with my whole dang heart. I needed it to survive so I gladly welcomed the down time. It really helped me to embrace it. I found the acceptance grounded me in uncertain times.
Blessings, Vanessa
“Sage the World”
Photo and sentiment by Vanessa Price
Isolation + Quarantine Musings from a Seasoned Freelancer...
1mo hiatus schedule differs from 3mo or longer hiatus... So pace yourself ☺.
You can apply the tactics and adjust the flow as needed over any amount of time – so you do not live day to day on edge (or holding your breath.) You learn each day as you go. And then amazingly, your perseverance expands your abilities and allows you to adjust to an ever evolving, new normal. You adapt by honing your survival skill set and that friends, helps you from this moment on. Forever. You can be damn proud of this!
One month hiatus is barely enough time to rest, renew and reorganize for the dive back in into 12hr day, freelancer world (please apply this to your own 24/7 life) – and crucial for an empath and creative types.
(Day 1 on a new TV job dives back in to 100% often on day 1…and this can be a hard restart when you ramp up that quickly. It lends to cycling back into old routines where you ignore some of life’s normal tasks adjusting to the schedule (working 6 day weeks.) So the important thing here (when you are on hiatus, down, off) is to use the time wisely to replenish and renew. Try to not to wipe yourself out, risk hurting yourself with anything reckless like drinking daily bottles of whiskey, neglecting anything super pressing (taxes) or eating your feelings and/or not moving your body enough bc you are one (or two) feet into depression.)
Nourishing you WITH yourself
This is the time you have to get to know yourself again. Whoever you are now, and make the space to meet yourself where you are. And decide if/how you want to take steps towards a slightly new you.
A whole new you will not stick straightaway. Everyday is a new day working toward this refined and edited version of you. This is possible everyday (even when not on hiatus!) – but stillness is a HUGE opportunity to foster growth… stillness has a way of allowing enough rest to reenergize you into having the actual energy for a restart. It starts with small steps, helping you towards making progress in areas you have neglected previously. Ideas/thoughts/musings that speak to you when you are quiet enough to hear them whisper. It is super nice to really like your own company if/when you are nice to yourself. Warts and all. This is something I am continuously working on. Self-acceptance. Release. Growth.
You are down.
For the unforeseeable future or possibly an undetermined amount of time. Try to accept you are down and make it work for you. This may/will be hard for a lot of people who have never gone through anything like it. Have sympathy and try not to absorb any static energy or allow nervousness to penetrate and spread. Spread your steadiness in your heart whenever this may occur! Try to allow bad juju to bounce off of you (Wonder Woman bracelets up!) rather than wind YOU up – ignore the worst and offer support in whatever forms you can muster in that given moment. Even if that is just turning away without a reaction to any fleeting BS. ☺ They may be scared or are hurting, or both. Try for gentleness! and esp only soft reminders to your loved ones who are struggling. They need your love. (These tactics were previously used for people freaking out over my freelancing lifestyle when I was out of work, not them. I would say things like to comfort them about “my struggle” when I was the one out of work ha-ha. People mean well, but often we are all a hilarious trip on things outside our comfort zones.)
When/if you are tuned the f up (on your own or by others) try to find a way to either blow off that stink, a productive go to, or to develop a routine to let that energy out. DO THINGS THAT BRING YOU JOY! Relish in having the time you usually refer to only being illusive. Take every advantage of this. Here and now. Set some sort of schedule for just YOU – even if this only showers or journaling daily. Kids and dogs obvi determine schedule - but something JUST FOR YOU even if it’s only an hour a day.
Finding a new balance and inner peace serves everyone ☺ Not just opting for the well the known routine of sacrificing yourself at all odds for your people/loved ones. Ladies, this is especially important for us. We can thrive and serve.
Learn/teach yourself how to not deplete yourself completely for others… so you don’t burn yourself out and compromise your health, possibly even long term. Caring for yourself daily helps you learn how to be WHOLE. This WHOLE energy ripples out! Your loved ones and the world will thank you for it.
If you live paycheck to paycheck + do not have savings…strategize, make a plan and pinch those pennies! Apply for aid, go to the food bank, create steps how to stretch what you have for as long as you can. Have faith relief will come in the form of aid, temporary work or a loan from a friend if/when you need it. Cut coupons, use old gift cards, trade supplies with friends. Ask for help! Temporary jobs are popping up for grocery, delivery drivers, Amazon, etc…this is easier said than done, but keep trying til you find a fit that works for you. DO not give up.
Check on your peeps that may need help.
Trade intel with your inner circle. Apply this info; pass it on to others who will benefit. Donate your time, energy, skills or extra supplies to others in need. Help the most vulnerable.
Build yourself up for a win!
Fine-tune your resume, website, research, dive into a creative project or skill etc… do something for yourself you are proud of the result. You will be ready when the next job comes knocking.
Give yourself daily pep talks. Here is a version of mine.
"Today is one day. Make it through today! One hour at a time if need be. Celebrate each day. You are enough! You love and are loved." Then soothe yourself with whatever is most calming to you. Long walks, a bath, savor the small details, listening to nature (in nature or through a device.)
Plant seeds. Make a list of “slow things” you can do you will give you a positive outcome later. Maybe pretend you are on Little House on the Prairie and you don’t have one million choices and distractions in life. Curate a few unique things you can do while at home over time. Include something you liked as a kid! I did gymnastics the first half of my life, and though I can’t do much now, yoga is close as I get these days (or the rare occasion I get on a trampoline to simulate flying through the air!) Pick a few things you’d like to be better at or even master by the end of your imposed break in schedule. Journaling, art, reading, meditation, yoga, gardening, yard work, cleaning, cooking, repairing, routine exercise, games, languages, and instruments. Turn this time into a gift.
When times are toughest…use a go to memory or sensory tool to allow some perspective.
A comforting touch, thought, action, smell, sound, texture, taste. Think about someone who you love or loved you so hard they believed in you no matter what the circumstances. Think about what they struggled through in their lives and then triumphed over. My grandparents lived through the depression and two world wars. We collectively will come out of this, and for the better if we apply positive thinking and constructive action. Perhaps think about yourself as a kid listening to your favorite tape/CD 20 times a day that helped get you through your first broken heart, and how you thought you’d never love again…You did. You will.
Careful to not lean into being a victim, unhealthy or past patterns which no longer serve you, pain or waiting for a knight on a horse to rescue you and eliminate all of your fears + problems.
YOU ARE YOUR OWN HERO or HERONIE.
You are in control of yourself, ideas, thoughts and actions. This is the ONE thing you can for sure count on. Write a new story if you need one or reinvent yourself.
Experience feelings as they come.
Suppressing or bottling up your feelings will only result in an explosion – I know this well from experience. Laugh, cry, love, release pain as it presents as you are able to. Sit with uncomfortable feelings. And work on them as you are able, give yourself the grace to grow. If you are feeling out of character: manic or destructive – get yourself in check once you become aware of this. Listen to trusted friends if they hint you are headed toward or already in a destructive pattern. If you are in a spinning out cycle, document highs and lows to try to clue yourself into the pattern. Maybe you can learn to reset yourself rather than spin.
Your brain needs time to be still.
Work on something small daily/weekly – even if 1 or 3 days in a row this is resting. Rest is critical for creatives bc as we know, it allows the space for a reset. Even if already you have a “one day, I’ll do this! list” a mile long, try to rest first. This rest allows you enough juice to tackle one thing off that never-ending to-do wish list.
Blow off STINK
Shed your skin, rise like the Phoenix! Dancing, having a daily happy hour week (then coming out of it and shifting to 1-3x a week) singing, exercise, sexy time, playing in whatever form of play which suits you best. Do not get down on yourself when you blow off too much stink. Chalk it up to you NEEDED it, and take full responsibly for it. If you need an “all bets are off day” to burn it all down, then next time try for a more controlled burn so you do not hurt yourself or anyone else in the process.
Using up your old and weird stuff shakes up future routines– odds and end of shampoo and other products. Pantry items that sit there, special occasion items. Inventory and reevaluate your spending + use habits. Go through all of your belongings little by little over time, it feels really good to know every inch of your home, car, storage and turnover your life. (and assess new your ideas to why you still have these things.) Think 24 hours on any elective purchases – use what you have first. Save your money for needs. Find any and use gift cards and coupons – now or shortly after things ramp up again… is the time to use them. Purge and clean, scrub the grout. Donate items you can live without items others will need and use them. Weed the weeds – whatever “weeds” you have.
One door closes another opens!
Revisit old photos, memories and versions of yourself. Celebrate where you have been and where you currently are. This helps you give proper salute and kindness to your path, release and make space for new opportunities in life.
Above all else, make it work while being gentle on yourself (and those around you.)
And
one
BONUS
IDEA
for over longer timeline:
Make a short, current daydream list – places to go, people to see, proverbial mountains to climb. Spend limited time/energy on this list rather than disappear into a fantasyland down a rabbit hole.
Select the most interesting to you, brainstorm on it, and when you are ready - expand it into a plan of action of how you think will get there. And allow this to take shape, as it feels right. Take steps in the coming weeks to achieve progress toward this goal.
Table the rest of the ideas for now, to revisit after you have gained solid ground on the first choice on your list. For me, this improves your impulsive thinking and teaches + fine-tunes your abilities on your follow through achieving one goal.
This reigns in spinning out + distractive energy and helps you achieve what is right in front of you. ☺