Working is hard. No one needs it to be harder, especially us creatives! As we wrap up neurodiversity acceptance month, I wanted to share a list of disability accommodations you can implement for yourself to keep burnout at bay and help you write and edit without putting more pressure on your body or brain.
Note: No gatekeeping here! If you are not disabled, you are still very welcome to use any of these tips.
Your schedule: One of the reasons many of us become freelancers is for the freedom to work on your own time. Don't feel pressure to keep a rigid schedule or wake up early if it doesn't work for you! If you need permission for your work day to start at noon, here it is. Work with your body, not against it! Shoutout to my editors with disability/neurodiversity/chronic illness group for really driving this point home for me and helping me not feel alone.
Remote work: Again with the freedom! If what you need is to work from your couch or bed, do it. If you need the ambiance of a coffee shop, or a treat to get started, go! A lot of us get to work remotely, and we should use it as the tool it is. If my body, brain, or both are not cooperating, I will do what I can from bed and there is no shame in that.
Transcribe conversations: One facet of my disabilities is having an issue with audio processing. I really struggle to retain information that isn't written down, so sometimes I will ask a client if I can transcribe our conversation using Otter. This helps my brain not have to work so hard, and keeps whoever I'm chatting with from having to repeat themselves a million times!
Email signatures: Because my working hours can be wonky due to fatigue, I have an email signature that helps others understand that I might not reply to them right away, and I don't expect an instant reply from them either. Setting boundaries helps not only your peace of mind, but also theirs. Here are some examples! I work flexible hours so I’m sending this email now as it is a time that works for me. Feel free to read, take action, or reply at a time that works for you. <Company name> works across a number of time zones. If you receive an email from me outside of your normal business hours please don’t feel obliged to reply outside of your working hours.
Communication templates: Do you find yourself feeling like you're sending the same email over and over again? Emails, DMs, or other communications making you want to yeet your device off a cliff? Yeah, I get that. Start by going through the emails (for example) and find the types of emails you tend to send. Then, copy and paste to make a "fill in the blank" type email that you can keep in your drafts so you don't have to spend extra energy rewriting. There are a lot of amazing templates for sale out there, especially from my fellow freelance editors, but making your own is also definitely a great option.
Your desk setup: Little changes to your work space can make a huge difference. Some people prefer a very minimalistic place to work to reduce distraction (no shame!), but I personally love visual stimuli. I have my favorite colorful posters (Taylor Swift, anyone?) above my desk, lots of colorful accessories, and my keyboard and mouse are both shaped like cats.
Turn notifications off: You might not even notice how much strain your notifications are putting on you. When I turned off my LinkedIn and Instagram notifications, I instantly felt lighter. I get to choose when my brain interacts with the app, and that helps my energy levels and reduces burnout.
Pomodoro timers: I love the Pomodoro method. If you haven't heard of it, here's a breakdown: ~Work for 4 cycles of 25 minutes each, with a five minute break between each cycle ~Take a longer break (I've seen anywhere from 15 minutes to an hour) ~Repeat! This method is amazing for my brain, and I hope it helps yours. I usually put a pre-made timer on YouTube so I don't have to set timers, and so I can pause and take longer than 5 minutes to rest in between deep working sessions. There are some really great ones on there, including instrumental Taylor Swift... see a theme here?
Sensory stimulation or deprivation: As I said earlier in this blog, I LOVE visual stimuli. I like the other senses much less. Everyone is different, so find the levels you need and either add or subtract it from your environment. For me, this means I put on my noise canceling (cat shaped) headphones so I'm only listening to one thing, spraying stress relief spray on my chair, grabbing a cup of chai, and removing food that might smell like anything (even if it's pleasant).
Ergonomics: This is often seen as an unattainable expense for freelancers. I promise, you don't have to buy that $1500 chair that promises to fix all your problems. I've started out with a mousepad with a wrist rest, a laptop stand, and a foot rest. All of that cost much less than $100! Take small steps towards lessening the strain on your body caused by work.
I really hope these tips were able to help you like they've helped me! For more content like this, follow me on Instagram @hannahbartlettediting or connect with me everywhere else at the link below.
Happy writing and/or editing, friends! I'll leave you with some reminders.
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