Welcome to the 34th edition of Expert•ish Freelancer, a newsletter that helps you grow your freelance business with confidence. Get tips, tools, and insights every other Friday to help you save time, make money, and work smarter based on my 35⁺ years as a freelance writer.

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Hi, Friend!

I’m gearing up for some travel in the next few weeks, mostly work-related. I’ll be on road trips 🚘 exploring Tampa (on the west coast), Ponte Vedra (on the northeast coast), and The Palm Beaches (on the southeast coast).

Sprinkle in lots of “staycationy” day trips in and around Orlando (think Cirque de Soleil and Michelin dining) and it’s adding up to a busy (but fun) summer.

Business-wise, I’ve got a few more travel guides I’m working on as well as some editorial and branded content assignments. But I’m definitely still seeing a slowdown (sometimes ghosting) in hearing from clients. I know this is typical for summer, and I expect everything to pick up in September. (It always does.)

How about you? What are you seeing in your business?

P.S. Don’t miss the latest Freelance Giggles comic at the end. You’ll totally relate to this scenario. 😂

Today’s newsletter gives you a sneak peek into one of my “typical” workdays.

🔍 Key Takeaways: 

✅ Balance isn't perfect—and that's okay.
✅ Front-load your marketing efforts.
✅ Embrace the beautiful chaos.

Today’s issue is brought to you by Authory. Sponsors help keep the newsletter free, so please click on their link to check out their offer! ⬇️ 

Looking for the last newsletter? Find it here: EF #33: 🎯 10 Ways to Beat the Summer Slump.

Want An Exclusive Behind-the-Scenes Peek Into My Freelance Day?

Curious about what other freelancers’ days really look like? Here’s the not-so-secret truth: there’s no such thing as “typical.” Most days are a wild mash-up of projects, pitches, random inspiration, Zoom calls, and—if all goes well—an afternoon yoga 🧘‍♀️ class.

So I thought I'd pull back the curtain to show you the not-so-glamorous, always-varied, often delightful, sometimes messy reality of running a freelance business from home.

Every day is a different flavor. One moment I'm outlining content for a global travel brand; the next, I'm pitching editors, wrangling Google Drive, or jumping into an interview with an expert source.

Some days it feels like my hair is on 🔥 and I feel like this: 🤯

Other days, I'm all Zen and I feel like this: ☺️

So, here’s a snapshot of how a typical day plays out for me—along with some key strategies that keep me sane and productive.

My secret weapon: Start the morning with marketing mojo

Before my to-do list can hijack my focus, I tackle business development first thing. This sets the tone for the entire day. It’s been my “morning marketing habit” for years.

⏰ 7:00-7:30 a.m.: Do five minutes of stretching/yoga to wake up my body. (I’m still in my pajamas.) Grab a big cup of coffee, feed my two cats, head to the couch, and put on Good Morning America. Tune out political news (otherwise my head will explode 🤯) and catch need-to-know headlines. Pay attention to any interesting segments that might spark an idea for an editorial pitch. Get more ☕. Pet 🐈. Look at calendar to see what's on tap for today. Check social notifications.

⏰ 7:30-8:00 a.m.: Dive into my inbox. Follow up on outstanding pitches and LOIs. Send a new pitch to an editor I work with regularly. Answer emails from clients. Help an editor who desperately needs access to an article I wrote. (One of his team members had put it into Google Docs without giving the editor access permission. Oops! Looks like someone is going to get chewed out.)

⏰ 8:00-8:30 a.m.: Tackle work-related tasks. Sign contract for new project and send to client. Upload photos to Dropbox and email editor that pics are now available for my story. Research relevant expert source for upcoming assignment and email request for interview.

⏰ 8:30-9:00 a.m.: Spend time on LinkedIn. Write a relevant post and publish it ASAP or schedule it for mid-morning. Engage with LinkedIn posts from my feed. Take the pulse of what’s happening in the freelance world. Research content marketing/branded content editor for travel/editorial brand I want to work with, then send connection request with personalized message.

⏰ 9:00-9:45 a.m.: Shower, get ready for the day, eat breakfast. Throw in a load of laundry. Water 🌺 garden, refresh birdbath. Mindfully watch bluejay at backyard feeder.

⏰ 9:45-11:00 a.m.: Dive into client work. Research/outline content marketing project for Client A. Answer text from writer friend. Start writing branded content assignment for Client B.

⏰ 11:00-11:15 a.m.: Grab healthy 🍓snack. Go for a walk with my husband (who works remotely).

⏰ 11:15 a.m.-12:30 p.m.: Get back to client work. Continue writing branded content assignment. Kick 🦶myself for not starting this assignment earlier in the week.

⏰ 12:30-12:50 p.m.: Eat lunch with my husband and my son. (My son, a graphic designer, used to work remotely but got laid off with his entire department last June. One year later, he's still looking for a full-time job. If you fell into freelancing because you've been laid off, trust me, I feel your pain.)

⏰ 12:50-12:55 p.m.: Forgot about laundry! Throw it into the dryer. Start another load that I will likely forget about. 😂

⏰ 1:00-1:30 p.m.: Conduct phone interview with expert source for upcoming editorial article for Client C. Feel thankful expert didn’t want to do it via Zoom. 😜

⏰ 1:30-1:45 p.m.: Check email, texts, and LinkedIn notifications. Respond as needed.

⏰ 1:45-3:45 p.m.: Focus on client work, which likely means finish writing branded content assignment. Do one final round of edits, review, and submit to editor. Feel happy about how good the article turned out.

⏰ 3:45-4:00 p.m.: Daily wrap up, which could include billing for projects completed today, rescheduling any tasks not completed today, deleting/filing the day's email, recording client payments, making PDFs of published articles, and adding clips to portfolios, etc.

⏰ 4:15 p.m. Head out the door to my 4:30 p.m. yoga 🧘‍♀️class.

Key takeaways from my daily rhythm:

Balance isn't perfect—and that's okay. Quick walks with my husband, grabbing a snack, watering my flowers, helping my son with his job search, going to yoga class, remembering the laundry (or not)—it all counts. Breaks are mandatory. Even if it's just a quick, mid-day meme exchange with a writer friend.

Front-load your marketing efforts. Tackling pitches, networking, and business development before diving into client work ensures these crucial tasks don't get pushed aside when deadlines loom.

Embrace the beautiful chaos. Some days flow like clockwork; others feel like controlled chaos. Both are part of the freelance journey, and learning to roll with the unpredictability is half the battle.

Lean hard into the approach that works for your freelance business. My approach? Compare less, enjoy more, and channel a “You got this!” energy.

There's no right or wrong way to run your business. You do you.

This is simply a snapshot of me—and a reminder that behind every successful freelancer is a very human person just figuring it out, one day at a time.

👉 What's your best tip for striking balance in your workday and sustaining a business you enjoy? Hit reply and let me know—I read every response, and your question might inspire the next newsletter!

• Share Your Success Story. I would LOVE to hear how you’ve implemented any of the ideas in Expert•ish Freelancer and found success. I might even include your win in a future newsletter. You can always reach me at [email protected]. 

• Follow me on LinkedIn. I share more freelance tips/insights most weekdays.

• Turn to Expert•ish Freelancer’s Tools & Resources page, highlighting valuable resources to help you successfully run your freelance business. You’ll find recommendations for apps, tools, training, services, websites, blogs, podcasts, books, videos, and more! If you’ve got a resource you love, let me know about it.

Thanks for allowing me into your inbox!

I look forward to sharing my freelance journey with you, and I look forward to hearing about yours. I’m just here as your guide. Take what works for you, and tweak it to your needs. Rinse. Repeat.

I’ll be back in two Fridays with another edition of Expert•ish Freelancer.

In the meantime….

Be kind. Do good. Give thanks. 😊

With gratitude,
Lisa Beach

FYI: In yoga, the instructor often closes the session by saying “namaste” as a way of acknowledging and honoring the light, spirit, or goodness within each person in the class. 🧘‍♀️ It’s often used as a closing to convey unity (we’re all interconnected), gratitude (thank you for this shared experience), respect (I respect you and your journey), and peace (may you find peace within yourself). Essentially, it's a way to acknowledge the shared experience and to leave with a sense of peace and connection. 😊