Andriana BoyrikovaAs an ambitious freelancer or solopreneur, you are constantly in pursuit of the next goal, constantly stretching your limits. But it is exactly that ambition that restrains you from creating a balanced life. A recovered chronic workaholic myself, I have found a path where work adds value to my life instead of draining it. I believe that work is our way of adding value to others and meaning to us, and it should support our life, not consume it. In my monthly series Rise & Refine on LinkedIn and Facebook, I share my experiences and reflections to help you find a balance, too. If you have missed an edition, you can find the entire 2025 series here.
Rise & Refine #9
26th November 2025
Do you recognize yourself in this? The more newsletters I subscribe to, the more webinars I attend, and the more freelancers I speak with, the more I think I am doing and accomplishing nothing. And that transfers into my work: I become anxious and indecisive about what to do next:
- check my email and reply to all requests;
- create content for my website or social media;
- engage with people online;
- network offline;
- or do the work my clients pay me for.
And I start panicking because all my to-dos seem important, so I end up completing nothing. Even if I try to rest, I feel restless because there are the countless offers, webinars, and trainings I could be doing: because no, I don’t want to fall behind.
But I have learned that trying to keep myself occupied every hour of every day is counterproductive. I have discovered three golden practices that help me beat FOMO when I sense its sticky tentacles around my neck:
- Pause and ask myself: What is the one most important thing today that I can’t put off until tomorrow? Do that thing.
- Notice when my attention gets seized by a notification, an idea, or noise. Then I do what a mindful person would do: I pause and gently return my attention to what I was doing.
- Every few months, I reflect on my goals in relation to my values. I use OpusOne for this as well as my journal. It is incredibly liberating to have everything written down: what I find important and what I am no longer available for. Without getting those big rocks in place, I will never be able to deal with the small pebbles trying to shake my cart daily.
I know everyone has their own way of dealing with FOMO, but I hear more and more people struggle with it. They find it hard to get through the day because of everything they might be missing out on. I will be sharing more on this topic, but for now, take my advice and (this one thing that will never lead you astray): turn off your phone.
Rise & Refine #8
29th October 2025
There is the blog you have been meaning to monetize or that newsletter you have been dreaming of starting for years. You keep convincing yourself and others that one day you will finally get it off the ground.
But here you are now, still dreaming of it.
Usually, we believe we want to achieve a certain goal, but most of us aren’t ready to pay the price it requires. Let’s say you love writing, and you dream of all the benefits of launching and monetizing a blog or newsletter:
- More money
- A stronger personal brand
- More visibility and credibility
- Creating something that is yours, not client work.
What a beautiful dream. But have you considered the price?
- Writing every day, every week, even when you aren’t inspired
- Learning about CMS, email automation, web writing, copywriting, SEO, web design, keywords, content pillars, and more
- Promoting your content and monetizing through affiliate links, sponsorships, digital products, or premium subscriptions.
The inconvenient truth is that every time you choose to do something, you simultaneously say No to something else. So, if you choose to put in the effort, your Netflix binge watching and time with family or friends will turn into research, writing, and planning. By the way, this is how I finished the second version of my novel: by saying No to weekend activities with friends, lazy Sunday mornings, and movie nights.
Once you are crystal clear on the price you need to pay—and you are willing to pay it with joy, not resentment—you are ready to stack the first bricks of your dream project.
Here is a simple framework that will help you get clear on whether you are actually ready to commit:
- Specific: Can I create and publish a newsletter on Beehiv with business tips for freelancers every Tuesday
- Measurable: Can I commit to the work it takes to reach 500 subscribers?
- Achievable: Can I dedicate two hours, four times a week, to research, edit, write, and promote, without neglecting my main work?
- Relevant: Is this aligned with my other goals and values like personal growth and creative fulfillment?
If you can honestly say Yes to all four, you are ready. And if not, remember that not everything we dream of is something that deserves our time and energy, and this is okay.
Rise & Refine #7
30th September 2025
“When was the last time you did the thinking?”
Another study confirms it: your critical thinking abilities are obliterated by generative AI. And this isn’t the first research to show it, the findings are consistent with a lot of previous studies.
Those who lean on generative AI the most are thinking the least.
So, should you care that you are lending your independent thinking to a large language model owned by a Silicon Valley giant? It is up to you. Personally, I would be terrified if my curiosity, skepticism, information gathering, and open-mindedness—the abilities that make me valuable as a freelance writer—became dependent on a tool trained on Reddit threads and copyrighted work.
If you do care and don’t want to be brainwashed, here are three ways to protect your brain from degenerating (they have been incredibly helpful to me so far):
- Read good books, both fiction and non-fiction. When you do, you will notice how formulaic and vapid AI output is, and you will recalibrate your taste for what meaningful content looks like.
- Consume print newspapers and magazines because their content isn’t determined by algorithms. You will escape the filter bubble, at least for a while, and the added bonus is that you will strengthen your concentration, which is being killed online.
- Talk with people (I repeat, people, not ChatGPT) from different walks of life, ages, and backgrounds. They will stretch your perspective in ways even the most meticulously crafted prompt can’t. Besides, those conversations nourish the two qualities that still differentiate us from tech: connection and awareness.
Rise & Refine #6
29th July 2025
“Everyone is vacationing. Why aren’t you, workaholic?” 😉
Out-of-office replies are piling up, and after the twentieth person has asked you about your vacation plans, and you reply, stuttering, “I will plan something soon,” you begin to question yourself. Do you really have healthy work boundaries as you like to think?
One unique thing freelancers and solopreneurs have is the freedom to choose what to do with their time, including when and how long to go on vacation, without having to check in with a manager and align with a team calendar.
People think I have been glued to my laptop this summer, working 40 hours a week, because I am not posting beaches, mountain hikes, festivals, or camping selfies. It is true that during the summer work slows down, but I prefer to use that time to:
- Wrap up current projects;
- Dedicate more time to personal projects;
- And, let me surprise you, take regular breaks to replenish my energy.
Energy comes from four main wellsprings: the body, emotions, mind, and spirit. And to renew it, I don’t need a week in Ibiza. Instead, I:
- Move my body every day, especially on the days when I feel like turning into a couch potato. I go for a run, do power yoga, ride my beautiful Koga Supermetro, or walk in the city park.
- Reject the role of a victim in professional as well as personal situations and see them through different points of view, trying to understand the other people involved.
- Take sensory breaks by spending time in nature, observing without judging, disconnecting from screens and noise, stretching and paying attention to breathing.
- Express appreciation to others (not thinking about it but voicing it) and meditate daily, even for only ten minutes.
If you, like me, aren’t vacationing (whether due to personal circumstances, budget, or a preference not to travel during peak tourist season), you are doing what is right for you. Just remember that your energy is an essential resource, so protect and replenish it regularly.
Rise & Refine #5
25th June 2025
“When is it time to give up?”
Anxiety because you aren’t working fast enough; creative blocks “relieved” by the tools you are afraid will replace you soon; detachment from your business because you aren’t mega-efficient and giga-productive: amidst AI invasion and economic turbulence, it is easy to forget why you set off on the freelancing or solopreneurship path in the first place. Should you just give up? Maybe not quite yet.
- Rekindle your joy in what you do
Enjoyment doesn’t pay the bills at the end of the month, but the pleasure you take in your work shows in the final results. And the better the outcome, the happier the client, the happier 𝒚𝒐𝒖. Besides, if you enjoy your work, you are generally a more fulfilled and calmer person. And who wouldn’t enjoy working with that kind of professional?
- Stop following every trend
Yes, that freelancer you admire started a YouTube channel. Yes, the successful solopreneur you met last week has a Spotify podcast. Ah, that six-figure copywriter has 50,000 LinkedIn followers. Compliments to them. Now, filter everything you consume through your lens and implement something only if it aligns with your brand, your values, and your goals.
- Re-find the key to your dedication
The grass is so much greener when a client ghosts you, another replaces you with in-house staff, and people at a networking event ask you, astonished: “Isn’t your work now replaced by AI?”
Remind yourself why you do what you do. Perhaps it is to unearth stories that fall by the wayside but could influence a positive change in society, or you want to support sustainable businesses and ethical brands. When you do something you enjoy and that matters to you, it is easier to push through when challenges keep mounting.
Rise & Refine #4
27th May 2025
“Do you say No to an urgent request?”
It was unexpected and last minute: a request in my email to do a same-day interview. While I do appreciate working with the person who sent me the request and value new opportunities, I declined.
Saying Yes would have meant fracturing not only my carefully planned schedule but also fracturing my focus. Saying Yes would have communicated that I am always available, even when I am not.
Each Monday morning, I plan the week ahead, scheduling the most important work tasks for every day. Even though I allow some flexibility for on-the-fly requests, I don’t build my calendar around them. Moreover, I am the type of freelancer who takes on fewer projects and delivers high quality on time rather than juggling numerous projects and compromising standards.
And that urgent request, which isn’t the first and won’t be the last, made me wonder.
- Aren’t urgent requests a reflection of someone else’s lack of planning, prevention, and strategic thinking?
- When I say Yes to another person’s out-of-the blue request, am I honoring my time as much as I am honoring theirs?
- Is that a real pressing problem or just their priority disguised as urgency?
This is urgent, are you available? is a thorny matter for freelancers and solopreneurs, and I will be posting more on it.
Rise & Refine #3
30th April 2025
“What happens when you just stop working?”
I failed to be productive this week. I abandoned my work schedule and chose not to work. So, I had planned my week perfectly (as usual): goals, tasks, priorities. But then… Monday’s weather forecast showed rare summer vibes for the rainy and windy north of the Netherlands. And I recollected the past hectic months, working on a wide range of projects while still healing from a foot fracture.
What did I do?
- I worked until noon Monday to Wednesday, wrapping up client work, and then I headed to the beach.
- I spent my time not checking off tasks from my bulky to-do list but sunbathing, reading (a lot), meditating, and doing nothing.
- I blocked off Thursday entirely as a day off: more reading, more sun, more meditating.
✔️ Did I regret breaking my weekly work routine? No.
✔️ Did I lose work? No.
✔️ Did I miss out on anything? Yes, screen time.
Giving myself time to rest cleared my headspace, and I am brimming with new ideas. And isn’t that crucial for our work and relationships?
Making a weekly work schedule is important, but so is staying flexible. Break your routine and give yourself space to breathe: you will come back stronger.
Rise & Refine #2
26th March 2025
“Are you producing work you are proud of?”
Juggling four different articles, a website copy project, my fiction writing work, and emails flooding in, I was under pressure to finish everything fast. The faster I worked, the better, right?
If I had done what was expected of me (wrapped it all up in a rush), I would have:
🚩 Overlooked flat writing in one of my articles;
🚩 Delivered website copy that didn’t capture the benefits for the audience;
🚩 Submitted a half-baked piece that needed a rewrite.
Instead, I paused, slowed down, took the time to review, refine, and focus. The result was work that I and the people I work with were more than pleased with.
Here is what helps me maintain quality without sacrificing my sanity:
- Planning: I map out my week and set clear priorities. What is the important work that I need to do this week?
- Single-tasking: One task at a time, Pomodoro-style. No tabs switching, no jumping between emails and drafts.
- Breaks with intention: Pausing. A walk or meditation. They say you should meditate for 15 minutes daily, and if you don’t have time, meditate for 45 minutes.
You can hit pause because you own the remote. Next time you feel the urge to rush, pause. The work will be better. You will be better.
Rise & Refine #1
28th January 2025
“Are you productive or just busy?”
Are you obsessed with apps like Notion, Trello, and Evernote that promise to work wonders on your productivity? How much time do you spend customizing workflows, color-coding tasks, and creating elaborate calendars versus doing what needs to be done?
For years, I was fixated on managing my productivity: reading about productivity apps, testing different time management programs, tinkering with calendars… because using them felt like progress. But I was just procrastinating. Relatable?
I have come up with a method for getting important things done while enjoying my days. And, of course, being productive. But without stressing which app to check, which tab has my to-do list, and where I saved that idea or task.
- Notes app for weekly planning: I use it to jot down my most important work and leisure priorities for the week.
- Ulysses app for writing: It is so comforting to have all my thousands of work-related and personal writing projects in one minimalist place.
- Excel sheets for tracking: no dashboards and distractions, just a simple overview of my hours and financials in spreadsheets.
Yes, it is pretty minimalist. But it works for me because I spend ZERO TIME tinkering with settings, searching for documents, or monitoring productivity graphs. My point is that you don’t need an arsenal of fancy apps to manage your life. Start with something simple and sustainable.
What helps you find balance as a freelancer or solopreneur? Email me, I would love to chat with you.
