Read Read . Read . Read . Should I say it again ? Read . This cannot be overstated and unlike some of the other tips , it can be completely free .
You can read books , articles , blogs , newsletters , websites , tweets , anything you want to . Whichever medium works for you , use it . I ’ ve recently been on a thriller kick and have recently read The Girl on the Train , Sharp Objects , and 11 / 22 / 63 . For my educational reading , I ’ m devouring Stephen King ’ s On Writing .
I personally like to get articles in my email . I ’ m not a big Twitter user or blogfollower . I need the content to hit me in the face and show up in my inbox or I ’ ll never read it .
Some daily emails I get :
• The Skimm
• Content Marketing Institute
• Carol Tice ’ s Make A Living Writing
• Buzzfeed
The content you read can cover a multitude of topics , but try to find some experts in your field to follow and read what they ’ re doing and their advice .
Make Time to Play Let ’ s just forget for a moment about work . I ’ ve given a lot of tips on investing in yourself as a freelancer or entrepreneur , but it ’ s also good to invest in yourself just as a human .
Learn something fun , pick up a new hobby , try something you ’ ve always wanted to do . Maybe you want to learn to juggle , make balloon animals , throw pottery , or dive off the high dive . Whatever your dream is , go for it . You never know where your next big idea is going to come from .
Invest your time and money in something that is purely for enjoyment . How often do we allow ourselves do that ?
Investing in yourself and your education can seem like a distraction or a task that ’ s not worth the time when we ’ re facing deadlines , rush jobs , project turnarounds , and waiting clients . But as creatives , we can ’ t let ourselves burn out and not take care of our creative sides .
Investing in your education by taking classes , spending time with a mentor , attending conferences , and reading , can really change your freelance or entrepreneurial career .