Where does self-care fit in with freelancing?

Because your business is YOU, self-care is something that shouldn’t be optional. You being at your best (or near best, we’re only human) means you can serve your clients better, find new clients, develop your business, network -- all the things you have to do to run and grow your work.

What does developing self-care best practices look like for you and your freelance life? Maybe it’s saying “No client calls on Friday” and booking yourself an afternoon yoga class or taking a nap. Perhaps it’s setting office hours and not responding to emails after a certain time. 

Or maybe a self-care habit is connecting with a provider or facility that you feel truly comfortable with -- more on that later in the newsletter from Carolyn Witte, Co-Founder & CEO of The Tia Clinic.

Both the issue of self-care and the solutions we find are deeply personal -- and a forever project. I applaud us all for even attempting to build a career that honors our self (body and mind) and skills at the same time. Keep going.

xx
Devin, Editor

1. "Do Not Disturb: How I Ditched My Phone and Unbroke My Brain"
   Some practical advice for the neverending quest to limit our screen time: Charge the phone in a closet. Change your screensaver to a screen that asks you three questions "What for? Why now? What else?" 
2. "Amy Poehler To Direct ‘Moxie’ At Netflix"
   Poehler and an array of talented, funny folks are bringing Jennifer Mathieu's novel about a teen girl who starts a feminist revolution at her high school to screens everywhere.
3. "New York City Bans Discrimination Against Black Hairstyles"
   The city's new guidelines state that "harassing, threatening, or professionally punishing people because of their hair texture or style is racial discrimination." Correct.

*Not related to Freelancing Female's Tia Meyers :)

How can women find health insurance that suits their needs and is affordable? Including those folks with pre-existing conditions?

While health insurance is undeniably a headache — and an expensive one, too! — it is the key to unlocking access to core, covered preventive healthcare services for women. To get a sense of what a typical woman's cost of care would be with and without insurance, check out Tia's Vagina Benefits tool. We made this last year after Trump rolled back the birth control mandate to help women understand quite literally the price tag of having a vagina and the central role insurance has in caring for it!

Once you've decided that you do want to invest the time and money in buying insurance as an individual, the next challenge is to think about what insurance to buy. Joany is an amazing tool you can use to get a personalized insurance plan recommendation based on you and your needs and make sense of things like deductibles, out-of-pocket costs, and what you get with each "tier" of the plan.

What are your top healthcare tips for freelancers?

The biggest challenge for freelancers who don't have employer paid-for health insurance is figuring out what to spend on. At Tia, we recommend setting an annual healthcare budget that may include everything from insurance premiums, to therapy or wellness services that may not be covered, to supplements you may take or even your green juice habits! If you think of your health through a more holistic lens, it can be helpful to think about why you may be comfortable spending a certain amount of money on an exercise class but not a doctor's office visit, and shift your budget accordingly so you can invest in the things you value and most directly impact your health.

Are there any misperceptions or misunderstandings about healthcare that you think are particularly unfortunate? And how would you clear them up?

That women's health is just your "lady parts!" At Tia, we practice a unique blend of integrative care that aims to treat the whole woman, and not a disparate set of body parts.

Yes, women need core preventive healthcare screenings like Pap smears and breast exams, but we believe that optimal health is much broader than that — it's your mental and emotional health, your sexual health, your digestive health — and that women need a "one-stop shop" that addresses them as a person end-to-end and connects the dots between things.

Find out more about The Tia Clinic.

"Always get a signed contract and deposit up front—no matter how small the job." -Lidia Varesco Racoma

Click for more tips from freelancers

1. Freelance Conversationalist
   "Motivate Design is a UX/UI design and research agency based in New York City. Our company has established a new research method for clients called Insider Insight, where research findings are empathy-driven and conversation-centered.
   
   We are looking for "Insiders" to talk with individuals in their personal network. The Insiders will be paid for the conversations they have, with compensation ranging from $25-$100 per conversation. The time commitment is completely up to you, with many of the conversations lasting from 15-20 mins a week." Apply here.
2. App developer
   "We’re looking for an App developer to come on board for a brand new project! We’re a wedding planning firm looking to take our services to the next level through our new app project, but we desperately need a kick-ass developer. Currently, this would be a contracted position with the opportunity to expand. Please check out our website and shoot me a message if you’re interested. Www.campbelleventsblog.com"
3. Social Media Manager
   "We’re looking for a Social Media Manager to engage and grow our social community. This individual will have the exciting opportunity to lead content creation, planning, community management, and performance optimization across key social platforms to engage the #BUILTBYGIRLS audience. The ideal candidate is obsessed with social media, has a pulse on topics that matter to Gen Z, and an eye for quality design." 
4. NYC: Creative Content Manager
   "~30 hrs/week for a female-founded, mission-driven startup, InLieu. InLieu is the first social giving app which combines a social network and a fun, easy way to securely donate to any charitable cause. The app allows people to give to charities in lieu of giving material gifts. Think Venmo, but instead of giving money to your friends, you tag them and give to nonprofits in their name."