Stressed out? Here are some coping strategies to stress less

[smashradio]

With all the latest "improvements" on Fiverr, like success scores, Fiverr's AI fetish, and changes to the level system, our mental health as sellers is more on the line than ever before.

Fiverr has always gamified our careers, but it has gotten to a point where many veteran freelancers are ditching the platform or have stopped caring due to sheer mental exhaustion.

Fiverr will tell you that it's for your own good – bless their hearts –  so while they're busy generating some GPT drivel about these changes being improvements empowering sellers like you, I thought I'd look into the techniques you can use, at the very least to make it less miserable.

At the end of the day, my conclusion is that being a freelancer on Fiverr isn't fun anymore. The community has died off thanks to low quality mumbo jumbo, while actual contributors are getting banned left and right for raising their voices about it. 

Anyway, I digress.

Here are some stuff you can do to stress less. 

• Set boundaries: Yes, I'm banging the boundary drum again, because it's so important for your sanity. If you've got buyers messaging you at midnight and expecting you to answer, it's time to set some office hours and stick to them. 
• Tighten up your revisions policy: No free lunch. Make it clear from the get-go and have an easy to understand revision policy that includes you getting paid for your time. Working for free makes Fiverr even less fun. Knowing your own value has the added benefit of attracting buyers who also understands this concept.
• Take real breaks: And no, scrolling on Insta isn't a break. Get up, get out, get some air. It keeps burnout at bay (and it's good for you). 
• Keep learning: Stay on top of the changes happening and read all you can about it. And when Fiverr spews out some GPT corporate speak about stuff like success scores and alike, read between the lines. There's a lot to be learned and knowing how stuff works instead of guessing will make things less miserable down the line. 
• Know when to say no: No, that project isn't worth your mental wellbeing. If it smells fishy, it's probably not sushi, but Surströmming (if you know, you know.) Only work on projects that feels right, even if it means earning less this month. Being picky about your buyers is more important than ever, and a 100 bucks today could mean endless revision loops tomorrow. Vet your buyers. 

Fiverr seems intent on cranking up the stress, but you don't have to let it rule your life. Disconnect, take a real vacation, regroup, and come back when you're good and ready. Your well-being is worth more than their bottom line.

Edited April 21 by smashradio

[sabinespoems]

Another well-written and very true post @smashradio! I'm tired so I don't have the mental capacity to respond thoroughly (or coherently for that matter) but I wanted to emphasize the importance of #5 (for me at least). I've experienced both the stress and anxiety that comes with working someone who set off my gut feeling where I didn't listen to it, and the relief after turning a project down. Sometimes I didn't realize how much I was dreading to work on a project after saying no. Because, indeed, it can be difficult to say no to money (like hello that's what keeps our gears going) but it's so so so true it's not always worth it. Whether they have a book of demands, don't quite fit what you offer, or are just allover bad vibes just walk away and be better for it. 

P.s. I do know Surströmming but I can't say I've ever tried it, nor have a desire to tbh 😅 do you enjoy this delicacy? 

Edited April 23 by sabinespoems

[mandyzines]

Great post! Can I add eat whole foods and drink plenty of water?

[smashradio]

19 hours ago, mandyzines said:

Great post! Can I add eat whole foods and drink plenty of water?

Totally! And Red Bull! 

20 hours ago, sabinespoems said:

do you enjoy this delicacy? 

Not particularly. Back in my youth I used to work as cabin crew, and someone thought it would be funny to bring a box onboard and open it while in cruise. The captain actually decided to divert after 14 passangers puked all over the galley trying to escape the rancidness. 😁

The passenger ended up having to pay 150 000 euros. 🤑

[mandyzines]

1 hour ago, smashradio said:

Totally! And Red Bull! 

Yes, then tequila for the come down!

[catwriter]

31 minutes ago, mandyzines said:

Yes, then tequila for the come down!

And then the hospital? 😄 

[smashradio]

51 minutes ago, catwriter said:

And then the hospital? 😄 

I used to sing Norwegian-country-about-a-low-budget-TV-drama-karaoke through a boob-shaped microphone without a t-shirt on, dancing on top of the bar, after drinking tequila. That stuff just ain't for me. 

Good day and welcome to Hotel Cæsar
Hotel CÆsar, a home for you and me
At the reception stands Alex
Benedicte hangs out at the bar
Jens August and Juni have a sinister plan
And poor Ninni tries to hide her bun in the oven
Hotel Cæsar 🎵

(By the way, I know the singer, Rune. He's semi famous in Norway and he's a sleeze ball.) 😅

 

Edited April 24 by smashradio

[smashradio]

On a different musical note, this guy is my wind-down. 

 

Edited April 24 by smashradio

[collinsconsult]

Thanks for this great piece. Music and rest/sleep work like magic. 

[emmaki]

I could have sworn I posted this earlier. Surely a song from a video game OST is not problematic?

This was the best song from RDR2!

I cri evrytiem 😓

[smashradio]

4 hours ago, emmaki said:

I could have sworn I posted this earlier. Surely a song from a video game OST is not problematic?

This was the best song from RDR2!

A fellow RDR2 fan! I've got to say I disagree with you on the best track though. It's definitely Unshaken! When I returned from Guarma and that song kicked in during the ride back, I finally relaxed for the first time in hours. It was so melancholic and peaceful, yet I knew I was heading back into a storm of bullets, trouble, and ultimately, death. I've never experienced such a mix bag of emotions from a video game story – or any story, for that matter – in my life.

[emmaki]

Nope, the finest moment was John Marston building home with Uncle (did Uncle help? I can't remember him being anything other than drunk and useless, getting kidnapped all the time) to this banging tune. It's the perfect bit of jauntiness can-do American spirit after all the death and misery. A brief respite from the emotional assault. Let's face it, all the chapters leading up to that part were pretty rough. And it was all Ian McShane's fault! 

Now I want to watch Deadwood again. That has an amazing theme song.

 

[vickiespencer]

[emmaki]

Is there a reason a music video didn't pass muster in the morning round slew of comment approvals? I mean, if chocolate quotes are fine, I'm sure one of the best theme songs from one of the best TV shows of the 2000s is fine.

It doesn't criticize Fiverr and is positive for a start. Except for the story, but it's hardly my fault if a video game is full of tragedy, d-word, and trauma, is it?

[smashradio]

On 4/27/2024 at 9:23 PM, emmaki said:

Nope, the finest moment was John Marston building home with Uncle (did Uncle help? I can't remember him being anything other than drunk and useless, getting kidnapped all the time) to this banging tune. It's the perfect bit of jauntiness can-do American spirit after all the death and misery. A brief respite from the emotional assault. Let's face it, all the chapters leading up to that part were pretty rough. And it was all Ian McShane's fault! 

Now I want to watch Deadwood again. That has an amazing theme song.

Deadwood is on my watchlist. 

Uncle never did anything. But he was there. 

The entire game was an assault on your emotions. But I found the prologue to be just as difficult, emotionally speaking, because I knew how it would end. When the Pinkertons stood at the hill watching Johns home at the end... Bwwoah. Then it was just sad.