We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Hannah Hansen. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Hannah below.
Hannah, so great to have you with us today. There are so many topics we want to ask you about, but perhaps the one we can start with is burnout. How have you overcome or avoided burnout?
When I left my agency job in 2022, I was burnt out — that was one of the biggest reasons I decided to work for myself. I wanted to be able to control my workload, my clients, and my schedule.
But, of course, being self-employed doesn’t magically fix burnout. Even after taking a six-month sabbatical, once I started working again, I found myself slipping back into old habits that I could feel were leading me down the same path of anxiety, depression, and, of course, burnout.
To combat this, I set up boundaries and habits to help me find balance and be mindful.
First, I do my best to work steady and consistent hours. For me, that’s Monday–Friday, 9am–5pm. Having set hours for work meant I don’t (usually) work in the evening or on the weekends, which for me is often unnecessary and just causes stress. I’m blessed to have a dedicated office at my home, so I only work in there, which allows me to fully relax in other areas of the house so I don’t associate the couch or my bedroom with work.
I put an app blocker on my phone that blocks all work-related apps in the evenings & on weekends. If I truly need to take care of something, I have to do it on my computer. I also set up restrictions so I can only access Instagram during weekdays from 8am–8pm for 30 minutes a day. This gives me enough time to post on my professional Instagram & reply to DMs, but not to endlessly scroll and distract myself.
Starting my day with quiet time allows me to ease into my work day, rather than starting my day by checking my email and feeling frantic about my to-do list. For me, that quiet time includes reading my Bible and doing a short prayer/meditation while I drink my morning coffee. Then, I can head into my office in a calm state, ready to tackle whatever the day throws at me.
Lastly, moving my body is hugely beneficial in avoiding burnout. Movement — such as going on a walk, playing tennis, or doing yoga — allows me to clear my mind, breathe deeply, and release tension in my muscles.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
I’m a full-service brand designer, specializing in hand-drawn logos! I’m passionate about creating a holistic brand experience, including logo design, web design, and copywriting.
I just released my 2024 Goals Planner, which helps anyone (including self-employed cuties!) set intentions, create daily habits, and achieve their goals. You can download it for free at hannahghansen.com/goals!
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
RESILIENCE — as a freelancer, you have less stability, so resilience is a much-needed quality.
WRITING — being an English major taught me how to sell, have empathy, and clearly communicate my ideas.
CONFIDENCE — truly fake it till you make it, y’all.
If you’re looking to improve these skills, I’d recommend going to therapy. (Seriously!) It’s been immensely helpful in allowing me to understand my emotions, believe in myself, and work through issues as they come up with an unbiased third party.
Before we go, any advice you can share with people who are feeling overwhelmed?
When I feel overwhelmed, especially with the work I have to do, I find it helpful to plan out my week.
I use Sunsama, which is essentially a time-blocking app that pulls in my personal & work calendars, tasks from multiple project management systems, and to-dos. I can space them out throughout the week based on due dates, and then schedule time for them each day.
This level of rigidity helps me structure my days and feel more accomplished at the end of the day. Instead of thinking about all I have left to do this week, I’m content to see that I completed the few items I had on my list today. Tomorrow’s tasks are for tomorrow.
Contact Info:
- Website: hannahghansen.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hannahghansen/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hannahghansen/
- Other: https://www.pinterest.com/hannahghansen13/
