Freelancing Q&A: Boundaries, Burnout, Niching Down, and Lessons Learned

By Angela

Jun 15, 2025

Tips & Advice

I got some really thoughtful questions from Lina after my last freelancing video, so I'm answering them here in blog form for anyone who prefers to read. These are things I've learned the hard way over the past decade of freelancing—through trial, error, and occasionally, total burnout. Let's dive in.

How did you manage multiple projects at once without burning out?

This is a multi-part answer, because managing multiple projects is one thing—not burning out is something else entirely.

First, the logistics: I keep a calendar and I work on one task at a time. Every project goes through phases: proposal, scope of work, build, review, launch. Each phase has tasks, and I track those on a project board. That helps me know exactly where I am in a project without having to carry it all in my head.

I can work on multiple projects in a single day, but only because I know what's done, what's next, and when my deadlines are. That comes from experience—and from being honest with myself about how long things actually take.

But burnout? I don't think burnout comes from working on too many projects. I think it comes from a lack of balance and poor boundaries.

Here's an example: I used to tell one of my clients, Alan, when I was taking the afternoon off. Without fail, he'd call me with an “emergency.” That's not just a scheduling problem—it's a boundary problem.

Burnout happens when I don't take breaks, when I work too long without moving my body, when I stop seeing friends, when I stop cooking my meals and walking my dog. If I ignore my own needs for too long, I burn out.

So I keep things pretty structured. I keep my home tidy. I go to the grocery store. I cook my meals. I rarely order food. I take care of myself and my space—because that's part of staying well enough to do this work.

Did you think it was important to niche down as a freelancer?

Short answer: nope. 100% stay general.

If I'm reading between the lines, you might be asking if niching down gives you some kind of competitive advantage. Maybe. But I don't think so. And more importantly—it sounds boring.

What I do think is important is diversifying your freelance work. Here's what that looked like for me:

I worked directly with small businesses and handled everything start to finish. Those were most of my projects.
I partnered (not legally) with an SEO specialist. He handled the client relationship and I handled the development. Sometimes communication was a challenge. That's when I learned to create checklists for client sign-off.
I collaborated with a content writer. We formed an LLC (which I'll talk about in a minute), but it didn't last. We billed separately. I had client access, which was great, but there was no structure—and one of those projects dragged on for over a year. Lesson learned.
I did contract work for an agency. I didn't have direct contact with the client, and I had to follow their project management system, which made it really hard to prevent endless revisions.

So no—I don't think you need a niche. I think you need options. The broader your experience, the more flexible and valuable you become.

How did you decide if a client was a good long-term fit?

Simple:
Do they pay my invoices, and are they nice to work with?
If the answer is yes, they're a good long-term fit.

How did you deal with clients who constantly requested last-minute changes?

Ah, the dreaded scope creep.

This is where your documentation saves you. If you don't have a clear scope of work (SOW), you're already at a disadvantage. You need a checklist for client review and sign-off. Once they sign off and the site launches, that's the end of the project.

If they ask for more work, create a new scope.

Yes, it's uncomfortable. Yes, it can be an awkward conversation. But clients can't respect boundaries they don't know exist. You have to talk about this early and often.

And if a client is withholding payment until you make last-minute changes? Sometimes you'll have to eat it. But after that, schedule a meeting. Create a hard stop.

When the project is launched and paid for, you are not obligated to keep working. You don't owe anyone free labor, especially not when the agreement is done.

What was your biggest mistake as a freelancer?

Oh, I've got two.

1. Forming an LLC with a collaborator.
That was a painful lesson. Partnerships work best for me when they're project-based and informal. That situation was confusing, and it ended a friendship. I won't make that mistake again.

2. Not charging enough.
When you undercharge, it's hard to save money. I took on jobs I didn't want because I was broke. There's nothing romantic about the “starving freelancer” thing. Charge enough to give yourself breathing room.