Freelance Fitness – The Prevention Episode
Let’s be honest. Prevention isn’t sexy. It’s not fun. It means imagining things going wrong—whether it’s your body, your gear, your data, or your website—and no one wants to think about that.
But guess what?
Not thinking about it doesn’t mean bad things won’t happen.
It just means you’ll be caught off guard when they do.
Warmup First, Hustle Later
On this week’s episode of Freelance Fitness, I take you on a 10-minute jog with me (outside, in the sunshine!), where we kick off with a dynamic warmup. Because yes, prevention applies to your hamstrings too. Whether you’re going for a run or diving into a big project, it pays to prepare.
Now Let’s Talk Business
Just like skipping your warmup can land you with a pulled muscle, skipping preventative measures in your freelance business can lead to frustration, client dissatisfaction, or even lost income.
Let’s break it down:
🔒 Data & Website Security
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Use unique, complicated passwords and store them in a vault (not on Post-its like I used to).
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Turn on multi-factor authentication wherever possible.
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Keep your website and socials secure. Hacked accounts cost way more in time and stress than a password vault subscription.
💻 Backups, Backups, Backups
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Don’t edit your only copy of that precious recording or project file.
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Store backups offsite—not just on your desk or desktop.
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Know how to restore your data. Because backups don’t help if you don’t know how to use them.
🎙️ Equipment & Gear
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Have spare cables. Seriously. Also, make sure it’s fulled seated (plugged in all the way) You’d be surprised how often the problem is the cable.
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Keep a list of places or friends where you can rent or borrow gear in a pinch.
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Duplicate your mission-critical equipment, if you can. Your future self will thank you.
🧾 Business Essentials
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Back up your CRM data, invoices, receipts—everything that keeps the lights on.
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Invest in maintenance plans for your website or gear if you can.
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Think of it as buying peace of mind, not just another cost centre.
The Cost of Not Preparing
I know, all this sounds like a hassle. And yes, it can be expensive and time-consuming up front. But what’s the real cost of a crashed hard drive? Or losing client files the day before a deadline? Or realizing you can’t log into your account because someone else already did?
As a former IT support person (and the star of more than one “oops-I-broke-the-call-centre” story), I’ve seen all the ways things can go sideways. Trust me—prevention always costs less than the cure.
So What’s the Takeaway?
Whether it’s lacing up for a run or locking down your digital workspace, the effort you put into prevention will save you time, money, and headaches later.
👉 Want the full warm-up routine and a deeper dive into prevention tips?
Listen to the full episode of Freelance Fitness wherever you get your podcasts, and let’s stretch and strategize together.
Work hard. Rest well.
– Alison
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