Let’s talk about feelings.
Not the cute, inspirational Instagram kind.
The inconvenient ones.
The ones that show up on a Tuesday when you have a deadline.
Because sometimes… life is life-ing.
Stress. Anxiety. Grief. Frustration.
There are so many reasons your emotions might be spilling over while your calendar still says: have the meeting, deliver the thing.
So the question becomes:
What do you do with your feelings when you still need to work?
When Emotions Show Up on Workdays
It’s not necessarily an emergency.
The house isn’t on fire.
No one is in the hospital.
But maybe you lost a pet.
Maybe you went through a breakup.
Maybe you scratched your car door. (Speaking for a friend here.)
Maybe your dentist just told you that you need an invasive procedure.
Maybe you’re worried about your mom’s health.
Or your kid’s grades. (Also… speaking for a friend.)
There can be a thousand reasons your emotions are on a roller coaster while your calendar keeps moving.
Now those personal feelings are creeping into your professional life.
You sit down to work — and your brain is spinning.
Maybe there’s a client you’re dreading dealing with today.
But you signed a contract.
You can’t back out now.
Maybe you’re stressed about things completely outside your control: weather, traffic, delays getting approvals, someone else’s decision.
Some days are just harder.
Not because you’re incapable.
Not because you’re lazy.
Just because internally, you’re running into a headwind.
And often you’re trying very hard not to show it.
But that effort drains even more energy.
As a runner, I think about it this way:
When I’m running into a headwind, my pace slows down and my effort increases.
When I have a tailwind?
Everything feels amazing. My pace is faster than usual. Everything clicks.
Those days are great.
But life isn’t all tailwinds.
Sometimes it’s crosswinds — and you’re just fighting to stay on track.
The same is true in work.
How fast you’re “running” professionally also depends on what’s happening internally.
How did you sleep last night?
Are you coming off a long day?
Are you emotionally or physically exhausted?
Your expectations need to match the conditions.
Work with the mind and body you’ve got today.
And if you’re truly sick, injured, or depleted beyond function?
Go home and rest.
You’re the boss.
Your brain and body are your most valuable business assets.
Unmanaged Emotions Leak Into Your Work
Why does this matter?
Because emotions don’t disappear when you ignore them.
They leak.
Into the tone of your emails.
Into your patience on calls.
Into your ability to focus creatively.
If your brain is spiralling, you cannot access your best creative thinking.
So instead of trying to shove everything down and pretend it’s not happening, try reframing the situation.
Your feelings are real.
They are valid.
And they are happening inside you.
But they are not the same thing as the external circumstance.
That distinction matters.
Handling emotions effectively is not “soft.”
It’s productive.
It’s what allows you to regulate your internal state so you can still choose your actions.
Think of it like running.
Instead of trying to outrun fear or anxiety, run alongside it.
Let it exist.
And when you’re ready, take the lead again.
One of the most effective tools for doing that is movement.
If you’re feeling emotional — move.
If you’re angry — move.
If you’re excited and can’t focus — definitely move.
Run. Walk. Lift. Bike. Paddle. Do yoga. Dance around your living room.
Exercise releases endorphins for a reason. They don’t call it a runner’s high for nothing.
Movement shifts your brain chemistry.
It turns rumination into action.
And just like running, not every effort will look the same.
Even when you’re on the exact same route.
Some days you fly with a tailwind.
Some days your legs feel like concrete because you pushed too hard the day before.
Some days your pace is slower.
But the run you complete into a headwind — when you show up and give your best effort despite the conditions — often builds the most strength.
Emotionally and physically.
How to Work When Your Emotions Are Loud
So what do you actually do when feelings show up and you still have work to deliver?
Here are a few practical steps.
1. Name the feeling
“I’m anxious.”
“I’m grieving.”
“I’m frustrated.”
“I’m distracted.”
Naming the feeling separates you from it.
You are not the emotion. You are the person experiencing it.
That alone can create enough distance to move forward.
2. Regulate your nervous system
Before you try to produce or solve problems, calm your physiology.
Take a deep breath in.
Fill your lungs.
Then breathe out slowly.
Empty them completely.
Repeat a few times.
You cannot think clearly when your nervous system thinks it’s under threat.
3. Move your body
Don’t wait until you feel motivated.
Motivation often shows up after movement, not before.
Movement changes your internal chemistry and shifts you out of mental loops.
It’s one of the fastest ways to reset your brain. Turn reaction into action.
4. Adjust expectations to the conditions
If today is a headwind day, you may not hit your personal record.
That’s okay.
You can still show up fully with the capacity you have.
Work with today’s conditions — not yesterday’s expectations.
And if you truly don’t have the capacity?
Reschedule.
Communicate.
Rest.
That’s not weakness.
That’s leadership.
5. Stop trying to eliminate your emotions
You don’t have to shove your feelings into a drawer.
You don’t have to eliminate them before you can work.
You can carry them with you.
Let them sit in the passenger seat — but not the driver’s seat.
Final Thought
You are allowed to be emotional and professional.
You are allowed to feel grief and still deliver.
To feel anxiety and still create.
To feel frustration and still move forward.
The goal is not to become emotionless.
The goal is to become regulated enough to choose your actions.
So whatever you’re feeling today — bring it with you.
Keep moving anyway.
And maybe, by the end of the day, the headwind won’t feel quite so strong.
This article is based on an episode of my Freelance Fitness podcast, where I combine short workouts with honest conversations about building a sustainable creative freelance business. If you work in video production, audio production, or any creative field and want business advice without hustle culture nonsense, you’re in the right place.
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