selfcare

Quieting the Noise: Finding Focus When Your Brain Won’t

October 29, 2025 by AlisonP Leave a Comment

Can I ask you a question?

Where’s your head right now?
Anxious about what’s coming up?
Worrying about something that already happened?

You know you can’t change it, right?

You have to let it go.

Calm under pressure doesn’t come from ignoring the chaos; it comes from learning to move with it.

There are days when it feels like your brain is running on 47 open tabs, and instead of closing any of them, you just keep switching between windows, hoping the mental clutter will sort itself out. But it doesn’t. It piles up…until you can’t tell what’s urgent, or what can actually wait.

That’s mental overwhelm. And when it happens, your focus drifts.
You find yourself staring at your screen for fifteen, twenty minutes, not working, just staring off into space. Grocery lists. The show you’re watching. The cat’s food bowl.

I’ve been there. More times than I’d like to admit. In a week.

That’s when I know it’s time for a real break. Not a scroll-break or a match-3 game on my phone, but something that resets both my body and my mind. A short walk. Some shoulder rolls. A few deep breaths.

Because mind and body work together. When one gets stuck, the other can help it move again

The Cost of Staying in the Loop

When we ignore the need to pause, hydrate, and reset, our muscles, and our minds, rebel.

The stress → distraction → self-criticism → more stress loop hijacks attention and creative flow.
Overthinking tightens the throat before a voiceover session. Chronic tension leads to burnout and creative paralysis.

As freelancers and creatives, we often confuse busyness with productivity. We chase the next task, the next notification, the next idea, hoping that motion will feel like progress. But overstimulation fractures focus and motivation.

So ask yourself: Am I really being productive… or just busy?

Sometimes what you need most isn’t another hour at your desk — it’s three minutes of box breathing, a glass of water, or spending time in Child’s pose.

Finding Calm Within the Chaos

You can’t control what’s happening around you (deadlines, algorithms, family life, etc.), but you can control how you react to it. That’s real calm under pressure.

Start small. Create space to think. And breathe.

Here are a few ways to move from chaos to clarity:

Pair mindful breathing with gentle movement. Shoulder rolls, neck or arm stretches, or a quick forward fold can bring you back to the present.
Create “stress circuits.” Physical loops of motion. It could be a short walk or a repeated series of mini stretches to break the stress loop and reset focus.
Do a “Guilt Workout.” A workout for people who feel guilty about taking time for self-care. Take a restorative nap. Or something more active. Active recovery for the mind and body helps you recharge.
Declutter your digital space. Journal, tidy your desk, or turn off notifications for thirty minutes. Reclaim your attention.
Practice mindful motion. A walking meditation or mantra-based movement helps you find stillness within motion, not apart from it.

Let’s be honest: the chaos never really stops. If you wait for calm before you start, you’ll never start.

When panic hits, keep breathing. Keep moving. The pieces will fall back into place. And you’ll feel better, and clearer, as you get unstuck and begin moving forward again.

If this resonated, listen to the full Freelance Fitness episode, “Quieting the Noise: Finding Focus When Your Brain Won’t.”
It’s ten minutes of movement, mindset, and calm in the middle of your workday.

Don’t Let the Numbers Run Your Business: Why Stats Matter—but Perspective Matters More

October 1, 2025 by AlisonP Leave a Comment

We talk a lot about numbers in freelance creative businesses.
Income. Leads. Followers. Website traffic.

Just like in fitness: weight, reps, or heart rate.

And yes, those numbers matter. They help us track progress and see if the plan is working. But here’s the thing: any one number never tells the whole story.

You can have a spike in social followers with no paying clients.
Or hit a new fitness goal and still feel sluggish.

Numbers are a tool, but they aren’t the whole truth.

The Role of Metrics

Numbers give us feedback. They show whether a strategy is moving us closer to our goals.

When I launched my podcast Freelance Fitness, I didn’t just hit record and hope for the best. I made a list of every step required to produce an episode: writing, recording, editing, mixing, publishing. I refined that plan as I went. That’s how consistency happens—through process.

But a process without metrics is blind. You need clear, measurable, and attainable goals to know if your efforts are paying off. Otherwise, you’re just guessing.

Has your monthly income increased since you made a change?
Are you closing more deals?
Has that new software saved you time?

Metrics help answer those questions.

The Danger of Obsession

The problem comes when we obsess over one number.

I’ve fallen into that trap myself. I got hooked on impressions and likes. A viral post gives you a rush, but in my world (voiceover), impressions almost never translate into clients.

It wasn’t until I shifted focus to writing posts directly for my target audience, the people actually in a position to hire me, that I saw real results. Fewer likes, but more clients.

Here’s why any one number is misleading:

Numbers don’t measure quality. 10,000 impressions aren’t worth much without real engagement.
Context matters. Ten demo listens from the right clients beat 100 random website views.
One metric can distort your focus. You risk ignoring the bigger picture.
Business health is multidimensional. Income, repeat clients, efficiency, reputation—it all counts.
Numbers fluctuate naturally. Algorithms change, seasons shift. Don’t tie your mood to a rollercoaster.

A Balanced Approach

So how do you balance the usefulness of numbers with not letting them control you?

Track the basics. Choose 2–3 meaningful metrics. Not everything needs measuring.
Check in regularly, not obsessively. Weekly or monthly reviews are enough.
Pair numbers with reflection. Does the data align with how you feel about your business?
Stay flexible. Running a business is like hitting a moving target: trial, error, adjustments.
Seek perspective. Ask peers how they measure their progress. Sometimes you need an outside view.

At the end of the day, numbers should act like a dashboard, not a single flashing warning light.

They guide you, but they don’t define you.

Freelancing is iterative, like creating a recipe: you try, adjust, and improve. Even if something doesn’t “work out,” you’ve learned, collected data, and moved further ahead than where you started.

So yes, keep track of your numbers. But don’t let them run the show.

What’s the one metric you find hardest not to obsess over in your freelance business?

From Workshop to Workflow: How to Actually Apply What You’ve Learned

September 24, 2025 by AlisonP Leave a Comment

Continual education is in our DNA as freelancers.

We sign up for workshops, upgrade software, hire coaches, and attend conferences because we know our industries evolve constantly. Nobody wants to be the dinosaur that goes extinct.

But there’s an overlooked challenge:

How do you integrate this great new knowledge into your workflow?

We’ve all been there. You spend time and money on an amazing class, grab shiny new software, or attend a weekend conference. You come home inspired, buzzing with ideas… and then Monday hits. Client emails are waiting. Projects need attention. Suddenly, “integration” gets shoved to the side of your desk—and forgotten.

Six months later, the guilt sets in.

I can tell you honestly: I attended VO Atlanta last year, and I still haven’t looked at the session recordings. Not one. And yes, I still tell myself I’ll get to them before next year’s conference. I’m equally guilty.

So why does this gap matter?

Learning without practice fades fast. That workshop glow disappears quickly if you don’t put it into action.
New skills only stick when applied. That’s how they become second nature.
Integration builds confidence. Once you’ve used a new tool in real work, you stop second-guessing.
Your investment pays off. Money and time spent only deliver ROI when skills become part of your workflow.

And yet, freelancers are busy. Balancing client work, admin, and growth is messy. Add anxiety into the mix, and the pressure feels even heavier. (Trust me, my brain has gone down the “what if my computer crashes mid-session?” spiral many times.)

The good news? Integration doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Here are some practical steps to bridge the gap between knowing and doing:

Six Steps to Move from Workshop to Workflow

1. Shift the Mindset

Stop thinking of practice as “extra.” Treat it as part of your job. Use a live project as a testing ground, even if you don’t end up using the new tool in the final result.

2. Micro-Practice Beats Marathons

Forget the mythical “free afternoon.” Ten minutes of focused practice adds up. Try “skill sprints”: one feature, one shortcut, one vocal drill. Done.

3. Prioritize and Filter

After any class, pick three takeaways you’ll actually use. Not thirty. Ask: What’s immediately useful? What can wait?

4. Schedule Integration Time

Block 30 minutes a week for an “integration lab.” Protect it like you would a client deadline.

5. Build Accountability

Tell a peer what you’re working on. Track your reps in a journal or app. Visible progress motivates.

6. Extend Yourself Compassion

Struggling with new tools doesn’t mean failure—it means you’re learning. Even partial integration is progress.

The Payoff

When you consistently fold new knowledge into your workflow:

You reduce guilt.
You increase confidence.
You create a stronger, future-proof freelance business.

As I said on the Freelance Fitness podcast:

“Sounds like something you can handle, right? Of course you can. Once you’ve broken it down into little chunks, like this workout, that can fit anywhere in your day. Sky’s the limit.”

You don’t need a full overhaul—just one mini-experiment at a time.

One skill sprint.

One weekly integration block.

One step closer to your next level.

Take that, dinosaurs.

Saying No: The Freelance Survival Skill You Didn’t Know You Needed

September 17, 2025 by AlisonP Leave a Comment

Can we talk about saying no? Turning down work or not auditioning for a job?

As freelancers, so much of our energy is spent scanning for the next gig. It’s how we make our living, and let’s be honest, there’s always that fear of missing out. If we don’t throw our hat in the ring for every opportunity, what if the pipeline dries up?

But here’s the thing: freelancing doesn’t mean being available 24/7. You don’t have to audition for every role, answer every client call at dinner, or say yes to every project that lands in your inbox. Saying no isn’t laziness. It isn’t weakness. It’s boundaries.

And boundaries are what keep your freelance career sustainable.

Without limits, freelancing can swallow your entire life.

When you overcommit, burnout isn’t far behind. And when you’re burned out, your creativity, energy, and quality of work all drop. Ironically, the very thing you’re trying to protect—your income—can actually decline because you’re not showing up as your best self.

Think about it: are you really more “successful” if you’re answering emails during your kid’s soccer game or sneaking out of a family gathering to take a client call? Or are you just left guilty, distracted, and resentful?

An example from my life

For my mental well-being, I need to turn off when on vacation. Otherwise, intrusive work thoughts hang over me like a shadow and I won’t be present for the vacation. And then I won’t feel rested, nor will I feel productive, so it ends up being a waste. Some voice artists bring a travel kit with them, and I understand their reasoning, but I can’t relax unless I truly leave work behind. Those are my boundaries. I will check my emails for urgent things a couple times in a day and that’s it. And it’s usually just me replying that I can’t do the thing until I get back. In order for me to be present for others in my business I need to cultivate the ability to be present for myself outside of business as well.

Clients who respect you will respect boundaries. Most will adapt to “office hours” or “I’ll get back to you after the weekend.” The few who demand urgency 24/7? Unless they’re paying you a retainer to be on-call, you don’t owe them that level of access. Letting go of those clients opens up space for healthier, more respectful working relationships.

The truth is, the world doesn’t stop if you take a day off. Your business won’t collapse. You’re not less of a freelancer if you’re not grinding 24/7. In fact, the ability to step away is a sign of a strong foundation.

So, how do you start saying no without guilt?

Set clear boundaries. Define your working hours, your response times, and what counts as an “emergency.” Communicate them upfront, and stick to them.
Check in with your values. Ask yourself: do I need more income, more rest, more family time, or more growth right now? Say yes to work that aligns—and no to what doesn’t.
Practice the words. No doesn’t have to be harsh. Try:
- “I don’t have capacity right now.”
- “That’s outside my scope.”
- “I’d love to, but my calendar’s full—can we revisit next month?”
Protect your off-time. Vacation, weekends, even a random Wednesday afternoon—disconnect fully. Silence the notifications. Be present.
Trust your foundation. You’ve built something solid. Your work and your reputation can hold for a few days while you rest.

Here’s a challenge: take one day—just one—where you turn off the constant “yes.” No emails, no auditions, no admin. Watch how freeing it feels. You’ll realize you’re not the keystone holding up the universe—and that’s not a loss, that’s liberation.

Because in the end, saying no isn’t about rejecting work. It’s about protecting the energy that makes your work—and your life—worthwhile.

Want to hear more freelance business tips while doing something good for yourself? This article is adapted from my podcast Freelance Fitness, where I pair 10-minute workouts with real talk about the freelance life. Check it out here: https://media.rss.com/freelance-fitness/feed.xml

Long-Form Projects Aren’t Just a Pile of Short Ones

September 10, 2025 by AlisonP Leave a Comment

You know those quick creative projects you can knock out in a day or two?
They’re fun, fast, and satisfying.

But then comes the big one: a long-form project that stretches over days or even weeks. And here’s the truth—long-form projects are not just a bunch of short ones stuck together. They’re a whole different beast.

I learned this the hard way.

Early in my voiceover career, I landed my first long-form project: an audio version of an ophthalmology article for a professional journal. About 30 minutes of finished audio. At the time, that was many times longer than anything I’d tackled before.

Up until then, my jobs took an hour—tops. Suddenly, I had a 30-minute script of dense medical text. I underestimated how long it would take me. So, I worked late into the night, cramming to reach the unrealistic deadline I’d given the client and as a result, delivered audio that showed how exhausted I was. The client wasn’t thrilled, and I had to re-record. Ouch.

That project taught me lessons I wish I’d known sooner. Today, I can do the same job in an afternoon—with better energy, better editing, and a better result. And if you’re stepping into long-form work (whether voice, writing, design, animation, or film), here’s how you can avoid the pitfalls I stumbled into.

Pitfall 1: Underestimating the Time

Why it matters: Long projects always take more time than you think.
How to avoid it: Break the project into manageable chunks. Create milestones and celebrate small wins. Also, this helps you fit it in around all the other tasks you have to do.

Pitfall 2: Burning Out Too Soon

Why it matters: A sprint at the start leaves you sloppy and tired at the end.
How to avoid it: Pace yourself. Treat creative work like a workout—short, focused sessions beat one frantic all-nighter. Tools like Pomodoro timers or blocked-off “deep work” hours help maintain energy.

Pitfall 3: Losing the Thread

Why it matters: Without a compass, your project drifts off course and loses clarity.
How to avoid it: Anchor to the brief. Choose 3–5 keywords that capture the project’s essence (tone, audience, purpose) and keep them visible. Before you deliver, ask: Does this align?

Pitfall 4: Client Misalignment

Why it matters: If you and the client aren’t checking in, small misunderstandings snowball into big rewrites.
How to avoid it: Build in regular checkpoints. Map out when you’ll deliver updates and what you’ll show. This creates alignment and keeps the client engaged without micromanaging.

Pitfall 5: Chaotic Systems

Why it matters: Losing files or missing deadlines damages trust faster than anything else.
How to avoid it: Use consistent file naming, automated backups, and a clear deliverables timeline. Even a simple shared calendar makes a world of difference.

The Takeaway

If you can deliver short, punchy work, you can also succeed at long-form projects—it just takes a little more structure and strategy. With pacing, systems, and client communication, long projects stop being overwhelming monsters and become opportunities to create something deep, polished, and lasting.

So if that big project comes your way? Don’t be afraid to take it on.
You’re more ready than you think.

And if you like mixing creative freelance tips with a dose of fitness, check out my podcast Freelance Fitness!

Fuelling Your Fire: Motivation Tips for Freelance Creatives

August 13, 2025 by AlisonP Leave a Comment

The Why Behind the Work

This time a year ago I was struggling creatively.

I’d been kicking around the idea of launching a podcast for years, but it never seemed like the right time. This time, though, I was sure I’d hit on the right formula. A clear log line.

Except I also had all the excuses, recent car accident, family obligations, work…you know, life.

But the idea wouldn’t go away. Heck, wanting to produce a podcast is what got me into voiceover in the first place. I then diverged, quite happily, I might add, into commercial, narration and e-learning voiceover, but that podcast thing, because I’m such a big fan of them, never really left me.

The problem was, I always had some excuse not to take action:

How am I even going to juggle this new recording project with everything else I have going on?
How am I going to come up with new podcast topic ideas every week?
What if it sucks? Isn’t it better not to try than be publicly messy as I navigate this new skill set?

I didn’t say these were good excuses.

And if you go look up my podcasts Freelance Fitness and Pigiste pas Figiste, you’ll see that it was an entire year more before the trailer dropped. I spent that time not planning or creating, just…wallowing.

What I wasn’t willing to face was that I lacked the motivation to begin my podcast project. I was taxiing around in circles instead of lining up with the runway and taking off.

It’s not just personal projects that can sit on the sidelines due to a lack of motivation. We can be unmotivated by client projects as well. Maybe it’s decent money, but we’re bored. Or maybe unforeseen snags in production have us feeling frustrated, so we don’t want to look at it. Or maybe we’re frozen in panic as the deadline approaches.

Especially when we have colleagues and clients counting on us to be reliable, to deliver on time, the fruits of our creative labours.

When we lack motivation, we feel guilty, we self-reproach, we feel overwhelmed and unproductive. We hide our heads in the sand hoping it will go away on its own because we are creatives! What’s wrong with me? How can I not be inspired at every moment?

Let me reassure you that you are not the first, the last, or the only creative freelancer who has felt this way. It happens to us all. It’s normal.

But it is a problem, so let’s try to get our heads around it.

Fuelling your Freelance Fire

What opportunities are we missing out on when a lack of motivation weighs us down?

Growth. Learning new skills pushes us out of our comfort zone.
A display of our creative skills that could resonate with other like-minded individuals, leading to a collaboration that benefits both.
Connection to others. We tend to close in on ourselves instead of opening up.
Joy! Creation brings me joy. Sharing my experience in voiceover and fitness with you all brings me joy (see the point about connection above)

What sorts of things might be holding us back?

Imposter Syndrome

You’re waiting for the right circumstances to manifest before taking action for your next creative endeavour.
Not comfortable learning and becoming in public.

I am constantly experimenting and evolving this podcast, seeing what resonates with my listeners, what’s working, and what doesn’t. I’ve made changes along the way, almost from day 1, because it’s a living, breathing work in progress.

Yes, I listened to many tutorials first and went in with a plan, but there are so many things that can only be learned by experience. Things that someone can tell you, but that you can’t really know until you’re doing it yourself.

If I let the fear of not being perfect on Day 1 get in the way of starting, I never would have started! And then I wouldn’t be where I am today! What new learned skills might I have missed out on? (Confession time: I didn’t figure out how to mix down in stereo instead of mono until episode 3! I didn’t even realize it was a thing I’d be able to do. But, I do now!)

I chose to have a video exercise guide accompany each audio podcast episode, so I’ve had to learn how to edit video (imperfectly–I like to think of it as naturalistic and charming) but I get to practice my voiceover video dubbing skills when I narrate the videos I’ve made!

By giving myself permission to play and experiment in my podcast, I gain voiceover performance skills for auditions and jobs.

So, even if all your ideas are terrible that day, at least they’re out of the way. It’s still progress, it’s still getting the juices flowing. In the end, it’s still an accomplishment, even if it’s a little ugly and rough.

This realization also helps me in directed voiceover recording sessions. I don’t fear feedback anymore. I’m not worried that when they ask me to do it again, but differently, that I’ve done something wrong. I’ve comfortable now to explore and experiment to find the right read without thinking about sounding silly or amateur. Because if I’ve gone too far (too loud, too pushed, too bright, too sing-songy, too…whatever) I know that after we laugh it off, we’ll just try something else.

It’s part of the process.

You can always pull it back, but if you’ve never explored your edges, you will never know how big a space you really have to work in. Allow yourself a child’s grace of experimentation and evolution. How can you get better if you don’t practice? Each person is unique. Each space shape will be unique. You’ll have to discover your shape by yourself. No one can tell you what it is.

And what an invaluable tool it will be for you!

Lack of Inspiration

You’ve run out of original ideas.
Just thinking of this project drains what energy you have left.

I’ll be honest, I wasn’t even motivated to write this post. There was a sense of obligation, of course, I have a publication schedule I do my best to respect. But I didn’t sleep at all well the night before so it was really tough to get my thoughts organized.

Besides coffee and exercise to wake me up. I had few other tricks I could lean on to help get this post going.

I keep a running list of ideas. A document of random thoughts and ideas that might make for a good post or podcast subject. Some weeks I’ll add five to it, other times I need take one or two out because I’m drawing a blank. So I always have a pool to draw from if I need to.
Proper sleep, proper breaks like weekends, evenings, and vacations are great ways to recharge your batteries and allow you to get out of the home or office to engage in experiences that can inspire your work down the line.
If time is short, a quick walk around the block or a trip to the local cafe might help shake things up a bit. Inspiration comes from connection, openness and grounding. Get out of your head. Look, feel, sense around you, the other people sharing this space with you, observe and respond.
Be inspired by music. I sometimes use music I feel matches the tone of the script I’m reading. I also have a have a feelings wheel, and list of archetypes to try on for different reads.
If all else fails, pick your ideal customer, agent, whoever you want to be engaged with this idea of yours. What do they need from you? I use this trick all the time when voicing commercials and narrating videos. I speak to one specific person out of my imaginary audience. Someone I know needs to hear what I’m saying. I’ll even make up some extra dialogue that’s not in the text to help me get into the right tone and style for the read.

What about you. Who needs to hear your message the most? Imagine yourself talking to them. The conversation will flow naturally!

No Time for Creativity

Too many tasks on your plate so there’s no time for anything but a template cut and paste.
Too many tasks and not knowing where to start.
Tasks that are part of your job, but are your least favourite so you keep putting them off.

I’m juggling a lot of responsibilities, voice-acting, podcasting, marketing, family life, etc. It’s a real balancing act to organize my day. And an unexpected event can easily upset the balance.

Staying focused is a challenge, especially since I work from home and so does my husband, because we share an office. There’s a lot of distraction around me above and beyond even the other voiceover business related tasks clamouring for my attention.

And speaking of those other voiceover business tasks, you know, the ones that aren’t the creative, fun recording jobs and auditions ones? I think I’ve mentioned in a previous post how I feel about them.

Sometimes I’m just not motivated.

OK. So you’re so choosing to take action, and not wait for motivation. Perfect. Because we don’t always have the luxury of time. Now, which of the 18 tasks should you focus on first? What to do when your motivation problem is an overwhelm problem and that clock is ticking?

Here are some things that work for me.

Schedule things even if you’re the only one involved in the task. Book it out like it’s a meeting. It always makes me feel more accountable somehow when I see it in my calendar.
Leave extra time for the unexpected. If you get it done faster, great! If not, at least the tasks won’t start piling up like a log jam.
Small, quick tasks first, checked off and out of the way, leave me feeling more productive! Instead of doing the long one first and running out of time for the others.
Have a process. I know I’ve mentioned this before regarding hiring external help, but this is still true for the tasks we must do ourselves. You should have a process to triage your various tasks to help you choose which to do first so you don’t waste time having to figure it out each day.

Turn Energy Into Action

We stall when we don’t feel like we’re making progress. But holding steady, grinding it out works most days. Inspiration comes in fits and starts; some days it flows like water, other days it’s like wading through waist-deep mud. I think only those outside the creative industry believe that creative life means staring at your screen while your muse flows through your fingers. I only wish that were true.

Whenever you’re feeling stuck, remember this…

Lots of folks talk about making a movie one day, writing a script, or a novel, animated series, song, podcast, stand up special…but how many actually do? You are already doing it, you’ve taken that hardest of all steps, the first one.
We have choices, because we’re the boss. We are freelancers because we like to decide our own fates. So choose your next challenge. If it’s boring, then maybe choose that first and reward yourself with a fun task later. If you lack inspiration, choose to shake things up. If you’re scared of disappointing your client, then choose confidence.

Life isn’t always filled with unicorns.

What else can we do to pull out of that stall and get soaring again?

Reach out to talk about your next project, to chat about voiceover or fitness.

Or, let’s schedule a discovery call so you can hear my booth in action!

Subscribe to my podcast for fun and functional business and exercise talk: Motivation: What to do when you don’t want to do

ALISON PENTECOST