Coping with the 'cult of busy'

This week Frankie Tortora and Steve Folland have a chat in response to a question from freelance 'policy geek' Elaine Wilson. She says:

"How honest should I be about my current workload?

Like many freelancers I have busier and quieter spells (quieter around the summer holiday period for instance because I don't have many childcare options and I want to spend that time with my daughter).

For some reason whenever a client, family member or other school parent asks what I've got on at the moment I feel really awkward telling them that I'm winding down for the school holidays or that my workload is quiet.

I know this works best for my family (and my own stress levels) and I'm trying to pursue my own creative project on the side during these quieter periods, but I feel like I should be projecting this image of being busy and that this somehow seems more professional not to be. I sort of imagine I should be like Alan Johnson in Peep Show, but I come across as more of a Jez!”

What would your advice be? Let us know your thoughts using #DIFTKpodcast on Twitter and Instagram, and join in the conversation via the DIFTK Community on Facebook.

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