At the moment I am writing this post, the inhabitants
of several countries face intensive and random bombing. Those attacked include
Ukrainians, Israelis, Gazans and Iranians. Many of these civilians are
freelancers, working from home. The challenge they face in trying to make a
living while keeping their lives and those of their family together is
extraordinary, even greater than salaried employees. While it may be easier or
even unavoidable to stop working until the bombing ends, freelancers should
continue to seek work, if possible, because it is possible and beneficial with
a few modifications. Let us hope that this “new normal” situation soon becomes
ancient history.
The number of freelancers struggling to work today is
quite significant. Ukraine has more than 500,000 self-employed people. 17.69% of
Israel, with a population of 5.7 million adults, is self-employed, many of whom are
freelancers. Gaza is estimated to have some 12,000 entrepreneurs. Iran, with a
population of 63 million adults, reports a self-employed rate of 42.5%, some of
whom are freelancers working at home. Clearly, the businesses of many of these
entrepreneurs depend on import/export or the local economy, which may be
severely limited at this point. However, many of these self-employed individuals provide
services through the Internet that are not directly limited by the war.
The challenge all of them face is to run a business
between dashes to the bomb shelter or its equivalent, maintaining work discipline
when they and their families cope with extreme stress and remain professional.
The current conflicts feature bombing at random times, day and night. Civilians
have little time, if they are lucky, to seek relative shelter. The sirens
prevent a full night’s sleep either through the necessity to wake up and go to
a shelter or the anxiety that this event may occur. Everybody has jet lag
symptoms while not even going abroad. The enforced breaks and fatigue make it
difficult to schedule work in any predictable manner. Unlike salaried
employees, freelancers work at home and must also cope with the stress of their
families, especially children, who need comfort and diversion. Amid this chaos,
the freelancer must somehow produce proper results on time. That goal requires
great effort.
For some, it is a bridge too far. Despite the need to
earn money, many entrepreneurs can barely drag themselves through the day.
Every person reacts to stress differently. Nearby explosions and even those reported in the mediaa create massive
anxiety, both conscious and subconscious. Some people can distance themselves
from the first and continue to function but others feel it directly and
struggle to maintain some balance. Parents have the extra load of trying to protect the mental health of their children. It is no less difficult for
people living alone. With no possibility of social activity in person, they
often become isolated, which only adds stress. It is more than enough to keep
one’s head straight during the day without pretending to do work.
However, I have found that continuing to work has improved
my ability to cope by occupying my mind, earning money and enforcing a routine. When
uncontrollable events, which include rockets and bombs, are the source of the
anxiety, there is, in effect, no action that a person can take to ease the
anxiety. Under these conditions, considering the dangers and the time of the
next attack only increases the fear. Consequently, focusing the mind on work
keeps the devil away. Furthermore, for freelancers whose income is always
uncertain, the knowledge that they are earning money at this time is always
positive. Keep in mind that there is no guarantee that the respective
governments will compensate them for lost income in any meaningful way after
the war. Finally, work is a routine, the best medicine in times of trouble.
Life seems ordinary when you work.
That said, bombings and normal productivity do not go
together. Consequently, it is necessary to make a few adjustments in terms of
deadlines, project types, and processes. First, since the daily routine is
subject to sudden change, freelancers must add time to their deadlines to
compensate for any potential delay. Secondly, projects involving extreme
concentration or complicated thought become much more difficult. Entrepreneurs
should carefully consider whether now is the appropriate time to take such
projects on. Finally, if focus and concentration are less than normal, it may
be worthwhile to share brains by asking for help from a spouse or colleague at
least in terms of QA. Two brains, even if not fully functioning, are better
than one struggling one. These steps help ensure the customers receive a proper quality of
work even if the sky is falling.
For many of us, work has become a challenging
diversion. Freelancers in countries under attack find it difficult to make a
living. They fear for their lives and those of their families. Explosives
overhead create high anxiety. If you have an opportunity to help them, send
them work or even a “how are you doing?” note. Let’s hope for peace quite
soon. In the meantime, I would say to my fellow freelancers, “Let’s try to do a
little work”.
P.S. If there are a mistake or two, please forgive me. War wreaks hell on writing also.
