Why writing under pressure kills your business

It’s a familiar scenario in ol’ copywriting land. You schedule in a job here, another there – and soon you’re spending more time arranging clients than doing the actual copywriting work. Before you know it, you have not one but several deadlines looming.

Enter writing under pressure.

I’ll admit I’ve found myself in this situation on more than one occasion. And there’s nothing to do but suck it up and write ‘til the wee hours of the morn. It’s a scenario that nobody wants or enjoys – but it can easily be avoided.

Sometimes, though, clients have tight deadlines. I’ve written about reporting under pressure before – and it’s unavoidable in certain situations.

But most of the time, it’s up to you to manage your time well, start your copywriting projects on time and avoid the need to write under pressure.

The negative effects of writing under pressure

Back in school and university days, we were high-fiving each other when we pulled all-nighters. But in the client world? Not so much.

There are a host of negative consequences – on both your mental health and long term business success – that arise from leaving your copywriting work to the last minute and therefore rushing it.

Stress

The number one enemy of a copywriter.

Stress is associated with numerous health concerns – from headaches to chronic, long-term disease. Stress can result in sudden illness which ultimately means less work and income. Prolonged stress can have serious implications for your mental health, too.

Stress impacts the creative process

When you’re stressed, the ‘flight or fight’ response is activated and your body is flooded with around 30 different hormones to help prepare you to deal with the ‘threat’. This impacts the creative process because the brain prioritises primal emotions over abstract thinking and creativity. Essentially, stress shuts out the creative part of the brain.

Risk of writer’s block

Ever been so stressed you can’t think of anything to write? This only increases your stress levels, which increases your inability to write. It’s a vicious cycle.

Client relationships are strained

If you’re feeling stressed and under pressure, you’ll probably also find it difficult to hold yourself together when dealing with clients. And clients pick up on everything from abrupt, delayed emails to poor phone manner.

The quality of your copywriting will suffer

You won’t be able to write as well as you could if you were focused and stress-free. You’ll be at risk of submitting sub-standard copywriting work with typos and poor spelling. Not only will you be producing average work, you’ll also be reducing your chances of securing ongoing client work.

Avoid boiling point

Writing under pressure is no good for your business – or your health. So here are some proactive strategies to put in place to help you avoid writing during the eleventh hour.

Invest in a foolproof deadline management system

Invest time in setting up a system that works for you – whether that’s a detailed Excel spreadsheet or project management software. When you schedule in work, use calendars, too. Estimate how long the work will take and look at when you need to start, and work backwards.

Check your system every day

One of the main ways to avoid scheduling clashes is not forgetting about your copywriting work. If your only reminder is a note on the day it’s due, of course you’re going to forget about it! Check all the work you have booked every day to keep your complete portfolio of projects top of mind.

Move your deadlines around

You should always prioritise your copywriting work in terms of urgency. And you need to allow for the fact that some projects will take longer and shorter than you plan for. So flexibility is key.

Start straight away

When you’ve booked in some client work, open up an empty Word document and do a brain dump. Make notes of actions you need to take or any points that come to mind. This helps you to start the writing process immediately.

Set reminders

If a project deadline is a few weeks or months away, set yourself reminders every few days. This reduces the risk of you forgetting about the project until the day before it’s due.

Be aware of the key triggers that cause you to procrastinate – and learn how to avoid them.

Don’t take on too much

Be realistic when it comes to accepting copywriting work. You don’t have to say ‘yes’ to everything. Develop a network of writers you can refer work to – this can also come in handy when you have quiet periods and are looking to pick up more work.

Maintain a positive frame of mind

A balanced copywriter is a productive copywriter – and productive copywriters don’t leave work to the last minute. Find ways to maintain balance in your daily life by focusing on your health and wellbeing, keeping your stress levels at bay and prioritising down time.

Are you always rushing to get your work done, or are you relatively in control of your workload? Share your tips in the comments below.