Here’s how ADHD affects my bottom line (and how I work around it)
The new financial year is upon us and I’ve been super focused on dolla dolla bills lately. It’s no secret I’ve got ADHD. (Here’s the link to that TEDx talk again). It’s a PITA and it affects my life in lots of ways. And today I want to tell you how it affected my bottom line last year—the good, the bad, and the burnout.
Me, circa November 2022
The service delivery
In the second half of last year, I launched HyperFocus Weeks—the service that gets your copy planned, written, proofread, and delivered in just a week. Clients loved it. What’s more, my brain loved it.
This model works for me because projects are short, sharp, and come with a deadline (and to someone like me, deadlines = Dopamine, which is in short supply in my brain).
Creating the service, launching it, and marketing it cost money, of course. I actually hired another copywriter to do some of the work and I trialled Facebook ads (which did not work for me in this instance).
The strategy
My business strategist suggested I work HyperFocus Weeks into my strategy. So we added a measurable goal to earn most of my income from HyperFocus Weeks in conjunction with ‘regular’ service delivery.
And it worked. For reference, here’s the breakdown of my work in Q2 2022:
Enter ADHD burnout
In October last year, I found myself elbows-deep in ADHD burnout, which effed me up real good. (I even wrote an essay about it). I needed to take some time off (or at least reduce my workload for a while) so I could rest, recover, and recalibrate.
The rebound
ADHD burnout is like regular burnout but…worse. Because it lasts longer. Even so, by the time 2023 rolled around, I was ready for her. But I changed it up a bit further: since HyperFocus Weeks were working so well for my brain, I decided to offer them exclusively.
No more ‘regular,’ drawn out copywriting jobs. This was scary for a few reasons:
● I knew it would be outside of some prospective clients’ budgets
● It would mean setting (and holding) a boundary with new clients
● It might mean losing a few potential clients here and there
The other thing I did was build some buffers into my work schedule. I decided I’d designate one week out of every four (give or take) for catch up. Now I spend this week on my retainer clients and getting my ducks in a row.
Giving myself some breathing space has made a world of difference when it comes to my stress levels.
Here’s the breakdown of my work in Q4 2022 (the one that just ended):
It wasn’t all good news, of course
Getting burnt out was a drag—mentally and financially. I earned less than I had the previous year (which initially made me feel like a garbage person). But when I looked more closely and gave myself a modicum of grace for once in my damn life, I realised:
● A small shortfall is nothing compared to having a sustainable business model
● It takes time (and costs money) to create and deliver a new service, dummy
● I tested a heap of new ideas during this period—so I know what to keep and what to scrap going forward
● I’m wayyyyyy less stressed than I was this time last year
● And I’m taking steps to avoid burning out again this year
Bottom line? ADHD affects my bottom line
But I feel like the actions I’ve taken are a big step towards accepting this diagnosis and what it really means for my life.
So I’m chalking that up as a win.
If you need a hand with copywriting and content (and you want it on the double) all you’ve gotta do is get in touch.