The podcast is back after my summer hiatus! Thanks for continuing to listen and support the show. 

Here’s what I share with you in today’s episode:

• The importance of taking breaks for your mental fitness and for better client work. 
• The types of breaks you should be thinking about and planning for.
• Why planned and unplanned mental health breaks are important.
• What happens when you neglect your networking and marketing and slow down too much. 
• Why you have to work at getting referrals. 
• How I’m ready to embrace this new “back to school” season — and why I need to get my act together! 
• New episodes of my second podcast, Association Station, that might also appeal to you (see links below). 
• What happened to my Facebook account and the status of the Deliberate Freelancer Facebook group. 

Biz Bite: The 1% rule of thumb (by Brian Hood)

The Bookshelf: “Beyond That, the Sea” by Laura Spence-Ash

Resources:

• Support Deliberate Freelancer at Buy Me a Coffee
• Melanie’s other podcast, Association Station
• Episode #10 of Association Station: In Conversation with Nabil El-Ghoroury, PhD, CAE, about Stress, Burnout and Other Mental Health Issues
• Episode #11 of Association Station: In Conversation with Jemilah Senter, about Opportunities and Risks of AI Tools Like ChatGPT
• Episode #13 of Association Station: In Conversation with Crystal Shelley, about the Importance of Using Conscious Language in Our Writing and Editing
• Connect with Melanie on Threads @MelEdits_DC
• Connect with Melanie on LinkedIn
• Deliberate Freelancer Facebook group
• Brian Hood’s 6 Figure Creative podcast
• Episode #65 of Deliberate Freelancer: The No. 1 Way I Find New Clients (Referrals)
• Episode #152 of Deliberate Freelancer: How Mary Tindall Began to Earn $200,000 a Year as a Freelancer
• Episode #162 of Deliberate Freelancer: My Solo Business Retreat Reminded Me to Always Be Marketing