OGUALIGHO CHRONICLES: YOU CANNOT COME AND KILL YOURSELF

Guest Post written by Gimbiya Galadima

This week I chatted with a writer friend and I realized that this search for money in freelance writing can make us burn out. Stress is not good for anyone, because it makes you lose strength and lose time that would have been spent resting or being productive.

Overworking yourself and taking on projects that are too much for you to handle, will, in the long run, affect your health negatively. Illness then sets in, and you spend the money you have made on hospital bills and drugs. All of these can be avoided by adopting a simple philosophy. This is the time to remember that Timaya song that trended last year, with many comical videos posted online. The song that made many young people forget to save, and use their last card to buy barbecue chicken. I am not saying now that you should make bad financial decisions or decide to be lazy, but every time you feel the urge to take on more than you can handle, tell yourself the truth. It’s in this sentence, “This life I can’t kill myself.”

You should know when to take a break and relax. The truth is, if you work yourself to exhaustion and fall ill, those clients will pass on your job to other freelance writers. The jobs you are stressing yourself over will be done by someone else while you are resting on your hospital bed.

Writing is a mentally exhausting job, and you should set a limit to how much work you can actually do in a period of time. Grab a pen and note how many words you can pull together on a bad day, on a good day and on an average day. Pick a middle figure and try to stay within limits. Take breaks between jobs, to give yourself rest and more ideas.

You can take a walk instead of sitting down every day at your computer, or drink some tea. Chocolate bars are said to help the writing process but don’t overindulge yourself. Do not, I repeat do not neglect family and loved ones because you are a freelance writer. Work can end, but family is forever.

Do not allow freelance writing to take over your life; you can still engage in meaningful hobbies. Cooking, Sports, Craft, Dance and other forms of art such as painting may be what you need for that writer’s block. If you need to travel for some vacation or go to the spa to calm your nerves, do it. This life na once. If you are stressed in this our line of work, find a way to get some rest. While you are at it, hold your glass of wine or bottle of cold Pepsi and remember that you cannot kill yourself.

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Gimbiya Galadima is a fourth-year medical student of the University of Benin. With an acute sense
for literature, she joins the bandwagon of creative writers. She engages in extracurricular activities
including reading, cooking, singing and movie analysis. Galadima is very passionate about African
literature, mental health issues that affect young people and Nigerian jollof rice. She can be reached on
the social media platforms listed below.

Social Media: Instagram, Facebook
Facebook Handle – Gimbiya Galadima
Instagram Handle – @gimbiyagaladima
Twitter Handle – @JUXTATHINKA
LinkedIn Name – Gimbiya Galadima
Blog/Website – https://juxtathinka.blogspot.com.ng