Overheard a guy at the coffee shop say you should never turn down work, but I think that's how you burn out.

He was telling his friend to take every single gig, even the tiny $50 ones, to 'build momentum'. I turned down a low-ball offer for a full site audit yesterday because the scope was huge for no pay, and I felt way better. When do you all decide a project isn't worth the stress?

2 comments

2 Comments

michaelrodriguez1d ago

Glad you turned that down. Taking every single job is a fast track to hating what you do. You have to guard your time and energy, or you'll have nothing left for the good projects. I only say yes to work that pays fairly or teaches me something I actually want to learn. That "momentum" he's talking about just becomes a grind of bad clients and low pay. Setting a clear line is how you stay sane and keep the quality of your work high.

robert2751d ago

But what if you really need the money? I've been in that spot where turning down any work feels impossible. The fear of nothing better coming along is real. That pressure can make you say yes to stuff you know will burn you out. It's a tough line to walk between paying bills and protecting your future self.