The Creative Freelancer’s Guide to Surviving Quiet Weeks

Let’s be honest.

There are weeks in this freelance thing where nothing’s happening.

No orders. No enquiries. Just silence.

And it’s not just quiet, it’s loud in your head.

You start second guessing.

You refresh your Fiverr dashboard too often.

You wonder if your career’s slowing down, or if this is just part of the game.

I've been there more times than I can count.

But over the years, I’ve figured out how to use those quiet weeks instead of letting them eat me alive.

This post is for that version of you, the one who’s checking analytics every 10 minutes and wondering if it’s all falling apart.

It’s not.

Let’s talk about what to actually do when the work slows down.

1. Don’t panic; zoom out

Quiet weeks don’t mean you’re failing.

Sometimes it’s just a lull. Sometimes the industry shifts. Sometimes it's seasonal.

So the first thing I do is check the bigger picture.

I ask:

• Have I had a good last 3 months?

• Am I still getting messages, even if orders aren’t closing?

• Have I improved my gig visuals, demos, or workflow recently?

If the answer to most of that is no, then maybe the problem isn’t the market — maybe it’s me.

Which brings us to the next point.

2. Quiet means it’s time to fix things

When the orders stop coming in, that’s your cue to audit your system.

I’ll usually start with Fiverr:

• Are my gig thumbnails outdated?

• Is my demo video still sharp and relevant?

• Have I looked at my analytics to see which gigs are underperforming?

Then I’ll look at off-platform things:

1. Does my freelance website still reflect what I do now?

2. Are my past clients due for a follow-up?

3. Have I posted any useful content recently?

Quiet weeks are golden for maintenance.

3. Reconnect with past clients

I don’t wait for clients to come back on their own.

I message them.

Something short, like:

“Hey [Name], just checking in — hope the last project went well. Let me know if you’ve got anything else lined up this month, I’ve got some open time.”

You’d be surprised how often that small message leads to a follow-up order.

Not because the client was ignoring you, but because life happens. You just reminded them you exist.

4. Build something new

If work is slow, your energy needs to go somewhere.

So I use that time to build new things.

Some options:

• Create content for my podcast or YouTube

• Work on a downloadable tool or product

• Try a new Fiverr gig concept

• Revisit my beat catalog or sync projects

Quiet weeks aren’t dead weeks.

They’re creative build weeks if you treat them that way.

5. Focus on input, not income

I used to look at my dashboard constantly.

“No new orders today.”

“No tips this week.”

Now I shift the focus to inputs.

1. Did I shoot a new demo?

2. Did I update one of my gigs?

3. Did I follow up with anyone?

4. Did I add something new to my system?

If the answer is yes, then that week wasn’t wasted even if the payout hasn’t arrived yet.

This helps me stay calm and focused instead of feeling like I’m sliding backwards.

Final thoughts

Freelancing is a long game.

You’re not clocking in. You’re building something.

And quiet doesn’t mean failure; it just means you’ve got time to sharpen the machine.

Use it.

And if you don’t know what to work on first, I offer freelance setup sessions where I help you rework your Fiverr presence, structure your offers, and get your system clean again.

There’s also a starter toolkit if you just want to work through it on your own — includes a profile checklist, visuals guide, and templates to stay productive when things go slow.

CLICK HERE

Links are in the usual spot.

Next blog is about how I treat Fiverr like a launchpad — not a lifeline.

Stick around for that one.