Have you ever noticed that many plants don't grow much during the winter months? Even the ones that live inside our houses take it slow during the colder months, growing at a snail's pace or not at all.

Some plants go dormant in winter for a few reasons:

• Less sunlight: Winter days are shorter, and the sun is lower in the sky. With less sunlight available, plants slow down their processes, including photosynthesis which turns sunlight into energy.

• Cooler temperatures: The temperature inside my house during the winter is naturally cooler than it is at other times of the year. Otherwise, my electricity bill would be outrageous! Cold weather slows down plant activities because chemical reactions happen more slowly in the cold. Extremely cold temperatures can also harm plant cells.

• Limited water: In some places, winter means less available water. Plants enter dormancy to use less water and avoid dehydration. The humidity level inside my house is usually lower in the winter as well.

• Saving energy: Dormancy helps plants save energy during tough conditions. By slowing down, they can focus on essential functions like growing and maintaining their roots. The dormancy is like a natural pause button that helps the plants conserve energy until better conditions return.

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Now, let’s plant this lesson in the soil of our lives:

Do you receive fewer proofreading or editing projects at certain times of the year? One of the challenges of working as a freelancer is that our workload (and, therefore, our income) often fluctuates from month to month. While our first instinct is to worry about how a lack of work will affect our business, let's consider how we can use this extra time in a positive way.

Here's a list of suggestions for what to do when business is slow:

• Reach out to your current and previous clients: Send a friendly email or share a quick video message. A little communication goes a long way to strengthen connections with your clients. Let them know about your availability to work on their projects.

• Brush up on any rules that you struggle with: The more familiar you are with grammar and punctuation rules, the faster you'll be able to proofread or edit. To practice your skills, use a tool like Cram or Quizlet to create online flashcards. Read through your reference books and study the rules that you find challenging.

• Update your website content and social media accounts: Make sure that your rates and methods website pages are current. Update your About page to include any new skills you’ve learned or added to your offerings. Find some new social media accounts to follow and spend time liking and commenting on posts you enjoy.

• Read for pleasure: Professional proofreaders and editors rarely have time to read for fun, but slow work times are a great time to do that. While I don’t often have the chance to read before falling asleep at night, a slow time in my proofreading business might allow me that luxury.

• Diversify your proofreading or editing skills if possible: For example, if you typically proofread a certain type of content but your workload is slow, consider reaching out to writers whose content you enjoy (authors, bloggers, or social media accounts) to see if they need help proofreading their content. You never know where requests like that might lead.

• Learn a new skill to expand your offerings: Take a class about an online tool, a social media platform, or some software you've been wanting to learn about. Look for options that fit your budget.

• Catch up on administrative tasks: Make sure all the recent financial transactions for your business have been entered into your bookkeeping software. Prepare for tax season and make sure your finances are in order. Fill your editorial calendar with ideas for upcoming blog posts or social media content.

• Spend quality time with your family: Being a self-employed proofreader or editor sometimes keeps us from spending as much time as we’d like with our loved ones. Spend time on an activity that your family members enjoy.

• Catch up on some household chores you've been neglecting: You’ll feel more productive when your work environment is tidy.

• Learn how to use an online tool you've been wanting to try: When your work life is busy, you might not have time to experiment with online resources that could improve your business. This is the perfect time to try a new tool or resource.

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What other suggestions do you have during slow work times? I’d love to hear your ideas.

To your success,
Julie from The Proofreader Greenhouse

P.S. If you'd like to read the other articles in The Watering Can, click here. 💦

Surviving Times of Slow Work: Lessons from My Houseplants