How to motivate yourself when you are overwhelmed

Actually, that's a misleading title, because I don't know how to motivate myself out of a stress funk when there is no real end in sight. When there's no daylight to be seen, my instinct is to roar then snore - to flail about wildly looking for a path through, and when one isn't forthcoming, to curl up in a ball, withdraw, and basically try to wait it out in the hope that time will cure the problem. Neither are helpful responses and you will be unastonished to learn that neither are particularly successful in remediating high stress situations.

I should point out here, it's sustained stress without respite in view that I find hard. I worked my arse off in November and December last year too - probably even more hours than I'm working now, or at least as many - and it was hard and I got tired, but I didn't feel so completely overwhelmed and I know why. It was because I knew that it was coming to an end on 31 December and that I would have January off, and then start fresh with new projects in February.

This is not the case this year, and indeed it is not even like I can look forward to a slow start for 2014 - a major, high pressure project, which has to be delivered by the vast team of me, myself and I, kicks off on 6th January, the day I get back from my two weeks off.

Look, there are pros and cons both ways. Uncertainty of income is sucky when you freelance, and I missed having colleagues (clients just aren't the same). But one of the distinct pros of consulting is that it makes it much easier to practice passionate detachment - to be committed to doing the best work you can while understanding that this is not your baby, ultimately.

I need to learn that skill, here in the land of salaried people.

This is post 26 in NaBloPoMo. 26 down, 4 to go!