The peaks and valleys of freelancing are no joke. There are days when the work piles up so high it seems impossible you’ll get through it all. Other days, you look at your to-do list, see hardly anything on it, and question your choice to leave corporate life behind.

It’s part of the job to have down time when you’re a freelancer, and if you can weather the storm until work pick backs up, you’ll need ways to keep yourself busy.

I struggle when things get too slow. Even if I know more work...