My Smartest Investments As A UX Writer In 2024 – And What I Learned From Them
The new year is here! And I know many people dread the vibe “between the years”, but for me, these are some of my favorite weeks of the year, and I usually use them to plan the new year and reflect on the past one.
And I love it. 👀
This year, I included a new chapter in my end-of-the-year reflections because, in order to achieve goals, I need to make investments. So, I thought it would be a good idea to reflect on the investments I made as a UX Writer in 2024, see which ones delivered the greatest return on investment, and share these insights with you because these learnings might be valuable for your yearly planning, too!
So let’s do this, shall we?
Just one thing before we start:
Since this isn’t just about money, I categorized my 2024 investments into three areas:
Money, time, and energy.
And we’ll start with the most obvious one – money.
My Best Money Investments:
1. Noise-Cancelling Headphones
As a writer, I have to do a lot of deep focus work. I live in an expensive, bustling city, in a relatively small apartment, and I work from home. Combine these factors, and you’ve got the perfect storm for stress. When the new (not-so-quiet) neighbors moved in mid-year, I became determined to find THE BEST noise-cancelling headphones available. I knew they’d be pricey, but so far, they’ve consistently proven to be worth every cent.
The lesson: If something can add peace to your day, it’s worth your money.
2. Business Photos
In June 2024, I launched my first website. For that, I decided to invest in professional business photos: First, a local photographer captured shots in my home workspace, and a month later, my fiancé and I rented an entire studio for a casual social media shoot. The photos from both these shoots helped me create a high-quality yet personal website and post on social media more frequently. Also, they allowed me to see the professional business women in me. Definitely worth the money!
The lesson: If something helps you improve your professional image, it’s worth your money.
3. A Business Coaching
I’m an anthropologist turned writer and educator. Meaning: I’ve never formally studied product strategy or pricing strategy – I just started collecting and organizing knowledge about UX Writing and then began teaching it. In 2024, I finally started treating my course collection as a potential business, but I had no clue where to begin. So, I booked a coaching session with an experienced sales expert to help me figure things out, and what can I say? I LOVED IT! Those two hours moved me months ahead in my planning. Already planned my next session for 2025!
The lesson: If something helps you make more money in the future, it’s worth your money.
My Worst Money Investment:
A poorly organized writing webinar
Toward the end of the year, my company sponsored a professional development opportunity for me, and I chose a writing course from a reputable organization that sounded fantastic. Unfortunately, it turned out to be a disappointment. The online course was nothing more than a collection of disjointed video modules with no structure or coherence. Lesson learned: always do thorough research before committing to any educational program – no matter the reputation of the institution.
The lesson: A renowned name alone does not automatically mean it’s a good investment.
My Best Time Investments
1. Conference and Meetup Visits
In 2024, I attended two events that really had an impact on me. The first one was a poetry webinar. Since I plan to host webinars for UX Writing beginners myself, I thought it would be wise to attend a writing webinar as a participant first – in a discipline in which I was a beginner. It was led by an Oxford professor who curated the webinar SO well and created a wonderful safe space for casual poets. I loved every moment, and promised myself to attend more writing webinars in the future – especially in writing areas in which I am not very experienced.
The lesson: If tapping into new areas of your broader profession is likely to give you relevant insights, it’s worth your time.
2. Speaking at an Event
In the summer, I was invited to give a talk on UX Writing at a local UX conference. Naturally, I invested a significant amount of time preparing for my talk, as I’m a hyper-perfectionist when it comes to public speaking. But it was worth every second. The talk was well-received, and afterward, my fiancé and I joined other UX professionals for an informal yet inspiring chat – sharing experiences, exchanging stories, laughing, and marveling together. It was a fantastic event, one I almost skipped due to my packed schedule.
The lesson: If engaging with your community has the potential to give you new insights and/or create a sense of belonging, it’s worth your time.
3. Taking Time Off, Like REALLY
It’s not uncommon for me to work on weekends, evenings, and even holidays. I love creating content about writing and communication. It’s not just a side hustle, it’s literally my biggest passion. But since things got a little out of hand, I introduced a new rule in the second quarter of the year: finish work by 5:30 PM, and shut the laptop for the weekend after Thursday night. I didn’t stick to it perfectly for the rest of the year, but whenever I did, it made a huge difference for my mental health. I also took two weeks off to explore Iceland – completely unplugged. It wasn’t easy. I felt guilty at times, but the memories I made were unforgettable and every second was totally worth it.
The lesson: Downtime boosts creativity, enhances productivity, and creates lasting memories. It’s absolutely, totally, undoubtedly always worth your time.
My Worst Time Investment:
Getting stuck in the how-do-I-go-viral-on-social media rabbit hole
Mid-year, I tried to learn more about social media strategy and ended up spiraling down a rabbit hole of advice from self-proclaimed Instagram and LinkedIn gurus. Each one had a different opinion on designing hooks, editing content, and “going viral.” I diligently took notes, but soon realized that following all these rules was not only impossible. It also limited my creativity and freedom to express myself – and took away all the fun of creating content. In the end, I went back to my original approach: focusing on content that mattered to me and my community, not what algorithms dictate.
The lesson: Just because something has proven to work for others doesn’t mean it’s a good investment for you.
My Best Energy Investments
1. Setting Boundaries at Work
Working as a full-stack writer in a small to medium-sized company is tough. Some will see you as a strategic quality control authority, others will treat you as the little writing elf they can give a quick call when they “need a better word for…”. While I always try to show up to work with a service mindset, I soon realized this dynamic made me feel undervalued. So I decided to stop playing that role. I mean.. this is exactly what we have AI for, right? Now, I encourage (or rather, insist) that people handle basic text work themselves and send it to me for a quality check afterward. It wasn’t an easy change to implement, but it has allowed me to focus on tasks where I can truly make a difference for my team.
The lesson: If an uncomfortable conversation could improve the way people treat you, it’s worth your energy.
2. Losing Weight and Getting Fit Again
From 2020 to 2023, life was very challenging for me – both professionally and personally. I developed unhealthy habits, from eating too much processed junk food to skipping exercise entirely. In 2024, I slowly began a journey to heal. I lost much of the weight I’d gained, rediscovered the fun in trying out different sports (Pilates, yoga, HIIT, you name it), and started eating better. It wasn’t easy, and I still struggle sometimes, but the improvement in my energy levels and confidence has been nothing short of life-changing.
The lesson: Everything, literally EVERYTHING, that improves your physical health is worth your energy, always.
3. Therapy
As I mentioned, 2020 to 2023 were tough years. Therefore, I started therapy in mid-2023, and 2024 was my first full year of consistent sessions. Working with a therapist has helped me overcome trauma, rebuild my emotional resilience and regain access to my mental resources again, which allowed me to achieve the things I accomplished this year. I’m so grateful I stuck with it, even though, as you can imagine, it wasn’t always a walk in the park.
The lesson: Your mental health? Just as important. Invest that energy.
My Worst Energy Investment:
Over-attachment to a client project
In 2023, I became deeply invested in a long-term client project. I brought strategic ideas to the table, worked unpaid overtime, and attended additional meetings outside my normal hours. In September 2024, the project was suddenly discontinued – and I wasn’t even informed. I just noticed all our meetings had been canceled. When I asked about it, I was told they would call if they needed me again. Four months later, still no call. Even though I was fully aware that this kind of treatment is unfortunately common in freelancing, I didn’t prepare myself mentally or financially.
The lesson: Freelancing is unpredictable. Do what needs to be done. Excel. But don’t make it personal.
My 5 Biggest Tips for Investing Your Money, Time, and Energy Right in 2025:
Do your due diligence: Whether it’s a book, course, or coaching, research the author’s credibility and ask questions before committing.
Invest in yourself: Client projects and jobs come and go. Your knowledge, growth, health, and personal brand are what truly endure.
Move through discomfort: Have that hard conversation. Ask the “stupid” question. Confront disrespectful behavior. It’s inevitable in order to create lasting change.
Be constructive about disappointment: The low-quality writing program taught me how to NOT design an online course. The social media guru rabbit hole taught me about how I want to show up as a creator. The discontinued client project taught me how to diversify my business. Failed investments are only failed if you don’t learn from them, so make sure you learn from them.
Try new things: Speaking at a local meetup was a new experience, and so was joining a poetry webinar. Imagine I wouldn’t have done it, simply because I’d never done it before! Trying new things is essential for future success.
