February: National Self-Check Month. Take charge of your health, and increase your odds of avoiding chronic diseases or other preventable diseases.

February: Free and Open Source Software Month. Recognize the cooperative approach to computer programming, open licensing, and free distribution of software.

February: National Library Lover’s Month. Enjoy your library, but also consider volunteering your time this month in a library.

February 1: National Get Up Day. This is a day to persevere, to pick ourselves up when we’ve fallen. We never know when our efforts to seek a goal or overcome an obstacle will encourage another person.

February 4: National Thank a Mail Carrier Day. As a small business, you likely work your mail carrier a little harder. Let’s take time out of our day to thank the mail person who is responsible for getting your mail in your mailbox six days a week.

February 7: National Send a Card to a Friend Day. Send a note to a colleague or client to let them know you are thinking about them.

February 9: National Giving Hearts Day. Make a donation from your business to a charity that you love.

February 11: National Don’t Cry Over Spilled Milk Day. Think positive. Don’t worry and don’t stress over the little things. Life is too short.

February 11: National Make a Friend Day. Get to know one of your clients a little better. Meeting new people can help sharpen our social skills and keep us from becoming lonely.

February 13: National Clean Out Your Computer Day. Over time, files and programs that are unused clog the memory of your computer. This is a day to take some time to do the needed care on your computers. Organize your files and folders. Delete junk files. Delete duplicate files. Delete old files and programs that are not being used.

February 6-12: National Freelance Writers Appreciation Week. Celebrate these hardworking writers by showing some gratitude, highlighting a fun behind-the-scenes moment.

February 17: National Random Acts of Kindness Day. Write a note or do something nice for one of your clients today.

February 26: National Tell a Fairy Tale Day. Share a favorite fairy tale with friends or family.

January 2: National Science Fiction Day. American author and Boston University professor of biochemistry Isaac Asimov was born on January 2, 1920. He was best known for his works of science fiction and his popular science books.

January 5: National Screenwriters Day. Inside the industry, screenwriters are well known for their ability to crack the story, create great roles for actors, and write memorable dialogue.

January 6: National Technology Day. From the wheel to smartphones, technology has been changing the world. Recognize those achievements and look to the future for more advancements in technology.

January 10: National Clean off Your Desk Day. This day is an opportunity to begin your new year with a clean and organized work space. Whether your desk is in a private or shared office, cubicle, home, or a make-shift desk on the counter, having your work space uncluttered, organized, refreshed, and clean will help you work more efficiently and give you a sense of serenity.

January 18: National Thesaurus Day. Whether you are looking for a new word or trying to complete a sentence, the thesaurus can be your best friend. Expanding your vocabulary improves both written and spoken communication skills and creative writing abilities and can be helpful in advancing your career.

January 19: Get to Know Your Customers Day. When businesses get to know your customers, you also get to know more about what you need to grow.

January 23: National Handwriting Day. Reintroduce yourself to a pen or pencil and a piece of paper. According to the Writing Instrument Manufacturers Association, it is a chance for all to re-explore the purity and power of handwriting.

January 24: National Compliment Day. What a wonderful way to brighten someone’s day or to give credit for a job well done!

January 28: National Fun at Work Day. Many people spend a good portion of their lives at work, so why should they not try to enjoy it?

December: National Write a Business Plan Month. As a freelancer, you are a business owner, so consider writing a business plan this month!

December 26: National Thank-you Note Day. It is a day to get some note cards, paper, pen, envelopes, and stamps to write special thank yous.

December 31: No Interruptions Day. This is a day set aside for getting organized for the new year by cleaning up your workspace without interruptions.

November: Family Stories Month. Record or listen to stories from relatives of all ages.

November: National Family Literacy Month. Enjoy some family readings.

November: National Life Writing Month. Write about yourself and your life as you have experienced it thus far.

November: National Novel Writing Month. Use this month to write the first draft of your novel.

November 1: National Author’s Day. Celebrate your favorite authors and the books they have written.

November 1: National Family Literacy Day. Read a book with your family today.

November 2: National Stress Awareness Day. Develop a routine to help you manage your stress.

November 7: Job Action Day. Get the tools and resources to master a new job search and land the career of your dreams!

November 14-18: National Young Readers Week. The focus of the week demonstrates to youth the importance of reading.

November 25: You’re Welcomegiving Day. Share a “You’re welcome” with at least one client today.

November 26: Small Business Saturday. Support your local small businesses.

November 29: Electronic Greetings Day. Send an electronic greeting to each of the clients you haven’t heard from in a while.

November 29: National Day of Giving. On the Tuesday after Thanksgiving charities, families, businesses, community centers, and students around the world will come together for one common purpose: to celebrate generosity and to give.

November 30: Computer Security Day. Help secure your computer by installing and running antivirus software.

October: National Book Month. Curl up on the couch with a good book.

October: National Reading Group Month. Gather a group of friends, and meet weekly to discuss a great book!

October: National Work and Family Month. Focus on one way to improve your work/life balance. The Be a Better Freelancer conference recordings include suggestions to help with this.

October: Self-Promotion Month. Promote your skills to gain some new clients. Some of the Be a Better Freelancer conference recordings are of sessions on this topic to help with this.

October 2-8: Mystery Series Week.

October 2-8: National Newspaper Week.

October 3-7: Customer Service Week. Take notice of other industries and the good customer service they provide and strive to provide the best customer service you can.

October 4: National Fruit at Work Day. Take a break today to enjoy a piece of seasonal fruit at work.

October 5: National Do Something Nice Day. Do something nice for one of your clients today!

October 9: National Bring Your Teddy Bear to Work Day. Spend a day with a cuddly friend to make you smile. 🙂

October 9-15: National Work at Home Week. Reevaluate your home office for functionality and ergonomics.

October 16-22: National Business Women’s Week. Is there a woman in business who you have looked to as a mentor?

October 16-22: National Friends of Libraries Week. Use this week to support your local library.

October 22: National Make a Difference Day. Do something to make a difference in the life of someone else.

September: Self-Improvement Month. Take some time to improve yourself. What class will you take or conference will you attend to improve your business self? Think ahead and sign up for an on-demand training!

September 5: Labor Day. This day recognizes the men and women who labor to build this country. As self-employed professionals, many tend to work on this day, but what will you do to celebrate?

September 6: National Read a Book Day. Grab a book (a fun read or even one for professional development) and spend the day reading.

September 10: National Swap Ideas Day. Share a creative or helpful idea with a client or colleague.

September 12: National Day of Encouragement. This day is dedicated to uplifting people around us and making a positive impact. Who can you encourage?

September 15: National Online Learning Day. This day recognizes the advantages and vast potential of online learning and the accomplishments of these students. What can you study today to improve your skills? NAIWE hosts monthly webinars to help you improve your skills!

September 20: National IT Professionals Day. This day is set aside to honor the venerable geeks of the world we all rely on to keep us connected.

September 22: American Business Women’s Day. A day set aside to honor and reflect on the contributions and accomplishments of the millions of women in the workforce and the millions of women business owners in the United States.

September 24: National Punctuation Day. A period, a comma, a semicolon, a question mark, and an exclamation point are examples of some of the punctuation used in writing to separate sentences and their elements and to clarify meaning. National Punctuation Day commemorates these and all punctuation marks.

September 29. National Coffee Day.

August: National Wellness Month. This month focuses on self-care, managing stress, and promoting healthy routines.

August 1-7: Simplify Your Life Week. This week was dedicated to be an encouragement to refocus your life and declutter. A suggestion is to eliminate things that cause stress or anxiety.

August 5: National Work Like a Dog Day. This is a day to pay attention to how hard you are working.

August 8: National Happiness Happens Day. Happiness is a choice. It is not a destination, but a life-long pursuit.

August 8: National Dollar Day. This day commemorates the day Congress established the U.S. monetary system in 1786.

August 9: National Book Lovers Day. A day for those who love to read to find a favorite reading place, settling in with a good book.

August 10: National Lazy Day. Nearing the end of summer, we all need a day to just kick back and do very little.

August 15: National Relaxation Day. Take this day to slow down, unwind, and relax!

August 25-31: Be Kind to Humankind Week. This is a week when we can make a difference in someone’s life by being kind to them.

August 27: National Just Because Day. This is a day to do something unexpected for another (or even for yourself) just because!

July 4: Independence Day. The day after the first anniversary of American independence, John Adams wrote a letter to his daughter Abigail about the celebrations that occurred in Philadelphia. Take a moment to reflect and write a letter about how your town celebrates this holiday.

July 12: National Simplicity Day. Henry David Thoreau was born on July 12, 1817. Thoreau was an advocate for living a life of simplicity. In our busy lifestyles, National Simplicity Day is the time to take a step back and begin to simplify our lives. One can start by decluttering and striving for balance.

July 15: National Give Something Away Day. In the United States, giving is on the rise. What can you give to your clients or to the publishing industry?

July 16: Toss Away the “Could Haves” and “Should Haves” Day. Created by author and motivational speaker Martha J. Ross-Rodgers, this day is intended for all to let go of the past and live for the present. Make a list of your business regrets and then throw it away and live for today.

July 17. World Emoji Day. Emojis are images that express, similar to emoticons (emotions + icons) that are produced from an arrangement of keyboard characters.

July 21: Get to Know Your Customers Day. When businesses get to know your customers, you also get to know more about your need to grow. Reach out to your patrons and get to know them better.

July 21: National Be Someone Day. Through your business, be someone who changes a child’s life for the good.

July 26: National All or Nothing Day. Throw caution in the wind and go for broke. What is one business challenge that you would like to overcome?

July 29: National System Administrator Appreciation Day. Show appreciation to your IT professional.

June 1: National Say Something Nice Day. Make the day pleasant for someone today by saying something nice.

June 2: National Leave the Office Early Day. This day is an incentive to many who often work more than 40 hours each week.

June 3. National Repeat Day. Take this opportunity to repeat something you needed or wanted to do again.

June 6: National Higher Education Day. Spend a moment educating or inspiring others who are interested in pursuing a similar career.

June 10: National Ballpoint Pen Day. Write a client a note today with a ballpoint pen to commemorate the patent filing on June 10, 1943.

June 11: National Making Life Beautiful Day. Celebrate those who make life beautiful through their words.

June 13: National Random Acts of Light Day. Bring light to a colleague by sharing some encouraging words.

June 21: National Selfie Day. Take some selfies that show you are balancing work-life activities.

June 30: Social Media Day. Post on all of your social media accounts today, letting potential clients know you are available for hire.

May: National Get Caught Reading Month. Wherever you go, the campaign challenges you to get caught reading.

May 1: National Mother Goose Day. This day honors Mother Goose, the imaginary author of a collection of fairy tales and nursery rhymes we loved as children and also as adults.

May 1-7: Small Business Week. Small businesses account for half of America’s workforce, and more new jobs come from small business than any other source.

May 12: National Limerick Day. Celebrate the birthday of English artist, illustrator, author, and poet Edward Lear who wrote Book of Nonsense.

May 16: National Biographer’s Day. Commemorate the anniversary of the first meeting of Samuel Johnson and his biographer James Boswell in 1763 by honoring biographers.

May 30: National Creativity Day. Celebrate you and your creative pursuit!

May 31: National Speak in Complete Sentences Day. This day is dedicated to using proper sentence structure while speaking.