For a freelancer, productivity is everything. Working on your own can be a tad daunting – there’s always work to do and with that, a somewhat equal level of ‘distractions’ – so it’s important to stay disciplined during the day.
There are some things however, that you can do to increase your productivity whether at home or in the workplace.
That’s why I’ve written this guide to help you get more work done, earn more money and be the best freelancer you can be.
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Who Is A Freelancer?
A freelancer is a person who works as an independent contractor and gets paid on a project-by-project or task-by-task basis, typically for short-term projects. A freelancer is not an employee of a company and is therefore free to work on multiple projects simultaneously for different people or businesses unless they have a written contract committing them to doing so until a specific project is finished.
The opportunity to work from home or from a non-traditional workspace, a flexible work schedule, and a better work-life balance are advantages of freelancing.
Freelancing is common in a variety of fields, professions, and businesses, such as music, writing, acting, computer programming, web design, graphic design, translating and illustrating, film and video production, and other types of piece work.
Read Also: How to Sell your Skills Online in 2022
Productivity Tips Every Freelancer Should Know
As a freelancer or online entrepreneur, you’re your own boss and it’s up to you to stay motivated. But sometimes it can be difficult to stay productive if you don’t have the right tools for the job. That’s why I’ve put together this list of top productivity tips designed to keep you on track so that you can get as much work done as possible. Here are all the tools, systems and tricks you can effectively use to stay on top of your productivity game!
1. Tackle Your Most Complex Or Dreaded Task First:
If you’re a freelancer, then it’s likely that some of your most important work falls into this category—the kind that is difficult and time-consuming but will make the difference between success and failure for your business.
It may sound counterintuitive at first, but taking on something tough is actually good for your productivity because it forces you to focus on one thing at a time in order to get through it efficiently (and without being distracted).
2. Create A Routine, And Stick To It:
Routine is important to get you into a productive mindset. Once you have the routine down, it will help keep your work flowing and allow you to be more consistent in what you do. The key here is consistency: if something interrupts your routine, like getting an urgent call or having kids come over (or even just a bad day), don’t let it stop how much time per day/week/month that particular task takes up.
Another aspect of having a routine is creating a daily/weekly schedule and sticking to it. When you have a schedule, it is easier to stay ahead of tasks, organize your day and say no to invites or activities that would not conveniently fit into the schedule for that day/week.
3. Find Your Most Productive Time Of Day:
Finding your most productive time of day is a crucial step towards improving your productivity. To do this, you’ll need to figure out what time of day works best for you, and then make sure that it remains consistent throughout the week.
If you’re trying to get more work done in a day or week, try increasing the amount of time spent on tasks during your most productive hours of the day and reducing the amount of time spent on rest or leisure.
4. Learn How To Take A Break (And Actually Do It):
You shouldn’t be spending every hour of every day at your desk. If you’re not getting enough breaks, you’ll burn out and become less productive or not at all.
Instead of working on one project for five days straight, try working on several different projects for one day each—and then taking some time off between them. That way, when it comes time to switch gears again (or even if you just want some time away from the computer), there are no big gaps in your schedule.
You can also:
- Take walks during those periods when nothing else seems worth doing (which may be early mornings or evenings).
- Listen to music while doing chores around your house (this should help keep things interesting).
- Take a cue from history and embrace the power nap. The power nap can not only help you stay focused and energized but also help you avoid stress and serious health problems.
5. Consider Outsourcing Some Tasks:
Outsourcing means that you hand over a task that was originally given to you to someone else so that they can do it for you. This allows you to focus on what matters most and be more productive as a result!
Benefits of outsourcing:
- In most cases, outsourcing can help you save money.
- Outsourcing helps you avoid mistakes that can come as a result of too much workload, stress or inadequate knowledge on the subject matter.
- It helps you focus on tasks that you’re more inclined to handle.
- Outsourcing can help you achieve more.
As an online entrepreneur, you can also outsource administrative tasks while you concentrate on planning and strategizing.
6. Don’t Always Try To Multitask:
You’ve probably heard about the benefits of multitasking—but what does it actually entail? In reality, multitasking is stressful and tiring. And if your brain isn’t properly rested and functioning, then you’ll be less productive as a freelancer if you attempt to do it every time.
Studies have shown that people who are constantly trying to multi-task experience higher levels of anxiety and stress than those who don’t do it as often or do not multitask at all! This can lead to poor decision making as well as other health problems like high blood pressure or obesity due to lack of sleep caused by overwork.
7. Set Boundaries For Your Personal And Professional Life:
Another great way to stay productive is by setting boundaries for your personal and professional life.
For example, if you’re a freelance designer, you’ll want to make sure that you have a schedule for your personal life. It’s important to set limits on how much time each day or week that can be spent working on projects and other obligations like family time or going out with friends. Also make sure that this schedule doesn’t overlap with the time required by clients.
Similarly, if you’re running an agency full-time as well as freelancing remotely, then having both sets of parameters will help ensure maximum productivity while still allowing room for spontaneity within certain parameters—say if there’s an emergency situation where someone needs something quickly without delay!
8. Set Goals – And Crush Them.
An important step to becoming more productive as a freelancer is setting goals. You need to know where you’re going – what your end goal is – and how to get there otherwise it’s impossible to reach that destination!
Having goals will help keep you on track with your work and give you something to look forward to when working hard all day.
9. Have A Set “Start Work” Time, And Stick To It Every Day—Even On Weekends!
If you want to be more productive, then it’s important to have a set “start work” time. You’ll notice that as soon as you sit down at your desk or laptop, your productivity increases drastically because of the momentum created by sticking with this routine!
You can do this by either using an app on your phone which allows users to set their own start times (such as RescueTime), or by creating an alarm clock reminder so that when it goes off at that set time(say, 10am every morning), there will be no argument from anyone else who wants access to you before then and you can set to work.
10. Make Sure You Have Everything You Need Before Starting Each Day’s Work:
In earnest, ensure you have everything you’ll need in a day made available including things like breakfast, supplies, and any other essentials that are necessary to your daily workflow or personal well-being!
Reading all of these tips at once may seem a bit overwhelming, but they are all simple things that you can incorporate into your daily life. From always having a to-do list handy to set small goals and milestones throughout the day, there are numerous ways an independent worker can find more time in their day for both work and fun.
So roll up your sleeves and prepare to get those freelancer juices flowing!
Final Thoughts on Top Productivity Tips for Freelancers
Any freelancer will tell you: when time is money, every minute counts. If you already have a system in place and are happy with it, by all means stick with it. But if you’re looking for new ways to manage your time and become more productive (and who isn’t?), try out some of these tips.
Once you’ve mastered an idea, explore others and see which works best for you.
If you’re consistent with all of the tips above, you’re sure to find yourself far more productive than before.