I used to be a teacher, but I decided to switch careers and become a freelance photographer. It was the best decision I’ve ever made. While it’s not easy, being my own boss is incredibly rewarding.
Now that I have more control over my time, I’m able to travel more and spend time with family and friends.
Not only that, but I like my job now! It turns out that teaching wasn’t for me I love taking pictures for a living so much more than introducing linear functions to high school freshmen. Of course, with freedom comes responsibility.
When you’re your boss, there’s no one forcing you out of bed every morning or nagging you when a client project runs late (or worse yet, isn’t finished).
Instead, you have to create your own rules and expectations for yourself if you want to succeed as a freelancer which can be super hard at first! To help others who are starting on this rewarding career path, here are 20 productivity tips based on what’s worked for me:
| Takeaways |
|---|
| Prioritize tasks and set clear goals to stay focused. |
| Use productivity tools like Trello and Harvest for task management and time-tracking. |
| Avoid multitasking and implement time-blocking techniques to manage time effectively. |
| Stay motivated by rewarding yourself for achievements and being part of a supportive community. |
| Overcome procrastination by breaking tasks into smaller chunks and setting realistic deadlines. |
| Maintain a healthy work-life balance by setting boundaries and scheduling regular breaks. |
| Practice self-care activities to avoid burnout and enhance overall well-being. |
1. Create A Routine
Routines are important. They’re the foundation of how we live our lives and work, but they can also be flexible.
If you have a morning routine that involves drinking coffee and checking email first thing in the morning.
But if you start working for someone who doesn’t drink coffee and prefers for you to wait until after lunch to begin checking email (or who wants an entirely different kind of interaction), feel free to adjust your routine the point is that it works for you!
The same goes if something changes in your life or business: maybe your partner gets pregnant and needs more help around the house;
Maybe one of your clients needs more time with their marketing team directly coordinating projects; maybe there’s some major change happening at home.
Your routines should reflect what works for each person involved: yourself, others involved in your business, clients, and so on.
Building a productive freelancing career starts with having the right workspace. Learn how to set up a dedicated workspace for freelancing and boost your efficiency and focus.
2. Polish Your Skill Set
One of the most important things you can do to make yourself more marketable as a freelancer is to polish your skill set.
This may sound obvious, but it’s easy to get caught up in the day-to-day aspects of running your business and forget about what makes you unique: your skills.
You must stay up-to-date with industry best practices, but it’s also vital that you focus on those areas where your expertise is unrivaled.
So how does one go about polishing their skillset? Look for ways to improve yourself—or even start from scratch if need be! Here are some ideas:
3. Learn To Say No Without Feeling Guilty
Learning how to say “no” without feeling guilty is a must for any freelancer. The ability to turn down work requests, or even just politely decline hanging out with someone, can mean the difference between being able to maintain your schedule and getting overwhelmed.
There are many ways you can learn this skill:
Practice saying no in front of a mirror until you feel comfortable doing it (and do so in different situations).
Think about why you’re saying no before actually saying it are there other options available? Is there another way that person could get what they want without relying on you?
If not, then try coming up with some examples of times when people had similar requests that were denied and explain why those situations were different from this one.
Keep an open dialogue with whoever asked for something from which he or she might not have gotten an answer right away if they’re willing to give feedback at all!
As a freelancer, maintaining a professional image is crucial. Discover the 13 things freelancers should never reveal to clients to build trust and credibility in your freelance business.
4. Maintain A Healthy Lifestyle
You know that it’s important to get enough sleep, but you can’t seem to make it happen. That’s where sleep apps like Sleep Cycle come in handy, helping you create a consistent sleep routine and wake up at the optimal time each morning.
If you’re looking for ways to eat healthy on the go, check out this article from Lifehacker that shares some great tips for eating healthy when working remotely or traveling.
Exercise doesn’t have to be difficult it just requires dedication and planning. You’ll find that exercise makes your mind clearer and your body stronger! Here are some great exercises anyone can do at home without expensive equipment:
- Plank hold for 30 seconds (repeat three times)
- Squats with weights for 30 seconds (repeat three times)
5. Take Breaks When You Need Them
It’s important to take breaks and have time away from your work. When you’re working long hours, it can be tempting to feel like you have to keep going because there’s so much left to do.
But this isn’t sustainable and it won’t lead to you getting more done in the long run. Take regular breaks throughout the day, even if it’s just for five minutes or so at a time.
If possible, try taking an actual lunch break every day; this way your mind gets a chance to rest and recover from whatever mental strain was involved with completing your tasks for the morning (or afternoon).
And don’t forget about weekends! Try turning off all electronics when you go home on Friday night and not turning them back on until Monday at 9 AM sharp even better if this means sleeping in all weekend long!
6. Have Fun With Your Workspace
- Make it personal.
- Use a workspace that you enjoy.
- Make it comfortable.
- Use fun colors.
- Make it functional. To do this, consider the following:
Use plants that filter the air in your office or home office space and add some greenery to your environment (some are even known to be good for your health). Add pictures of loved ones or inspirational quotes around the room this can help motivate you!
Decorate with small framed prints of inspirational quotes around the walls or on shelves, or use wall decals for extra impact without taking up too much space on your desktops themselves (if possible).
Working from home offers flexibility, but time management is key to success. Check out our tips for time management and productivity at work from home to make the most of your freelance hours.
7. Keep Deadlines Realistic
It’s important to understand the importance of deadlines. If a client expects you to finish something by a certain date, then that’s when it needs to be done. You can’t just ignore their request or tell them that they need to change it.
It might be tempting, but if they want it done by May 1st and you say no, then chances are they won’t want to work with you again unless maybe your reason for not meeting their deadline is completely valid (i.e., there was an emergency).
There will come a time when a client will ask for something impossible within the given timeframe.
Maybe they want you to complete three blog posts every day for two months straight and don’t care about quality or quantity at all but of course, quality matters too! If this happens, here are some steps for handling unrealistic deadlines:
8. Be Honest About Whether Or Not What The Client Wants Is Realistic
Give them options on how best to achieve their goals while keeping within your capabilities
Keep in mind that sometimes even if we think we’re following these steps perfectly, things won’t go as planned anyway
9. Avoid Multitasking
It’s time for us to stop fooling ourselves. The myth of multitasking is just that: a myth.
Research shows that people who are good at it are worse at differentiating between relevant and irrelevant information, which makes them less productive than their non-multitasking counterparts.
Multitasking is inefficient and ineffective because our brains can only focus on so much at once, so when we try to do more than one thing at once, we end up doing none of them well.
Multitasking also results in what psychologists call “context switching costs,” which include wasted energy as your brain tries to recall what you were working on before you switched tasks.
And all the while trying to keep track of where you left off in each project (which is why it can be so easy forgetful).
Multitasking has been linked with heart disease and stress-related illnesses such as ulcers or high blood pressure due largely because every time our attention shifts back and forth between two or more activities it causes our cortisol levels to go through the roof!
Multitasking may seem like an attractive solution for getting things done faster but doing so will ultimately result in less progress overall since we’re constantly starting over again after switching tasks not exactly productive!
10. Turn Off Notifications
Turn off notifications on your phone. Turn off notifications on your computer. Turn off notifications on your tablet.
Turn off notifications on your smartwatch. Turn off notifications on your smart glasses and whatever else you keep in constant contact with, from wristbands to toothbrushes (yes, there’s an app for that).
This will help you stay focused and reduce distractions from external sources that may lead to procrastination or poor decision-making throughout the day.
Freelance writing not only benefits your career but also your mental well-being. Explore how freelance writing helps your mental health and discover the positive impact it can have on your life.
11. Stop Procrastinating
Procrastination is a big problem for freelancers. We don’t have bosses, company culture, and the like to keep us on track.
When you put off your work until later in the day or week, it’s not because you’re busy or productive it’s because you’re lazy and distracted. If you want to stop procrastinating, understand the difference between these three things:
- Being busy vs being productive
- Being productive vs being lazy
- Being distracted vs being lazy
12. Get Away From Your Desk Once In A While (Just Don’t Stay Away For Too Long)
In addition to the importance of taking breaks, you should also know how often you should take them.
The general rule of thumb is that you need a break every 45 minutes to an hour. If possible, try to plan breaks into your schedule so that they’re regularly spaced apart and don’t cause too much disruption in your workflow.
Whether or not you must get up from your desk during these breaks depends on how active or sedentary your work is, but ultimately two main things will help:
Getting fresh air and avoiding eye strain by looking away from the computer screen for a bit (try reading something on paper instead).
A good way to make sure that these mini-breaks aren’t distracting is by following this simple rule: keep them short! You don’t want them dragging on forever because then they’ll just end up being another part of the day where nothing gets done.
A few minutes here and there will be enough time for yourself without any guilt about wasting time and once those few minutes are over, get right back into whatever it was you were doing before!
13. Learn How To Use Scheduling Apps And Calendars Effectively
Scheduling apps and calendars are your go-to tools for keeping track of appointments, meetings, and tasks. Use them effectively by setting up repeating events for recurring tasks like “write blog post” or “check in with the client.”
These kinds of reminders can be helpful to keep you on track when you’re feeling overwhelmed or distracted by other projects.
Scheduling apps and calendars also come in handy when working on long-term projects that involve multiple people or tasks (like creating a product launch campaign).
They allow you to see where everyone is at with their work so that you can work together seamlessly as a team or even delegate tasks if necessary!
If a client has an idea they’d like to discuss over coffee next week, schedule it into your calendar right away so both parties know what’s going on; this way there won’t be any confusion down the road about what was discussed during those meetings.
- Start by doing the task you most want to avoid. It’ll be over with before you know it.
- In this post, I’m going to share one of the most effective productivity tips I’ve found.
14. This Tip Is Simple: Start By Doing The Task You Most Want To Avoid
At first glance, this seems counterintuitive after all, why would we want to do our least favorite tasks first? But there’s a good reason for doing this.
If you can do your most dreaded task first thing in the morning, it’ll be out of the way and you won’t have any other tasks hanging over your head during the rest of the day.
Even better: when you’re done with it, you’ll feel so good about yourself that it will be easier for you to tackle everything else on your list because now that one big hurdle has been crossed!
15. Find Ways To Love The Job (At Least Some Of The Time)
The only way that you can be productive is if you enjoy what you are doing. If you hate your job, then it’s not going to get done well and it will take longer.
If there is one thing that I have learned when it comes to productivity and freelancing, it’s this: if you love what you do, then life will be easier for both yourself and your clients.
When things get tough or boring at work, find ways to make them interesting again and try different approaches so that the same tasks don’t feel so mundane all the time.
Try challenging yourself with a new task or skill set every month (or even week) so as not to stagnate in your abilities or knowledge base.
Most importantly though: always remember why exactly why doing these things are important for them not just become tasks but also reward themselves!
16. Understand That Sometimes You’ll Need Days Off For No Reason At All. That’s Okay. Everyone Does. Just Make Up For It Later
Everybody needs a break from time to time. Just because you’re working for yourself doesn’t mean that’s not true. One of the biggest challenges freelancers face is learning when to take breaks and how long they should last.
If you’re new to working as a freelancer, try taking a day off every week (or two) where you don’t do any work at all no answering emails or checking in on social media channels, and just relax instead. You’ll be surprised by how much better rested and energized you feel afterward!
Dreaming of becoming a successful freelance fashion writer in New York City? Discover actionable strategies and tips in our guide on ways you can make it as a freelance fashion writer in New York City to turn your passion into a thriving career.
17. Don’t Argue With Clients/Customers Unless You Have To. It Isn’t Worth It, And It Will Only Stress You Out More Than Necessary
There will be times when you have to argue with a client or customer. But even then, it’s best to keep things as cordial as possible.
If you can’t get them to see reason or agree that your work is good enough for them, then there will be consequences but it’s up to the client/customer whether or not those consequences are worth their time and money.
Some freelancers can seem like they’re always arguing with customers/clients but that’s because they’re afraid of losing the business altogether if word gets around about how difficult or confrontational they can be (and sometimes this is true).
But this isn’t necessary sometimes we need to communicate our needs clearly but tactfully so that both parties walk away satisfied (or at least not too angry).
18. The Most Successful Freelancers Have Routines They Follow And They Are Strategic About Their Productivity Strategies
Here are 10 tips to help you get started:
Have a routine. If you’re not productive when you wake up, it’s hard to be productive at other times during the day. Get up earlier than usual so that you can work before your brain is fully awake. You can even plan out your entire day in advance if that helps!
Have a plan for each project. If possible, create an outline beforehand with milestones or checkpoints along the way so that you know when to take breaks from working on any given task (and when not to).
Having this structure will help focus your attention on what matters most without losing sight of deadlines or goals within each task at hand.
Be strategic about how much time each client takes away from other clients by being transparent with them about what type of service(s).
They will receive based on their budget amount agreed upon upfront; communicate this information clearly through written contracts signed by both parties prior
Conclusion
Remember that great time management and productivity are essential to your success as a freelancer.
Even if you love your job, you still have to treat it like a job just one that allows you to work from wherever you want! For this to work, be sure to follow our tips on how best to utilize various methods of staying productive.
Schedule meetings with friends so that they don’t interfere with your work time; set aside hours each day specifically for working on projects or doing other tasks related to your business;
Create an environment conducive to getting things done such as a quiet office space free from distractions.
By making these changes now, you’ll be better prepared when the inevitable happens and deadlines approach faster than expected or clients come knocking at any moment with new requests that need immediate attention.
Further Reading
Nick Schaeferhoff – Productivity Tips for Freelancers: Explore more productivity tips and techniques to optimize your freelance workflow and achieve better results.
Quixy Blog – Productivity Tips for Freelancers: Find additional insights and strategies to boost productivity as a freelancer and manage your time effectively.
Daniel Futerman – Freelance Productivity Tips: Discover expert advice and practical tips to enhance productivity and success in your freelance career.
FAQs
What are some essential tools for freelance productivity?
Various tools can improve freelance productivity, including task management apps like Trello or Asana, time-tracking software like Harvest or Toggl, and communication platforms like Slack or Microsoft Teams.
How can freelancers effectively manage their time?
Freelancers can manage their time effectively by setting clear schedules, using time-blocking techniques, prioritizing tasks, and avoiding multitasking.
What are the best ways to stay motivated as a freelancer?
Staying motivated as a freelancer involves setting meaningful goals, rewarding yourself for achievements, finding a supportive community, and taking regular breaks to avoid burnout.
How can freelancers overcome procrastination and meet deadlines?
To overcome procrastination and meet deadlines, freelancers can break tasks into smaller, manageable chunks, set realistic deadlines, eliminate distractions, and create a conducive work environment.
How do freelancers handle work-life balance challenges?
Freelancers can maintain a healthy work-life balance by setting boundaries, scheduling regular breaks and time off, delegating tasks when possible, and practicing self-care activities.
Costantine Edward is a digital marketing expert, freelance writer, and entrepreneur who helps people attain financial freedom. I’ve been working in marketing since I was 18 years old and have managed to build a successful career doing what I love.