Freelance Advice: How To Keep Your Mind And Time Focused?

Are you a freelancer, who is looking for tips to improve your performance? Do you find it difficult to focus on the task and keep your mind off the distraction? Well, you are not alone!

Freelancers can easily find themselves being distracted. It can be hard to stay focused on the task at hand, especially when you have several projects running at once. However, if you want to be successful in your freelance business, you need to be able to keep your mind and time focused.

Therefore, we have compiled 10 freelance pieces of advice that will help you stay focused and productive.

Manage Stress in your Freelance Life – YouTube

Takeaways
1. Prioritize tasks based on importance and urgency.
2. Create a schedule or routine to structure your workday.
3. Minimize distractions by setting boundaries and eliminating unnecessary interruptions.
4. Take regular breaks to recharge and maintain focus.
5. Practice mindfulness techniques to reduce stress and increase mental clarity.

1. Don’t Let The Distractions Bother You

The key to overcoming distractions is by creating an environment where you can work without being bothered by outside noises like phone calls or emails coming through every few minutes.

There are certain things that need our full attention for them to get done right (like writing an article), but there are others that don’t require as much focus such as responding back emails or checking social media accounts like Facebook or Twitter every few hours just because we feel obligated too – this leads me into “time management issues” which will also be discussed later on this article.

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2. Be Clear About What You Want To Achieve

So how do you keep yourself focused? I’ve found that the best way to do this is to get clear on what I want to achieve every day. When I’m writing down my goals, I start with the biggest stuff—like what projects am I working on, and what do I hope to accomplish in those projects this week?—and then I work my way down to the smaller stuff like what emails need to go out today, and what invoices need to be sent.

Starting with the big picture helps me remember where I’m going as a freelancer, which helps me figure out how specific tasks fit into my overall business plan. That way, when something unexpected comes up or when an easy task takes longer than expected, I always have a roadmap for how I should be spending my time and energy so that nothing gets left behind.

3. Plan A Detailed Schedule For Your Day

A great way to keep yourself focused on your freelance goals is to plan out every single day in detail. It’s important to have a routine that makes sense for you. Plan out your work hours and make sure that neither you nor anyone else is going to be interrupting them.

If you’re not sure what a perfect day looks like for you, spend a few days noting down everything you do and when you do it. Set aside time for exercise or meditation if that helps clear your head or if you know that a bit of movement will help with productivity later in the day. When you’re ready, try sticking to this new routine for an entire week until it becomes a habit.

You should also set yourself daily and weekly goals so you know exactly what needs to do each day and where your priorities lie. Keeping track of how long tasks take will help with this too!

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4. Have A Deadline For Every Task

I’m going to let you in on a little secret: The best way to keep your mind and time focused is to have a deadline for everything.

There’s a reason why, when given the option, most of us tend to work better under pressure. Sometimes the only thing that can motivate us to get something done is knowing that there’s a price if we don’t.

Having a deadline for all of your tasks will help you do this for every project and at every stage. There are two ways you can use deadlines effectively:

1. Decide on a deadline for each task and set it in stone.

2. Let clients decide when they want it done and stick to their schedule.

I like both methods for different reasons, so I’ll also show you how I use both!

5. Don’t Hesitate To Ask For Help

Being a freelancer means you are usually working alone. The downside of this is that you don’t have anyone to talk to about your work. Nobody to bounce ideas off of, and no one to ask for help when you get stuck. Asking for help is a good thing to do, even if it feels like you are admitting defeat when you do so.

Hiring a consultant to advise you on your freelance business will not only provide you with the answers to any questions or problems you may have but it can also motivate and inspire you to achieve your goals. A consultant can be hired by the hour – so you will only pay for what you need – and they can be found through online job sites, professional freelance forums, and even professional networking sites like LinkedIn and Twitter.

There are also many excellent resources online that will answer your questions from how-to guides, expert blogs to discussion forums.

6. Use Time Management Tools

First, try using time-management tools like Google Calendar or Toggl to help you keep track of how much time you’re spending on each task. In many cases, these tools allow you to export your data and view it in spreadsheets, which can help you see trends over time and adjust your workflow accordingly.

Second, try using productivity-focused apps like Trello or Asana to help keep yourself on track with project-based tasks. These tools allow you to create boards with specific tasks and subtasks, allowing you to focus on a small number of items at any given time as well as provide an easy way to make adjustments when things change (and they always do).

Last but not least, try using the Pomodoro Technique—a popular method of tracking “sprints” of work time followed by shorter breaks—to break up your day into more manageable chunks.

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7. Focus On One Task At A Time

This can be an issue when you have a large number of tasks to complete, or when you have important deadlines to meet.

One way to keep your mind and time focused is by working on one task at a time. When you are trying to complete two or more tasks at once, this can cause your quality of work to go down and increase the amount of time it takes to finish each task.

Another way to help keep your focus is to dedicate a certain amount of time to each client’s task. For example, if you only have an hour in the morning before your next client calls, dedicate that hour to working on their task. If you spend an hour per day doing this for several clients, then this will help prevent you from falling behind on any work.

If possible, try limiting distractions during certain times of day when you need to focus most. For example, if you know that between 10 am-12 pm is going to be busy because three clients will be calling then, try not answering phone calls or responding immediately to e-mails during those hours.

8. Cut Down On Social Media Usage

It can be really easy to get distracted by your notifications, so you have to set some limits for yourself.

First, use an app like Freedom or StayFocusd to block access to distracting websites during your work hours.

Next, keep social notifications off your phone and computer by turning off their notification settings altogether. Even better? Turn the sound off on your phone entirely and put it somewhere else in the house where you won’t hear it or see the screen light up.

Lastly, if you don’t need social media for work (and even if you do), try logging out of all of your accounts—that way, it takes an extra step for you to get back in and get distracted again.

If social media isn’t where most of your distractions come from, take a step back for a second and think about what is distracting you. Then, once you’ve identified the source of your distraction, make a plan for how to deal with it (like shutting down all possible outlets during work hours).

9. Take Short Breaks Between Tasks

I’ve found that taking short breaks between tasks helps me stay focused and motivated.

Short breaks will help you recharge and relax from your hours of work. You can do whatever you want during these short breaks, such as walking around, stretching, or even eating a snack.

You can also spend this time thinking about what you need to accomplish in the next few hours. This will help keep the work off your mind when you’re relaxing and enjoying yourself. In case something comes up while relaxing, you know where everything stands so there won’t be last-minute surprises!

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10. Reward Yourself

What’s the best way to get something done? Make it worth your while in some way. If you’re always having trouble finishing projects or staying focused, try giving yourself rewards for your efforts.

For example, if you want to make sure that you finish a certain project before lunch, promise yourself a treat (like an episode of a show on Netflix) if you complete it by then. Similarly, if there’s a project that you’ve been putting off for a long time because it’s boring or seems too difficult, reward yourself for every hour of work completed with a break or favorite snack.

Time Management Software For Freelancers

Time is money!

It’s so important to use every minute of your day wisely as a freelancer. Luckily, we live in the age of technology, when there are tons of tools out there to help us make the most of our time and stay on top of our work.

Here are five great time management tools:

1. The Pomodoro Technique

If you’ve ever gone to a restaurant with an hourglass on each table, you know how this technique works. You set a timer for 25 minutes and focus on one task during that time period. Afterward, you take a break for five minutes before setting the timer again and working for another 25 minutes. Some people find that this technique helps them be more productive than if they were just working for hours at a time with no breaks to refocus their minds.

2. Toggl

This free service allows you to track your time in detail and create reports to show how much time you spent on different tasks or projects. You can also use it to bill clients by tracking your time down to the minute and charging them appropriately per project agreement.

3. RescueTime

RescueTime is one of the best time tracking applications I have ever used. The application tracks your time on various apps on your computer and tells you how much time you spent using each app on your computer. It also gives you a productivity score based on how productive you were while using those apps during that period.

The scores are very useful in determining how productive you are and what things are distracting you from doing actual work. You can also set alarms that will tell when you spend too much time on an app or even block an app to make sure that you don’t waste your time on it when you should be working.

4. Asana

If you are working with a team, Asana is an excellent tool to help keep everyone on task and on time. With this app, people can communicate with each other seamlessly and make sure they have everything they need to get the job done. If something needs to be reviewed by someone else, it can easily be sent over to them through Asana. This program is free for teams of up to 15 people, but there is a premium version that costs $10 per month per user, which comes with more features.

5. Harvest

With Harvest, you can see exactly how much time you’ve spent on tasks or projects as well as billable versus non-billable hours. This allows you to make better decisions about how much time to budget for each project and helps ensure that you’re not spending too much or too little on specific tasks or clients.

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Final Thoughts

Above all, the freelancer’s lifestyle is a balancing act. You’re never truly just working or simply relaxing because to earn your living you have to devote yourself to your business every day. But to maintain a healthy, independent lifestyle at the same time, you have to stay as far away from this business as much as possible. You have to achieve a work-life balance if you want both productivity and happiness.

How To Keep Your Mind And Time Focused – FAQs

How Do You Focus On The Task At Hand?

The first step is to understand what you’re trying to do. Make a list of all the things you need to do. This will help you organize your time and prioritize your tasks. It will also make it easier for you to stay focused because you know exactly what needs to be done.

How Do I Stay Focused And On Task?

First and foremost, you should figure out what it is that is distracting you. Is it your phone? If so, put your phone away. Is it your friends? If so, tell them that you have a paper due and need to work.

What Can I Do To Focus Better?

There are a couple of things you can do to improve your focus. The first is to practice mindfulness. Mindfulness is the act of being in the present moment—not mulling over what did or didn’t happen in the past, and not worrying about what might or might not happen in the future.

How Can I Stop Procrastinating?

Here’s how to stop procrastinating and keep your mind and time focused.

1. Take a break

2. Prepare for tomorrow

3. Set goals for the day

4. Eliminate distractions

5. Go for a walk

How can I improve my time management skills as a freelancer?

Developing effective time management skills as a freelancer involves setting clear goals, prioritizing tasks, creating schedules or routines, and utilizing productivity tools or techniques such as the Pomodoro Technique.

What are some common time management challenges faced by freelancers?

Freelancers often face challenges such as dealing with project deadlines, managing multiple clients or projects simultaneously, maintaining work-life balance, and combating procrastination or distractions.

How can I stay focused on my work as a freelancer?

To stay focused as a freelancer, you can try strategies like creating a dedicated workspace, setting specific work hours, minimizing distractions (such as turning off notifications), practicing time blocking, and using productivity apps or techniques like the “two-minute rule.”

Are there any recommended time management tools for freelancers?

Yes, there are various time management tools that can be beneficial for freelancers. Some popular options include project management tools like Trello or Asana, time tracking apps like Toggl or RescueTime, and calendar or scheduling apps like Google Calendar or Calendly.

How can I effectively prioritize tasks as a freelancer?

Prioritizing tasks as a freelancer involves evaluating deadlines, assessing the importance and urgency of each task, considering client or project requirements, and aligning priorities with your own long-term goals. Utilizing a to-do list or task management system can also be helpful in organizing and prioritizing tasks efficiently.

Costantine Edward

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.