Being a freelancer must take the skill and determination to strive hard and land clients. Also, they are the ones whose time has been more flexible and adjustable as compared to those corporate workers.
Just a small percentage of freelancers work an eight-hour workday. With almost every freelancer having access to remote working opportunities and home-based offices becoming more popular, it is much more difficult to find a worker who follows a conventional work schedule than it is to find one who enjoys a work style based solely on their preferences.
Experts refer to it as the blurring between work and life, believing that technology is to blame for the strong integration of work in our time.
It takes grit and a relentless amount of effort to stay on top of the game and be ready to conquer the wide market battleground. However, freelancers must learn how to effectively manage their time, stay productive, all the while taking care of their personal lives and familial responsibilities.
Before we get started, it is important to keep in mind that everyone is different, and we all have our methods and preferences. While these suggestions are a great place to start when it comes to and your productivity, remember to be versatile. Start with small steps and see what works best for you.
What You Must Take Note and Apply into Your Daily Routine
1. Get Going as Soon as Possible
Starting the workday late will cause you to lose motivation and become lazy. It often makes you feel like you have thrown away a significant portion of your day. Getting a head start on your day can have a significant effect on the rest of it. Get in the habit of waking up early so you can fit in other projects. This has a positive effect on your day.
The sooner you get up in the morning, the better. Many active people like to get up between 5 and 6 a.m. to get ready for the day and go through their daily routine.
Do you want to start doing this? Try going to bed an hour earlier and waking up an hour earlier than normal. Set your alarm a few minutes earlier each day before you hit your target start time.
2. Create a Daily Routine
Although it might be tempting to work from home without a set schedule, it is all too easy to slip into the rabbit hole of procrastination. Even if you are not required to adhere to regular working hours, getting some discipline is important.
Take ten minutes or so at the start or end of each workday to schedule your day. Make time to complete any big projects or activities that you have on your to-do list.
Make sure you do not put off high-energy jobs until later in the day. Attempt to complete the most difficult tasks first, then move on to the easier tasks. Knowing when you start to slow down automatically can assist you.
3. Learn to Take Breaks
Remember to schedule daily breaks as well. Shorter, more frequent breaks are a perfect way to give your mind a break between tasks while still being efficient. Everyone has their vision of what their vacation could entail. Even a quick 15-minute walk can be enough to make you feel refreshed and reenergized.
4. Set Everything in Order at Home
You must be able to establish firm boundaries with your family. Setting clear boundaries is important if you live with family or even friends. Make sure they understand when you are available and when they should not bother you.
If you live with others, it is a good idea to coordinate your schedules. That way, none of you has to be concerned about interrupting a call or showing up in the background of a crucial teleconference online meeting.
5. Take on Projects with Consideration
Many freelancers are constantly on the lookout for new customers, assuming that more company will eventually lead to more money, independence, and success.
There are no intrinsic benefits of handling more clients; instead, there is a slew of drawbacks for the work-life balance. It is tempting to want to take on new tasks now that you are spending more time at home.
As a freelancer, you should learn how to manage your time and what tasks you know you can or cannot handle. Accepting more than you can handle can be detrimental to your health and productivity.
Only accept work that you know you can deliver. If you fail to do that, it can be overwhelming for you. This can even slow your progress and performance as well.
Learn to handle projects within your capacity. It is also a good reminder to slow down and focus on one thing at a time.
6. Keep Distractions to a Minimum
It is all too easy to get distracted when working from home and trying to get work done during quarantine.
Eliminating as many distractions as possible is the best way to remain on track. Many people's distractions revolve around surfing the internet or scrolling through social media.
7. Set a Firm Deadline in Mind
Working long hours and late into the night is one of the most common issues people face while working from home. It can be difficult to call it quits without the actual act of clocking out and going home for the day.
Set a deadline for yourself to complete work and stick to it. Close your office door and turn off your screen when you are finished working to let your brain know you are done for the day.
Conclusion
It can be a trial-and-error process to find a routine and systems that work for you. You will make mistakes or feel disorganized at first, but it will all come together eventually.
More importantly, keep in mind that the quarantine will not last indefinitely. We will all emerge from this experience with greater respect for normalcy.
That being said, we are all struggling in some way, whether it is emotionally, physically, or financially, and we must recognize and address our problems. We will make it through and emerge as moody, solitary authors who can finally be moody and solitary with other people.
