Freelancing has evolved to become the best career paths, especially with the growing digital economy. In fact, one research found that a third of the US workforce has done freelancing gigs at some point. Full-time freelancers love it owing to the freedom plus the much-needed flexibility that is often hard to find in a full-time job. Well, that kind of flexibility is attached to some sense of responsibility. There is a lot that goes into making freelancing a success. In this regard, here are some tips that will help you grow more productive in your freelancing career.
Have a working schedule
When it comes to increasing your productivity, creating a schedule is crucial. Unlike full-time jobs, freelancing allows you to choose your working hours. This can be a challenge or a great thing, depending on how you organize your time. For example, ensure that you have all your tasks scheduled based on the priority of their urgency and demands. Create a timetable that includes your wake-up time, mealtime, leisure hours, and working hours. Having a well-thought-out and diligent schedule will help you increase your productivity.
Create a to-do list
You cannot work efficiently without a to-do list. As a rule of thumb, ensure that it is a feasible list of things you want to do. Better even, structure your list around daily and weekly goals. It means that you should have only tasks you propose to accomplish within a specific time. It also means that you need to recognize your potential and how much you can stretch. If you set realistic and achievable goals, you will succeed in your freelancing career. You will avoid the pressure that could be counter-productive.
Invest in a nice computer & keep it running smoothly!
Your computer is now one of the key devices if you are doing online freelance gigs. It will allow you to connect with your clients and execute your tasks faster. So, invest in a good one and ensure that you take great care of it! Keeping it running smoothly by preventing any clutter build up. For example, delete those images, videos, duplicate music and more taking up unnecessary space. Also, invest in a good antivirus to protect your work computer. At times you might have to replace an obsolete battery, clean it and generally service the device. It will allow you to be effective at your work and avoid costly hitches.
Structure your work
Working as a freelancer will see you constantly juggling between different projects. You will also be working with multiple organizations simultaneously. Handling the numerous deadlines while delivering high-quality output can become tedious and take a toll on you. It is thus essential to structure your work better. Make sure that you monitor all your dues dates and deliverables.
You can use Google calendar as one of the tools to help you deliver appropriately and with ease. Try and assemble folders for specific assignments for easy and convenient access. If you will be working on multiple projects on a single day, try and batch similar tasks. This organization method will increase your focus and allow you to achieve more in less time.
Take a break occasionally
We all tend to want to achieve more by pushing ourselves to the limit. However, exploiting your physical and mental strength would not work in the long haul. That is why taking a break is essential in keeping you healthy and productive. Catching some rest will optimize your productivity and let your creative juices flow more freely. Start by taking those short 15–30-minute breaks every two hours as you work. You can take a walk in the sun or relax away from your computer to rejuvenate. It is also good to take a vacation away from work. It will increase your productivity in the long run!
In a nutshell
Freelancing has presented tremendous opportunities for people to work remotely at their convenience. Besides, you can easily take up several tasks from multiple organizations with freelancing. However, you need to know how best you can manage your work to stay productive. From getting clients, managing them, taking care of payments, promoting your brand, and multitasking, among others. We hope these tips will go a long way in helping you improve your productivity.
