When working on your own, you need to be productive. Yes, it’s convenient to greet the Amazon or UPS driver at your front door, drop the car off for a quick oil change, or take the dog for their morning outing. I had a friend long ago who was looking over my shoulder as I was working ask, “Are you making money doing that?” That statement has stuck in my mind for my entire entrepreneurial career. If you do not consider yourself a self-starter who can be productive without the boss looking over your shoulder, think hard about joining the freelance ranks.
1. Noise-canceling headphones – If your work environment is noisy at home or in your local coffee hang, reduce the volume. Some people can block out the noise. I’ve written in cafes and coffee houses for more than 30 years, and the place could virtually burn down, and I’d still be writing as the first responders carried me out. Headphones and earbuds have also become the silent signal to others around you that I’m working here and do not want to be disturbed.
2. Roadmap your day – Plan the work, work the plan, as the saying goes. Don’t bounce from one task to another, have a strategy in play. I start the day by checking my calendar. I look over my latest articles for comments and see if I have any new connections or followers I can welcome. Then I get started on my first writing assignment and write until noon. I take my run, have lunch, and then write for the afternoon. I have two times set aside in the morning and afternoon when I follow up on notifications and emails.
3. Turn off notifications – Okay, I’ll admit we’re all after Followers and Connections. It’s what makes the Entrepreneurial World go round. Is it essential that you receive a notice the very second Starbucks announces its New Summer-Berry Starbucks Refreshers. Choose a time or two to answer your emails and notifications in the morning and afternoon. You’ll be amazed at how much more productive you’ll be.
4. Keep a clean desk – Don’t believe “A messy desk is a sign of genius.” I’m not saying every freelancer needs to hire a PA. But you must be able to find things, client contact info, project files, notes, and upcoming appointments. Keep things organized to the point that you can find what’s needed. There are enough apps to keep you organized. There’s probably one to keep your sock drawer in order.
5. Have a strong start and stop time – Don’t base getting out of bed daily on the amount of noise the recycled truck makes in the alley or the fact that the cat won’t stop licking your face. Pick hard and fast start and stop times to be in freelance mode. Put in six to eight hours straight in one sitting or work several hours in the morning, followed by the same amount of time in the afternoon. Be prepared to work longer hours when you’re behind on a project.
6. Schedule breaks – To fight off fatigue and prevent your mind from turning into mush. You’ll need to take breaks. I can’t seem to write for more than three hours without needing a breather. My mind shuts down and refuses to be creative. Choose an activity and find something to distract your mind. I’m a runner. I write in the morning, run, have lunch, and then return to pen in hand.
7. Get a personal knowledge management app – It may be time to organize your mind outside your body with what’s known as personal knowledge management software. The amount of information one needs to store, track, manage, retrieve, and share in their personal and work life can be overwhelming. Hence the dawn of PKMs. Check out a few Notion, Evernote, and Inkdrop.
8. Keep a calendar – Record client deadlines and calls somewhere. If not, one will likely fall through the crack at some point. There are more cloud apps, such as Calendly, than you can count for your laptop and phone. If you must, get the latest Tolkien calendar for 2024 and pencil in the activities.
9. Organize your client files – Find a way to organize your client project files, whether you have things printed out in folders, on your laptop, or stored in a project management app such as SLACK, Upwork, or Notion. You can hardly be seen as a professional while you keep the client waiting on the call while you dig through piles of unorganized files and papers.
10. Record your mileage if not at the home office – Every deduction helps at tax time. Record your car’s mileage every trip to Office Depot, the bank, or meeting with a client. You’ll be amazed at how the miles add up.
11. Schedule client calls – Yes, return client calls promptly. Don’t jump on the phone the minute the call comes in. Here are two reasons why you should delay the ring back. First, it breaks your concentration and what you’re working on, and second, you need a moment to think about how you’ll respond to the call. Returning emails holds true for the same reasons.
