How to Manage Your Time as a Freelancer
Freelancing sounds like a dream job to some and an impossible career path to others. If you treat freelancing like a regular job, you can be just as successful as you would be working for a company. The main thing that separates those who can freelance for a living and those who can’t is time management.
While some have the discipline to work efficiently from home on their own time, others don’t have what it takes. However, if you’re currently a freelancer looking for ways to manage your time better during the day, check out some of these tips!
Start early
Working for yourself can only mean one thing – waking up whenever you want! Right? Wrong! Waking up at noon every day of your freelance career will put you on the fast track to failure. If you’re working on managing your time better, try waking up early and getting work done early in the day. If you can get more than half of your work done before noon, you’re in a really good position. Then you just might have the rest of the day to spend how you’d like.
Eliminate distractions
While you’re working, turn off the TV, stay off social media, don’t respond to your text messages, etc. Basically, anything that isn’t work related should not be used during your work hours. There will be times you’ll have to take a call or answer a message, but try to keep the use of this to a minimum.
Take breaks
Sometimes it’s best to split your work up. Maybe work for an hour, take a 15 min break, then work for another hour, and take a 10 minute break. Taking breaks helps clear your head and recharge your batteries. Doing work for too long can cause you to get antsy and irritable, thus possibly causing you to cave into distractions which will cause you to not work as efficiently.
Work normal office hours
Treat your freelance job as a normal job. Work, take a lunch break, work. Start and finish at the same time every day and try and keep these hours consistent. Some freelancers choose to not work during the day and work in the evening. This will cause you to get tired and not get your work done as effectively.
Stay consistent with your daily schedule
Last, but not least, keep your schedule the same every day if you can. Freelancers have so much freedom that they can end up getting too flexible with their schedule and not getting as much work done as they should. Routine is key for being a freelancer!
Also check out these additional tips for Habits of Highly Effective Freelancers
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A Florida native filled with charm, a sense of humor, style, and a passion for writing, Dana Damato is a talented journalist covering all things entertainment, fashion, food, travel, and lifestyle. Dana first realized her dreams of becoming a writer at age ten and wrote her first book at the age of 12. With a growing passion for writing, Dana knew from then on that being a writer is what she needed to do as a career.
