How Freelance Writers Can Stay Productive: Do’s and Don’ts
Guest post by Amaka Chukwuma
The freedom to work when and how I wanted to made me feel empowered. But reality hit me when I began to struggle with meeting deadlines. It was a rude awakening that made me realize that the autonomy I have over my time might be my undoing. Yeah, freelancing is more difficult than you anticipated it would be, and one of the difficulties is maintaining a productive work pace. Before finding out how to stay productive, let’s first understand why freelancers have to struggle with productivity.
Why is productivity a challenge?
Freelancing is a balancing act between your independence and staying productive. This is the principal resistance you must overcome. Managing your freedom entails holding yourself accountable. You have to ask yourself, "What kind of boss am I to myself?” because the temptations you face are numerous.
Stay in bed for that extra five minutes, catch up on your favorite show, see the latest on Facebook and Twitter—anything other than work. There’s also the problem of creative rut to deal with—all the more reason to stay away from your workspace. If you want to get the job done, it’s up to you to get yourself going. However, being your sole motivator is one of the most difficult tasks there is. And there lies the crux of the issue.
So, how do you stay accountable while delivering your best? Here are things you can do and not do to help you stay productive and improve your service delivery.
5 Things You Can Do
Keep an Idea File/Swipe File
Even the best writers occasionally run out of ideas—when their creative juices run dry. One way to get through this horrible dry spell when you need to be creative is to have an idea file on hand. Because writers get creative at odd times, such as when in the bathroom, jotting down your ideas whenever they show up can prepare you for a creative “meltdown.”
You'll turn to these ideas whenever you need a boost to your creative juices.The same thing can be done with a swipe file, which is also an invaluable tool. Have a collection of your favorite badass writing examples that can serve as templates. For instance, if you're having trouble writing a compelling introduction for a blog post, your swipe file provides you with examples that will inspire you to write something more effective.
Time Block Your Day
Some days, time passes so quickly that you wonder what you did with it. This may not be the case if you utilize time blocking. Time blocking allows you to divide a period—typically a day or week—into smaller segments or blocks for precise tasks on your agenda. If you can develop a scheduling habit, it can help you do deep work and impact your productivity. Consider using time blocking to help you:
Cut off all the noise and disruptions.
Improve your ability to fulfill deadlines and accurately predict how long it will take.
Adopt a task management strategy to get things done.
Time management tools like Google Calendar and ClickUp are simple-to-use tools you can employ.
Make a To-Do-List
Make a list of things you hope to accomplish during the day. However cliche this may sound, it works. Your list should be prioritized. The most important tasks should be completed first. A to-do list assists you in focusing on what needs to be done. Without a list, you may overlook important tasks and end your day on a bad note. Also, ticking tasks off your list as you complete them can help you feel accomplished. There’s no better way to end a freelance day. The best way to use a to-do list is to make it as detailed as possible so that you don't miss out on any steps that will help you complete a task well. According to Asana, an effective to-do list should include descriptions and separate lists for every category of task. Label categories and create a list of tasks under each.
Use Templates
Boredom and monotony can be detrimental to performance. However, using templates can make repeatable tasks easier to complete. You also save a lot of time while remaining efficient. Templates can be used and changed for many different things, and they help you keep your brand consistent. Some templates to create include:
Pitches
Invoice
Proposals
Writing brief template
Follow up email template
Templates can be time-consuming to create, but it is a one-time investment that will save you a lot of trouble in the future.
Research Only What You Need
You're stuck in a never-ending research cycle. You keep going with over 15 tabs open on your screen, but you're making no progress on the 700-word piece you're about to write. You have too much information coming into your mind that you haven't processed yet. You don't even know what you think.
An excess of unprocessed mental input can cause writer’s block, cost you time, and make you unproductive. Try limiting yourself to working with a few materials. Give yourself a number, say two or three, and stick to that. Make a structure with subheadings and try researching and taking notes for each section. Then make the first draft from there. To know if you have researched enough, ask yourself:
Do you have a strong enough main point to cover the scope of your topic? Consider the word count you want to achieve when answering this.
Are you seeing similar information in more than one credible source? If this is the case, you already have what you need. There's no need to look elsewhere for the same thing.
Are you starting to gather information that isn't related to your topic or fit the context of your topic?
If you answer yes to all three questions, it’s time to move on to getting your piece together.
3 Things to Avoid
Don't Tell Yourself You Have More Time
Do you find yourself saying: "Oh I’ll just do that tomorrow, there's still a lot of time." And this goes on until you're close to your deadline? Constraints and conditioning can prevent you from doing things at the eleventh hour and set you up to go into full swing.
In my case, I try to handle this by having an earlier self-imposed deadline for every project. So, if I’ve promised to deliver in 72 hours, I will self-impose a 48-hour deadline. This helps me under-promise and over-deliver.
Other ways to create constraints include:
Turning off your cell phone to help you concentrate more fully.
Staying confined to space until you have completed your task.
Leaving a familiar setting for a more tranquil one.
Don’t Go on and On Without Breaks
Recognize when you need a break and listen to your body clock. Like it or not, at some point, there'll be a "break-in transmission", when your body and mind can't connect. When it happens like this, you are unable to see things clearly. It’s time to take a break.
Exercise during your downtime helps. According to WebMD, exercise increases your ability to focus and pay attention. Personally, my mind and body benefit from a 15-minute exercise break. It provides me with a surge of energy and a renewed focus.
In a short time, you can go jogging or brisk walking. See exercise as an opportunity to get out of your workspace and a chance to activate those numb muscles.
Don’t Multitask
Yeah, I know you’re keen on crossing everything off your to-do list. Multitasking may seem like the right way to help you achieve this. Yet, studies have shown that multitasking stresses the brain.
Our brains tend to make mistakes when we juggle between jobs. As a writer, you don't want to risk making avoidable mistakes. Your task requires rapt attention, which makes multitasking counterproductive. Don't fall into the trap of trying to do too many things at once. Instead, focus on how well you did on each task, not how many you did.
Don’t Give in to Your Desire for Perfection
Perfectionism can keep you frozen in a spot. Not only that, you’re stuck doubting your abilities. You should avoid becoming bogged down in a project or process for too long because it has to be perfect. You may never achieve your goal(s) for the day. I try to let go of the idea of making things perfect and being content that it is done. Else, nothing gets done.
Over to You
Time management, efficiency, motivation, and consistency all play a role in productivity. Find ways to make an effort to reach your overarching goals by being productive every day. Granted, not all of these "hacks" may work for you. You might need to modify or invent your style. In any case, keep trying until you discover your productivity secret.
Are you interested in creating a sustainable freelance writing business without the hustle? Check out my freelance writing course with a step-by-step process of exactly what you need.
Bio: Amaka is a Freelance Content Writer with a BA in Linguistics. Because of her inquisitive mind, she finds herself writing in various niches in the B2C and B2B space. She has written for online publications like FinanceBuzz, Bolde, BottonwoodTree and WealthofGeeks. Her areas of interests include personal finance, sexual health, lifestyle and Saas. You can find her on Linkedin and Twitter.