How to stay productive as a freelancer

[et_pb_section admin_label=”section”] [et_pb_row admin_label=”row”] [et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text”]As a freelancer, you are your own boss, which sounds like a great thing (because it is great) but sometimes having a boss to answer to can have its benefits, such as helping you stay productive because you know you’ll be in trouble if you don’t get your work completed. So how does a freelancer stay productive when they have nobody to answer to but themselves (and their clients)? Here is a list of things you should do as a freelancer to stay productive. Keep reminding yourself why you are doing this As a freelancer, you probably have multiple reasons why you’re freelancing instead of getting a normal 9-5 job, from wanting to be your own boss to being able to do something you really loving doing and excel at. So whenever you are feeling a little lazy, remind yourself exactly why you have been putting in all of this hard work. Decide what your priorities are each day As a freelancer, you probably have way more work to do than you have hours in the day. Freelancers have to do everything, from marketing their services to sorting out their finances. And then there’s doing the actual work. Knowing you have all this work to juggle can really be demotivating, which is why you should work out what the most important bits of work are that need to be done. Do this each day so you know exactly what you are going to do, instead of sitting around with all your various tasks making you panic. Have a hobby (unrelated to work) Freelancing is hard work, but all work and no play… You don’t want to get burnt out. That’s one of the biggest de-motivators, and a sure way to make you an unproductive freelancer. Find the time to enjoy yourself. Have a hobby. It could be as something as simple as reading a novel or poetry in the evening, or something more extreme such as skateboarding (but only if you do a job in which broken bones won’t hinder you). Write down your short and long-term goals Knowing your goals, both short and long-term, means you have something bigger to work towards. It could be that you eventually want to convert to a limited company and start hiring employees, or it could be that you want to save enough money for a deposit to buy your first home. Looking to these goals will make your day-to-day work easier to get through because you know that even the most boring tasks are going to be beneficial in the long run. Focus on one thing at a time Freelancers, as do all business owners, have a lot of different tasks to do. It can be hard to manage them all, and it can be tempting to try working on multiple things at once. But trying to do too many tasks at once means none of the tasks will be completed to high standards. If you want to stay productive as possible, it’s actually best to focus on one thing at a time. Giving each task your undivided attention means you’ll end up getting things done quicker, and better. [/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column] [/et_pb_row] [/et_pb_section]