Studio Blog

Making productive use of freelance writing time can be challenging. Many freelancers are work at home parents who can only count on a certain time of the day to work. Others have full time jobs to contend with. Still others fall prey to many of the distractions that manage to keep us from focusing on the matter at hand. With all the above in mind, I thought I might share some of my favorite productivity tips.

Keep business hours

As freelance writers we pride ourselves on our flexibility. We can work any time and any place.  When I first began freelancing I grabbed times to write here and there. As my freelance writing business grew, I realize the piece mail writing thing wasn’t working out. It’s hard to focus on one task when I’m constantly getting up to deal with family or answer the doorbell.  What worked best for me was to establish business hours.

Having business hours allowed me to focus on my work undisturbed. When my son was younger, I woke at 4:00 and worked until about 7:30 AM. Now, I work during school hours. Having specific blocks of time not only enabled me to respect my work, but others respect my time and work as well.  Sitting down and knowing I won’t be disturbed is priceless. It allows the words to flow freely without having to wonder if the kids are OK or if friends will come a-calling.

Schedule time for everything

Again, as a freelancer you might not want to be so strict with your time. However, if I don't schedule my time, I get torn in different directions and lose focus.  Unless I’m meeting friends for lunch (more on that later) I generally eat the same time every day. I also schedule a certain time of day for each project, whether client gigs or my own. There's even a certain time of day to handle correspondence, phone calls and administrative tasks. Generally, Friday is my administrative day when I handle accounting and paperwork.

Create an editorial calendar

An editorial calendar helps to manage various projects. I start one at the beginning of each month and plan assignments and blogs posts in advance.  Having each project scheduled and entered into a calendar for certain times and days means I won’t have to think about which project to tackle next. 

Of course, if you only write for Demand Studios this sort of calendar might not be necessary. However, I create content for multiple blogs, work with a couple of clients and I’m working on some ebook projects and contributions for some top bloggers.  Having an editorial calendar allows me to delegate enough time for each, and it ensures I won’t run out of ideas.

The stuff you like least? Do that first

Admit it. Sometimes you have to write stuff you’re not exactly feeling. Maybe you even do what I used to do and put it last on your list. You might even procrastinate by getting something to eat or surfing the ‘net. You do everything you can to put off the inevitable.

What would happen if you put you dullest writing projects first?

When I schedule a task that I don’t enjoy I make it my first project of the day. I get it over with early so everything else is gravy. It’s almost as if I’m rewarding myself with the good stuff by getting through the lackluster stuff. Tackle the unattractive tasks first. Get them out of the way. You’ll find you’re procrastinating less and getting more done.

Reward yourself

All work and no play makes Deb a dull girl. It probably makes you dull too. That’s why I like to reward myself for my hard work. I meet friends for lunch, allow myself some social networking time, treat myself to Starbucks or read some chapters from a good book.  By rewarding myself I’m sort offering a light at the end of a tunnel. For example, I know that if I get all my work done by 4:00, I can have an hour to myself to do whatever I like before my family comes home.

Respect your time

Being productive means you’re respecting your time. You’re doing what it takes to sit down, focus, and block out the rest of the world done. For me, this means being less flexible with my time and establishing boundaries.  Now I'd like to learn how you do it.

What do you do to rock your productivity?

Share your tips in the comments…

 

Deborah Ng is a freelance writer, professional blogger, social media consultant and founder of the Freelance Writing Jobs blog network.