Freelance Writer: Ten Tips to Maximize Productivity
Freelance Writer Tips to Increase Productivity
1. Make Lists – This is a must! – As a freelance writer you have deadlines and projects. Make a “to do” list. I make a list for the week and for each day. I review my week list and make adjustments to my daily list as needed every morning. I have a motivation or reward at the bottom of each list. My rewards are usually something like two hours off, a massage, or a caramel latte! Another list I keep is a contacts list. My contact lists is a notebook with everyone’s name and contact information. If the power goes out for any reason, I can still communicate if needed and let people know I am not working.
2. Set Goals – Whether your goal is monetary, amount of words you will write, or the time you will work, set quantifiable goals that you can hold yourself accountable to. Make your goals realistic and meet them. Adjust your goals each week as needed.
3. Find Your Prime Time: – Schedule your work time in your prime time when you are most energetic. I am energetic and focused in the morning so I start writing at 6:00 AM and have a good deal of work completed by 9AM when most people are starting. Makes me feel like I am ahead all day instead if trying to catch up.
4. Schedule Interruptions – Turn off your phone, IM, and email while you work. Set aside a time to read and respond to email and phone messages each day. Writers must have blocks of uninterrupted time. As a writer – you only make money when you are writing!
5. Change Your Home Page – This one act did more to increase my work time, focus, and paycheck more than all the other time savers combined! For years every time I opened the web to research the first page I saw was Yahoo. Soon I was reading a news story or email and had forgotten what I was going to research. When I changed my home page to one without news feeds or email notifications, my productivity skyrocketed. (Now I set aside time to read news each day and schedule my email communications.)
6. Get Up and Move Around – Exercise stimulates your brain and you will write better. Break up your writing sessions with a brisk walk; tread mill, or stationary bike and stretching.
7. Manage Your Environment – You will not manage your life, work, or much of anything very good if you do not keep your work area clean and organized.
8. Be Consistent – you have the flexibility to work when you want at home yet being consistent each week will help you establish a routine and perform better.
9. Start a Countdown – When you are dreading working or writing or you are putting off a task set up a time as soon as possible when you will start. Countdown the hours and minutes and treat the task or writing as a rocket launch. (Years of preparation and millions of dollars go into a rocket launch and barring any emergency the lift off cannot be put off!)
10. Seek Support – As a freelance writer working with TeacherWriters you are not alone. When you need help contact friends, associates, or TeacherWriters. We are here to help you.
Copyright 2009 TeacherWriters
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