Being your own boss, especially when you are working freelance, is challenging. You have to get the work done on time, meet customer expectations and handle surroundings tactfully.
This is one job all of us have tried at some point, but very few of us succeeded in managing it. Working from home as a freelancer is one dare for which you need peace, a lot of motivation and a whole heap of patience. You get distracted once, and boom, all focus down in wane.
We, have a tough time concentrating on work when surrounded by an environment full of distractions. No matter how many times we convince ourselves not to heed these interferences, we cannot Keep ourselves from these distractions.
There are tasks that need urgent deliveries and complete concentration. The surroundings do matter when it comes to efficient work. If there are a lot of noises, which distract your focus, then you might lose interest in completing that task.
Following are the twelve fail-proof productivity hacks that can boost your work efficiency and improve your freelance productivity.
Find Your Work Space And Eliminate Distractions
The cleverest hacks to accelerate your efficiency while working as freelancers include a decent workspace with no interferences.
A decent workspace doesn’t mean investing in a workplace or office but advancing your workstation. You can spend a small amount on a good table and chair or a fitting seat and desk that can offer comfort and solace from uninvited throbbing and back pains.
To eliminate distractions, you can consider on
- Using headphones
- Shutting room doors
- switching off cellphone
Make a To-Do List
Your to-do list can do wonders! Jot down all you aspire to achieve for the month. You can either use your notepad or mobile application for this practice, the one that suits you best.
After you have jotted down all your tasks, make a list based on weekly goals. Extract what you need to dispatch first and sequence your errands accordingly.
You can also add in your daily household jobs and function suitably, which can help you stay focused on your work, and you won’t wander or lose track of things. The focus this practice will award is crucial for freelancers to work efficiently and proficiently.
Set Your Goals And Work Time Wisely
While making your to-do list, you must set your goals and time wisely. If you fail to do so, you might end up going off on a tangent, which can be detrimental for your freelance work.
Experts recommend synchronizing clear goals so you can line up your targets correctly and manage the time effectively.
Setting goals help you work efficiently, accelerate productivity and boost efficacy so you can fulfill your purposes and accomplish your objectives.
You might not believe it, but setting goals and time help shape your missions and produce better results.
Break Bigger Tasks Into Smaller Ones
Consider dividing your bigger tasks into smaller ones to make your work easier and stress-free. You can allot different days for different tasks or split the same job into different days.
For instance, if you are working on a research paper, allocate separate days for literature review and background and then manage data collection, discussion, conclusion, etc.
The smaller your task is divided, the more specific your work will be, and the more specific your work is, the better your accuracy will be. By this work specification, the focus is narrowed down and will eventually result in better outputs.
Take Short Breaks
Working tirelessly without taking any breaks can never result in productivity; instead, it will have adverse effects on productivity, and you will end up delivering terrible work. According to reports, short breaks during work improves efficiency and recharge your capacities.
This might seem a paradox to you, but in truth, working for too long without any breaks is your worst enemy in generating quality work.
When you work straight for more than four hours, your level of focus deteriorates, resulting in the decreased excellence of your work.
However, the break doesn’t mean hour-long breaks. Instead, you can take a lunch break, go for a short walk, or pause for a rest.
Cut Down Social Media Time While Working
The biggest and the cruelest practice that can decelerate your productivity is using social media while working. No doubt, social media can bring you a lot of pros too, but this one con is above all.
Social media brings distractions and is considered as one of the biggest enemies of productivity. If you think you can work efficiently surfing around social media, let me be clear, you cannot.
According to Dissertation Editing Services, the biggest barrier they face while working on their tasks is social media. To curb this, most of them recommend disabling notifications and enabling silent mode, so they don’t peek at their phones, which ultimately will result in limited use of cell phones and social channels.
Use Sticky Notes For Deadlines And Reminders
Sticky notes are a great way to stay up-to-date with your goals. If you have time limits and a lot of work to do in less time, try utilizing these colorful pieces of paper or your onscreen sticky notes to remember your closing dates.
You can also add your random daily errands and keep posted about your work schedules.
Schedule Time For The Outside World
Many freelancers limit themselves to their shells and disconnect from the outside world. This isolation brings negative impacts to the behavior, and in the long run, the person becomes lonely and detached from the social world.
Whether you are an employee, employer or freelancer, you must never overlook the outside community. Socializing improves your professional communication, makes you welcoming and adaptable to many changes that are a must possess for professional life.
Oftentimes these interactions make your connections and expose you to your target clients that can be beneficial for both your character and professional growth.
So instead of being clung to your computer screen, go out on the town. Take out time for your family and friends and head with them to your favorite places because adhering to your monitor will drive you crazy, and you will lose all flexibility.
Track Your Time And Assess Performance
Two of the best favors you can do for yourself is tracking your time and assessing the output. Track time to analyze how much time you consumed completing a single task.
Jot your tracks for a week and see how many changes you can make. The better you keep an eye on your timings, the more focused and prudent you will become.
Also, every time you track your time, assess your performance too. Take a look to see if things went as you planned and are they worth the release. If things are according to your plans, excellent, but if not, examine where you went wrong and try to alter it.
Concentrate On A Single Job Than Multitasking
It’s good to multitask, but this practice sometimes can ruin all of your efforts and result in a disaster. Many freelancers work on a number of projects and bring out results that are not worthy or of no value. Make sure you are not one of those.
It’s better to focus on a sole plan and produce commendable results than work on several tasks and generate lamentable outcomes.
Learn To Say No
Have the guts to say no to customers for the work you don’t feel like doing or have no energy to put the effort in. It doesn’t matter if your client is your friend, family, or acquaintance; if you don’t have the strength to fulfill it, don’t force yourself.
Remember, an understanding fellow won’t impose his work on you, and the one who does is not your friend but a foe. Learn the difference.
Pay Attention To Quality Over Quantity
Learn by heart; no matter what, quality will always have a preference over quantity. Your worth is not determined by the number of tasks you are completing but the value of the work you are producing.
Never run after the number of orders; instead, always prefer the excellence of work.
Author bio
Amanda Jerelyn is Currently working as a content Executive at Crowd Writer, one of my top picks to write my dissertation for me. Amanda is also a big supporter of self-care and self-management and loves coaching her audience on similar subjects.
