11 Productivity Hacks and Time Management Tips for Freelancers

We've got 11 productivity hacks and time management tips for freelancers who need a little more control over their

scheduling freedom:

Just say yes (to routine).1.

2. Start each day with a list.

With routine comes familiarity, and with familiarity comes the ability to focus on what you need to. After a few weeks of waking up and starting work at the same time each day, both your body and mind will be ready to settle into your projects.

Lists are important. While they obviously provide direction and structure to your workday, they also act as an inherent source of motivation. Each time you cross a task off your list, you’ll feel the satisfaction of getting real work done, as well as get a visual reminder of how close you are to the end of your day.

Move the big boulders right away.

3.

4. Rip off unpleasantries like a band-aid.

There’s no better time to tackle your most labor/brain-intensive items than after you’ve had a hot shower, a hot breakfast, and a hot cup of coffee. Intimidating projects are significantly less daunting when you’re feeling fresh and ready to take on the day.

Every freelancer reaches a time when they have to make an uncomfortable phone call or send an awkward email to a client or business partner. Stress can absolutely affect the quality of your work, so you might as well just do a few jumping jacks, knock back a shot of… espresso, and tackle those problems as soon as you can.

Attend to thy sleep.5.

6. Drive away from distractions.

Sleep is one of the most important productivity tools you’ll ever need. When you’re well-rested, the alarm clock isn’t quite as piercing, and you’ll be better able to focus and create throughout the day.

When it’s time to roll up your sleeves and finish a task, take a few moments to put your phone on silent, turn off any other notifications, and close the email tab in your browser. Find a good instrumental playlist on your favorite streaming service, and hunker down.

Carve out time for correspondence.

7.

8. Take care of yourself.

Set aside specific chunks of your workday to deal with email, and leave your work time email-free. You’ll find your inbox more organized, and your deadlines closer to being done.

Get enough sleep, exercise a few times a week, get some fresh air, eat healthy food, meditate about the meaning of life, talk to your plants, or sing a song to your fish… whatever it takes to nurture your body, mind, and emotional health is important and necessary.

You have the technology… USE IT.

9.

10. Break a huge project into bite-sized pieces.

There are countless apps and websites out there designed to help you streamline your day. Sites like Toggl help you track the time you spend on different tasks, and programs like Freedom and Anti-Social actually restrict your social media and web-browsing capabilities during designated time periods.

My favorite way to do this is by using the Pomodoro Technique. By the time you’ve completed a few of these tasks, the entire projects will seem to shrink in size, and you’ll be able to finish it out like a champ.

Just say no (when you need to).11.Respect your business, respect your time, and be aware of your capabilities so that you can say no when you need to.

Assess your needs and find what works.

There are millions of time management tips for freelancers out there, and not every one of them is going to be right for you.

Finding the productivity hacks that work for your business involves a lot of honest self-reflection.

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