It’s hard to stick to schedules and strict discipline when you’re in the office from call to call. It’s even harder if you’ve chosen the hard path of freelancing. On the one hand, you are your own boss, but on the other – it’s so easy to slip into laziness when no one is above you. And it turns out that the pluses sometimes turn into minuses. But who will help the freelancer, but himself? Unless there’s some sensible advice
1. Study your biorhythms
Learn about the strengths and weaknesses of your health, personal physical features. For example, many people cannot work without inspiration or do the same monotonous work for a long period of time.
There is no need to break yourself, it is useless and unproductive. Just know as many of your peculiarities as you can and take them into account. After all, you can do the work and please yourself.
Try to alternate different activities or even different projects to switch from one to another. Look for ways to motivate yourself or cheer yourself up if it plays an important role in whether or not you can work. Look for ways to approach yourself. It will be more comfortable than living according to the rigid schedule that the office dictates.
2. Don’t let yourself be idle all-day
You have to work almost every day. You may do less work than usual during periods of fatigue and emotional downturns, but that’s a good thing, too. Your pay depends on how much work you can pull off, so weeks of idleness and even days are not for you.
3. Eliminate Gadgets
Nothing distracts from work more than another funny video, interesting article, or correspondence with a friend. All of these things are great, but after work, not instead of work. Can’t control yourself? Turn off your phone and take it into another room. Take concrete steps to eliminate gadgets for the duration of work, don’t rely on willpower, it rarely works.
4. Rest only after work
Of course, sometimes you have the right to have a day off. But if today is your working day, don’t even think about putting things off! You know yourself that this will not end well. So make a rule: you have the right to a proper rest only after you have done all the work for the day.
4. Start with the Hardest Part
This will at least cheer you up after the job is done. In addition, it will be easier to get the job done while you’re not tired and full of energy. This is a fact.
5. Don’t be Distracted by Nonsense
If you take on a particular case, try to stick to it. Do not jump from one thing to another, do not let your thoughts get confused. Keep your tasks in order if there are many of them. Use a timer if you don’t feel time.
Try different techniques, for example, you can allocate 45 minutes to work on one project, then rest for 15 minutes and only then take up the next. Look for your own style of work that will help you cope with things more easily. Use online timesheet software to track and analyze your day.
6. Take Breaks
It is clear that no one can work many hours in a row, all need to allocate a few minutes to rest between cases. Approach it consciously. Do not start watching a TV series during a break, do not plan meetings for this time. Allocate yourself no more than half an hour. And it’s better to warm up or lie quietly on the couch in silence to give your mind and body a chance to rest.
7. Don’t eat heavy foods before bedtime, don’t drink coffee or energy drinks
It is clear that it is better to exclude all harmful things from your life altogether. And, of course, it can be too difficult to do it. Try to at least limit the consumption of junk in the evening, because bad sleep and insomnia can destroy all your plans for the new day.
8. Watch how you feel
Do not allow yourself to overexert yourself, even if you have a rush of inspiration, and it seems that on this very day you are ready to move mountains. Remember that after the feats of labor you still will be covered with withdrawal. Everyone has downs and ups, try to stick to the golden mean.
9. Motivate yourself
You are an adult, and since you have taken on such responsibilities as working for yourself or outside the office, it means that you have assessed your strengths and capabilities. Remember why and why you have chosen the life of a “free bird,” and this should motivate and discipline you. It is not a bad thing if you remember from time to time what you will lose if you cannot cope with laziness, cravings, and unwillingness to work.
10. Create an Atmosphere
Put nature sounds in the background, and spray scents that promote concentration. If you can’t feel collected, try changing into formal clothes. Set yourself up for work when it gets lazy and boring.
And, of course, keep your room and workplace clean. Not only do visual noise and garbage distract you purely psychologically, destroying the working mood, but also in a mess, you will spend too much time searching for the necessary notes and items.
11. Rest
Sometimes you need to allow yourself to getaway. Go to a meeting with friends on your day off, escape to the other side of town or to the countryside, take up a hobby or read an interesting book that you haven’t had time for.
Both at work and on vacation, you are your own boss. The main thing is that vacation really recharges you and gives you inspiration for another work period.
