If you are attracted to the idea of working from home as a freelance writer, you should be. The pay is nice, your hours are usually quite flexible (there are deadlines to contend with!), and the work you will do is varied and interesting. One of the only negative issues is that you may struggle with productivity. Distractions, writer’s block, and simply having too much on your plate at one time are all contributing factors to lowered productivity.
Since time is money in the world of freelancing, here are a few tips for boosting your productivity.
Have a Dedicated Workspace in Your Home
If you have a room available to turn into an office, that is great. If you don’t, you can still commandeer a corner of a room to call your own. If
possible, try to use that space solely for your freelance writing business. If that’s not possible, at least dedicate the space to only business like
activities such as writing or paying bills. If you can afford it, furnish your workspace as comfortably as possible, and consider purchasing a dedicated
desktop or laptop for your writing business.
Create Office Hours For Yourself And Let Others Know
You may be wondering why you should set office hours when one of the most attractive things about becoming a freelance writer is the flexibility. Here’s
the deal. In order to be as productive as possible, you’ll need to remain in control of your daily schedule. The moment that other people perceive that you
have an open or flexible schedule, they will assume that means that your day can be interrupted at any time to deal with any issue that crops up. By
setting hours, you guarantee that you have hours during the day that you can dedicate to writing, or that you can use for other purposes at your
discretion.
There Are Amazing Productivity And Organizational Tools - Use Them!
Technology is a wonderful thing. No doubt you use technology throughout your day, but did you know that there are some amazing tools to help you improve
your productivity as a freelance writer? For example, if you are having trouble staying focused, there are a variety of tools and apps available to you.
One of these is Ommwriter. This is a distraction free word processor that allows you to simply write without intrusion from all of the ‘features’ provided
by the more commonly used word processors. There are also tools that you can use to block distracting websites for specific periods of time. If you haven’t
started using it already for other tasks, many freelance writers use Evernote to keep their projects organized. The bottom line is this. If you can
identify what your roadblocks to productivity are when it comes to writing great content, there is probably a tool
or app that can help you.
Take Advantage of Your New Digital Nomad Status
That’s right! Even if you never leave the boundaries of your hometown, you are now a digital nomad (AKA
location independent worker). This means that you aren’t tied to a desk or an office. As long as you have portable technology, you can find places to work
outside of your home if that will help you to be more productive. For example, if there are particularly chaotic times of the day in your home, you can
always relocate to a friends house or the library for an hour or two. If you find that you become particularly tired and distractible during a certain time
of day, you might find that moving to a different location provides the stimulation you need. Cafes with wi-fi are always a great option.
Research Then Write
When many writers receive a new assignment, they tend to take the following steps:
● Open up Word Processing Software
● Open up Google
● Research Topic
● Write a Bit Based on The Research
● Research Some More
● Write Some More
● Repeat
Unfortunately, that’s not the best way to proceed. It can make the flow of your writing choppy, and cause you to write content that is derivative and
lacking your own voice. Most importantly, this method really slows you down.
Instead, try researching first. Find the sources that you believe are best for your topic, and do some reading. Then, take notes. Finally create a rough
outline. This way, when you are ready to write, the process will go much more quickly for you.
Take Care of Yourself
You cannot be a productive writer if you are constantly pressuring yourself to
stay up late at night or to work long hours in order to meet your deadlines, if you don’t also pressure yourself to take care of yourself. Get enough
sleep. Eat enough throughout the day to stay focused and energized. Get up every so often and get a bit of exercise.
I'm a professional writer and healthy living blogger.