The latest trends in the business world display an increased shift towards freelancing. More and more people find that this type of lifestyle simply suits them better.
However, as appealing as freelancing sounds, people still need to realize that becoming a successful freelancer may not be as easy as they initially thought. When you are your boss, you will be the only person responsible for keeping you on track.
This is an issue many freelancers struggled with, especially at the very beginning of their freelancing careers.
The more productive you are as a freelancer, the better the chances of success. And even though that may sound great, do know that finding motivation and productivity is something that majority the of freelancers struggle with.
Even though it may be difficult, that doesn’t mean that it is undoable. So, with that in mind, let’s see how you can become a more productive freelancer and set yourself up for success in 2021.
1. Freelancers Start Early For a Reason
The best way to boost your productivity is to start your days early. Of course, this doesn’t mean that you should wake up each morning before the sun rises, but make sure your day doesn’t start at noon either. Instead, set your alarm clock one hour before the time you usually wake up.
This way, you will start your days earlier than you are used to, which will allow you to finish all of your regular morning activities by the time you used to wake up. By doing so, you will be able to start working an hour earlier than usual, which is never a bad thing.
A healthy sleep schedule will enable you to get on the right track and make you feel more energized and well-rested. As such, you will be able to approach all of your daily activities – work included – with more clarity and greater focus. This will not only improve your productivity, but it will also help you find – or improve – your motivation.
2. Keep Your Head In The Game
Another thing that will greatly assist you on your journey to success as a freelancer is keeping your mind healthy and sharp. Of course, all freelancers may assume that they are getting enough mental exercises by just running their business. However, here we are talking about so much more than just mental fitness.
Not only should you look for ways that will enable you to do some mental exercises that are not work-related, but you should also take good care of your mental health, in general. Reading a book, playing video games, going to see a movie, or simply listening to music can improve your mental well-being .
Needless to say, if you are not feeling at your best mentally, you will have a far more difficult time focusing on the work at hand. So, find a way to boost your mind and keep it occupied not just with your work but with the things that help you feel good and relax.
3. Create a Personal Brand
If you are serious about building a successful freelancing career, you should look more into building a personal brand.
Having a strong personal brand presence will not only help you build more trust with your colleagues and potential partners, but it will also make you appear more trustworthy to your audience.
As every business nowadays, aside from a personal brand, you should also ensure that your business is present in the online world. So, you should also invest in building a strong personal website where you can present yourself and your business to others.
With the ever-growing competition in seemingly all industries, you want to ensure that you establish yourself and your brand as a leader in the industry.
4. Make Your Workspace “Work”
Moreover, needless to say, freelancers don’t work in traditional office settings nor do they have strict working hours. That is one of the things that makes this type of work so appealing. But with so much freedom come responsibilities.
When you don’t have a clear work schedule and a proper work area, your business will begin to suffer. That is why every freelancer needs to create an environment that will boost their productivity instead of hindering it.
If you’re working from a coworking space, you can use minimal decoration to make your space feel more like you. Personalizing your working environment , even in the most minimal of senses, can do wonders for your productivity. On the other hand, if you are working from home, look for a room or at least an area where you can set up a work nook.
If you have a whole room to dedicate to this purpose – great! If not, look for a quiet corner in your home where you will be able to achieve a similar goal.
5. Hone Your Strong Points
You probably already know what your strongest points are, and chances are they are the reason you have decided to become a freelancer in the first place. The best way to keep your motivation up and keep those productivity juices flowing is by recognizing your strong points and working on improving them.
But aside from them, as a freelancer, you will also need to adopt or perfect some other skills that will help you on your road to success.
So, if you are quite a communicative person, find a way to improve on those skills even further. Particularly look for improvements that will be relevant in your industry, and that can further help you with your business efforts. On top of that, learning proper business etiquette and improving your manners is also always strongly advisable.
6. Set Clear & Short-Term Goals
Next, another great way to motivate yourself and gear your focus towards productivity is by setting some clear goals.
If “making money” is your only goal, chances are that you won’t get far. Instead, you need to determine what your ultimate business goal is and clearly define the means that will help you reach it.
But do keep in mind that reaching your ultimate goal will be far easier and will seem more easily achievable if you set yourself clearly defined milestones. That way, as soon as you manage to overcome a certain milestone, you will feel not only more motivated to keep pushing forward, but you’ll also feel more accomplished every time you manage to do so.
7. Networking Is Kind of a Big Deal!
In the end, it is true what they say – a freelancer should never stop networking. The truth is that, as a freelancer, you won’t always be in a situation where clients will come to you.
Instead, you’ll often find yourself proactively looking for work. However, don’t just approach people and ask if they’d like to hire your services. Instead, look for networking events and similar opportunities where you can find potential clients more easily.
What’s great is that even if you don’t get hired by the people you were talking to then and there, you still managed to get your name out there. Chances are that they will further recommend you to someone they know who needs the type of service you provide.
The more you network, the more you will be able to grow not only your contacts but your confidence as well. And the more confident you feel about your venture, the more productive you will be once you get hired.
Summing It All Up!
Becoming more productive and finding the right motivation to keep you moving forward can sometimes pose a real challenge. However, if you take a step back and assess the situation objectively, you will find it way easier to overcome the rut you have found yourself in. So, keep these tips in mind the next time you feel stuck and use them to propel your career in 2021.
The post 7 Tips to Rock It as a Freelancer In 2021! appeared first on Productivity Land .