Tag Archives: Freelance Tips

How to Multitask Effectively

March 25, 2017 By in Blogging Tips, Lifestyle Tags: , , , , , , , , , 28 Comments

How would it be like if you could do so many things at the same time and have all your work done quicker? As a freelancer with so many deadlines to meet and projects to work on, finishing your work quickly sounds is the best thing anyone could ask for.

 

 

Although multitasking is not really welcomed by so many experts there has been a deep interest in the possibility of making the positive results become a reality. Experts say that multitasking does not necessarily make you do your work quickly and even if it did, your work would be shoddy and the quality below standard.

But does this mean that multitasking effectively is unattainable? Absolutely not! There is obviously a right and wrong way to do things. Freelancers need to be extremely careful when trying to multitask because most times you have your client’s work involved. The goal should always be to work quickly without compromising quality. And if you had to choose between speed and service, it would be wise to choose service at all times.

Here are steps you need to take to multitask effectively

 

Step #1 – Focus on what’s important

Prioritizing when it comes to multitasking is key. The main problem people face when it comes to multitasking is their ability to decide on which of the tasks to work on first and then switch to next.

Making decisions takes time and consequently eat into the little time you have left to work. Trying to figure out what to do next can leave you feeling confused.

Before you start the day decide on what you want to achieve and what you think are the most important tasks for the day. Try to limit yourself to 3 very important tasks.

Next arrange the task in order of priority and promise yourself that no matter what happens you will stick to the order.

 

Step #2 – Draw up a to-do list

Now that you have your 3 major tasks, next thing you need to do is have a list of steps you need to take to complete those tasks. The to-do list will give you a visual sequence of how you will tackle the task for the day.

At this stage it may seem like you’re not doing much of multitasking but it is necessary to make sure you make the most of your time.

 

 

 

Step #3 – Do the activities that can be done together

Grouping activities together is where the multitasking comes in. Unlike what most people do – doing several things at random – you now have a more defined set of activities you need to do, thanks to the to-do list.

However there are some activities that overlap. For example, let’s say you need to find inspirational quotes for your blog, curate content for your social media accounts and get in touch with your followers. You can do all this at the same time by grouping them together. You can go on Twitter and search for inspirational quotes, retweet the ones that will resonate with your audience (curating content) and answer your mentions (getting in touch with your audience) all at the same time.

So go through your list of activities and group the ones you can do at the same time. That will help you cut out a lot of time.

 

Step #4 – Practice makes perfect

The truth about multitasking is that you only get better with constant practice. Following the steps above correctly will help you get better at the art of multitasking effectively So don’t get discouraged at first when you are not able to work as fast as you had expected to.

 

Have you mastered the art of multitasking?

The Loneliness of the Self Employed

February 18, 2017 By in Freelancing/Self-employed Tags: , , , , , , , , , 33 Comments

I went full-time as a self-employed person about 2 years ago, and I can testify first-hand to how lonely a career it can be. Being a freelancer/self-employed person usually means you work from home alone, and some days can be a lot harder than others, even for the introverts.

 

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I have always been an introvert, I am very comfortable being by myself, and I do enjoy being alone most of the time. But sometimes I miss the chit-chat and the buzz that goes on in a regular workplace; being able to have meetings, bounce off ideas, and just the usual office banter. Just so you know, I was not a fan of any of these things when I had my normal job, but I guess sometimes we humans miss things we don’t have, even if we don’t really like it. Why we do, I don’t know, we just do.

The loneliness of being a freelancer is real, so I won’t advise anyone who enjoys being in the company of others to go self-employed, except you have a form of working arrangement that involves working or meeting regularly with other self-employed people in your niche.

There are ways to deal with the loneliness and frustrations of the self-employed world, here is how I deal with them –

 

Have a sounding board

Having a sounding board is very important when you are self-employed. A sounding board is someone you trust who would listen to your achievements, frustrations, and just someone you can have a chat with about your work, and who can offer you good advice as well. The more sounding boards you have, the better. I have one main sounding board, and a few others. They all help keep me sane. Whenever I feel like having a rant, I know I can trust them to listen. It also feels great to share milestones and achievements with them.

 

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Take regular breaks

Regular breaks are very important when you work alone from home, because you can easily find yourself working continuously on your coach, without taking a break for hours. Taking breaks means you get to do other things which is great for your mental health and fitness life. Taking regular breaks also means you can leave the house for a walk, which is great because you get to interact with others while you are at it.

I try to go for long walks everyday, and I love how fit I am. My Fitbit stats speak for itself.

 

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Working in coffee shops

Working in coffee shops also help combat the loneliness and isolation. I personally find working in coffee shops very distracting, so I tend not to do this, but I know many who do and enjoy it.

 

Joining Facebook groups and Twitter chats

I have joined a couple of Facebook blogging and freelance groups, and I also try to take part in as many Twitter chats as I can. These groups and chats help combat the isolation.

 

Overall, working from home works well for me. I won’t change my flexible working conditions for anything, but some days I need to have my Spotify playlists on repeat to get rid of the silence.

 

Do you work from home? How do you deal with the loneliness?

 

 

 

 

How to Switch Off Work as a Freelancer

November 25, 2016 By in Freelancing/Self-employed Tags: , , , , , , , 54 Comments

We all hear a lot of great things about being a freelancer: ability to travel and work anywhere in the world, more time to spend with your family and friends, and even better pay. But although all these are true, there is another side to the freelance lifestyle that very few people talk about.

 

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Freelancers can get caught up in loads of work and even though we are in control of our time and work conditions, most times we find ourselves spending almost 12 hours a day working!

Working long hours to get your freelance projects done may get you a lot of clients and more projects, but in the end you won’t have time to do the things you enjoy doing.

Here are 5 ways you can switch off work as a freelancer.

 

  1. Take the weekends off

Now this is so hard. I can’t remember the last time I took a full weekend off. I usually try to catch up on more work over the weekends when it is quiet but I know I should try to switch off work more often. So going forward, I will be dedicating an entire day in the week (most likely a weekend) where I won’t do any work. Everything that needs doing would be automated, and everything else like emails and the works would have to wait.

Taking time off keeps you refreshed and relaxed. And you can use that time to do things that you love.

 

  1. Have a schedule and stick to it

The fact that you work at home (or anywhere you want to work) doesn’t mean that you can’t give yourself office hours. As a freelancer, you’re also a business owner.

Create a schedule and stick to it. Make sure you include the time you start work and the time you close from work. When you plan your time this way, you’ll always have time to dedicate to other activities that are important to you too. Getting your head buried in work will only make you feel overwhelmed and stressed out. Trust me, I had to learn this the hard way.

 

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  1. Make breaks non-negotiable

No matter how much work you have, you need to give yourself a break. If your freelance work is such that you can’t take the day off, you need to at least give yourself some time off.

For every hour you work give yourself a 20-30 minute break. Use that time to take a walk, grab a drink at your favourite coffee shop or simply take a power nap. Whatever you do during that time should be something that will give you the opportunity to take a breather.

 

  1. Set clear cut boundaries

The main reason why you spend hours working is because you have so many clients to attend to. You can’t take up every job offered to you. You need to learn how to say “no” when you have more work than you can handle.

It’s so much better to cut down on the workload than to take on more clients and struggle to fulfill their orders.

 

  1. Give yourself some personal time

As a freelancer you may have the tendency to forgo the time you would have spent for some personal time. Don’t let your work rob you off the time to enjoy your own company. Setting aside time to for yourself, will give you the chance to switch off work.

Take time meditate, pamper yourself or simply devote to developing your mind. Just a few minutes spent doing something that will make you happy and fulfilled will make all the difference in the world.

 

How do you switch off work?

 

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