How to catch everything: unobvious tricks for freelancers

Every freelancer knows that successful remote work requires the ability to plan tasks, prioritize and optimize your time. As well as having high communication skills, financial literacy and marketing basics. But that's not all! Reveal some unobvious tricks that will help you keep up more during the day in today’s article!

1. Wake up earlier

Even if you're an “owl” by nature and work more productively at night, try to get up at least an hour earlier than you are used to, and devote this time to something important. Work tasks, response to mails or time for yourself: reading, walking, hobbies... Doesn't matter, let it be your “plus one hour” in days. In addition, the “fresh head” is usually works better, so you'll be able to come up with creative ideas or working solutions. The main thing is not to set the snooze on pauses — it is a trap!

P.S: Attention! This tip doesn't mean reducing the amount of sleep you need to feel cheerful. Benjamin Franklin slept no more than 4 hours, according to historical sources, but what works for one doesn't necessarily work for another. And if you need 9 hours to recuperate, you shouldn’t suffer and sleep less: in order to get up earlier, lie down earlier.

2. Start with the most difficult tasks

Mark Twain once said that if you eat a frog in the morning, the rest of the day promises to be wonderful, because the worst is over for today. Echoing him, an expert with a worldwide reputation, a specialist in personal effectiveness, Brian Tracy, advises anyone who wants to achieve something, every day, first of all, to eat their “frog”: to carry out the most difficult and most important of all upcoming deals. Plus the most complex tasks require the most of energy, and will bother you during the work on  other tasks.

3. Get a workplace

It can be difficult to draw a clear line between personal and work life at freelance. So it's very important to create an office “illusion” at home and avoid the temptation to work right out of bed in your pajamas. Buy yourself a comfortable desktop and keep it in order: hold only necessary things at hand. Plus, take care of a convenient chair and proper lighting. So you’ll not only tune into the working mode, but also keep your back and eye healthy. 

4. Take care of your health

Freelance involves working at the computer, and therefore — a sedentary lifestyle. In order to avoid overwork and health problems, add a pinch of sport to your daily schedule: a long walk, charging, stretching,  jogging, yoga, weight training, etc. Don't forget to pause every 2-3 hours, warm up and vent the room. The change of physical and mental activity is useful for achieving greater productivity, prove scientists researches. Moreover, they have a positive effect on the psycho-emotional state.

5. Focus on one case

Usually, people think that they can do more by carrying out several tasks at the same time. In fact, switching from one task to another, you only lose time. Accordingly, as the American Physiological Union shows, trying to accomplish two tasks simultaneously, we significantly reduce the productivity of our work rate. Even if it seems to you that the tasks are insignificant, it is better to give each of them 100% of your attention and the result will be better for sure!

6. Create a system

Except scheduling tasks and assigning priorities, it's important to work out a schedule that's suited for you perfectly. For example, some freelancers better to work first, and then enjoy personal cases and hobbies. And others, on the contrary, cannot imagine their lives without a morning cup of coffee while reading fiction. The same goes for sports - one charges from morning yoga and for another evening jogging works better. Experiment until you find the rhythm in which you feel balance and productivity!

7. Know how to refuse

You're already loaded at 99% but an interesting project turned up? A friend-freelancer cannot cope with something and asking you for help? The client have additional tasks within your project? Learn how to say "No"! The important rule of any good employee is not to undertake a task if you cannot do your best and show a really good result. Also, don't sacrifice personal time and health for the sake of reputation or extra money, consider the factor of emotional burnout and don't bring yourself to a breakdown.

8. Keep your inbox clear

It's not a secret that delaying with responses is unacceptable for freelancers, especially on urgent messages and edits. At the same time, you can't be distracted by checking mails permanently. And spending too much time on communication, you risk reduce work productivity and miss project deadlines. So how to be? The system again! We advise you to check inbox regularly, answer on important letters and delete unnecessary ones. But to do it in a special time — no more, no less. In addition, lengthy negotiations can be a waste of time, even if it seems to you helpful in tasks solving. Draw a list of all the questions in advance and make sure that each of them is really important.

9. Ban on social networks

Facebook, Twitter or Instagram are no longer just places where you can like your friend's cat photo. This is a full-fledged media and trading platform for promoting your services. However, checking them during work only distracts. If it’s not your job, of course. In this case, make sure that you are not switching to scroll your personal account.

10. Read, not browse

It's very important to carefully read and not just browse through all the documents that you come across. Whether it is a contract, technical documentation, a list of project features and requirements or a tax return. It is not obvious, but sometimes viewing may take more time than reading, because you can skip something important and will have to start over.

11. Meditate

More and more people are claiming that meditation purifies thoughts, energizes and prepares for new challenges of the working day. We do not insist on anything, but why don't you try? Turn on a special audio instruction or favorite relaxing music, settle comfortable, close eyes and allow yourself to switch.

12. Decide within 60 seconds

If you want to do more during the day, you should work faster. Start by lowering the time for making decisions! To implement or not a new framework? To make icons round or square? To post something useful or entertaining? Don't think too long, just do it!

Do you have any questions or wanna share own life hacks? Welcome to comments! And remember, this article is just a list of recommendations, not crucial actions. Test and find what fits you, while we’re taking care of the best freelancers work place! Stay with Beesy.pro!