One of the hardest things to do as a freelance creative is remain productive. This may not always be the case for everyone, but for many it’s hard to avoid the distractions of day-to-day life.
from having to schedule doctor’s appointments to internet distractions to procrastination, productivity can sometimes be hard to find. Here, you’re going to find 10 tips that can help you up your productivity and reach the goals that you have set for yourself.
1. Avoid the Internet
This might seem a little counterintuitive, but freelance creatives have to avoid the websites that draw them in the most. From website locks, to working on your own self-control one of the biggest productivity tips is avoid the internet.
2. Stay Away from Social Media
As a freelance creative, it is hard to avoid social media when your mind becomes exhausted. However when you begin doom scrolling or following some new thread, you’ll find that your time is eaten faster than you thought. Instead of only spending 10 minutes on social media you spend 20 minutes. Social media is a mind numbing hole that easily destroys productivity.
3. Set Boundaries
Not only do we have to set boundaries with ourselves, we have to set boundaries with our family and friends. The common understanding of freelance work is that it is more free time for the freelancer, when in fact it is quite the opposite. Freelance work requires more time and effort at specific points of the day. The best way to balance this out with family and friends, is to set solid time boundaries that you communicate regularly and keep on your own calendar.
4. Don’t Ignore the Importance of Sleep
A fresh mind is a creative mind. When you don’t get enough sleep, you cannot think, write, edit, or design because your mind does not have the support that it needs. Your body may be completely and totally awake, but your mind may not be because of a lack of sleep. This is where you have to be mindful of how much sleep you are getting and how much sleep you need.
5. Avoid Workload Paralysis
For the overzealous creative, workload paralysis can easily occur. In this article from Selfgood they talk about how workload paralysis can actually lead to greater stress, anxiety and additional health problems. It’s important to remember that even though you took on too many contracts, you have to reprioritize and modify your schedule to complete your work.
6. A Hungry Brain Can’t Work
It doesn’t matter who you talk to, and it doesn’t matter what diet you’re on. A hungry brain cannot work well. One of the most misunderstood aspects of being creative is how much of a toll it can take on the mind.
The human brain utilizes energy at a fast rate. When your mind is constantly working to come up with new ideas, create new products or new designs, it is difficult to keep up that kind of work without any source of nutrition.
7. Don’t Skimp on Sleep
Something that we all forget is the importance of sleep. For a creative mind that is always working, getting the right amount of sleep is extremely important. When you regularly have to make something new out of old material, combined material, or a debrief, you have to have enough sleep to allow your brain to recharge.
8. Prioritize Projects
Something that you will always hear no matter what business you’re in is prioritize. This can be a difficult task. You can prioritize by date, workload, brain load, and even by the amount of creativity something will take.
One of the best ways to look at this is to approach your day with the mindset of getting the most difficult job done first. Once you have that job done, then it’s easier to move onto different projects that require less concentration.
9. Plan Free-time
One thing that creatives get in trouble with on a regular basis, is not having enough free time. What I mean is a time where you separate yourself from the office space and enjoy doing something outside of work.
During this time, you can’t think about or look at work. It can be extremely difficult, but free-time will increase your productivity when you’re able to focus on work when it is time for work and focus on play when it is time for play.
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Always be Ready to Adjust Your Schedule
Another unsung and important productivity tip is be ready to adjust your schedule! Your schedule won’t always remain the same with every job that you have. There are some jobs that may require you to work in the evening and some that may require you to work very early in the morning.
Always be ready to adjust your schedule no matter what situation pops up. This is why planning out your day is extremely important!
Conclusion
No matter how you look at it, being a freelance creative can take a toll on the mind and body. Because a creative mind is always active, it is hard to maintain productivity because of workload paralysis, social media holes, and other distractions. When you utilize these productivity tips you will find that not only will your mind feel better, you will also feel more victorious throughout the day.
