5 Ways to Be a More Productive Freelance Writer
Recently I decided to undertake an efficiency test. I wanted to try and better understand my profits vs losses and outgoings. I worked out what my workload looked like in terms of time and money.
I was pretty surprised by the results!
When I dissected how each of my clients pays based on an hourly rate, the results were not what I was expecting to find.
On top of that, I also realised a few outgoings that I was not taking into account, which were impacting my profit levels.
After assessing all of this, I realised that I needed to be a more productive version of myself to ensure my business model was as strong as possible.
To try and improve my productivity, I headed straight to the internet and interviewed other freelancers to get their advice. Here, I have collated the most common advice that kept popping up.
Use these tips so that you don’t make the same mistakes that I have been making!
Execute An Efficiency Test
Firstly, it is impossible to work out how to improve your efficiency if you don’t identify your weak spots.
Start by tracking how much time you spend with each client. Instead of focusing on the pay per word, start thinking about whether or not you are spending many hours with a particular client.
One particular client might be paying you much money per word but also requiring you to do a lot of additional work or many rounds of edits. All of a sudden, that pay per word ratio doesn’t look so good!
Plan Your Workday in Advance
This tip was a game-changer for me. Whether you make a plan the night before or at the start of each day, planning what you will do with the hours you plan on working will help you stay on track and be more aware of your workload.
I like to plan my day the night before.
At the very least, I try to work out two or three tasks that I plan on completing, and then I work the rest of my day around that.
There is a sense of satisfaction and motivation each time you tick off a task and move on to the next hour of work, making you even more productive.
Do the Hardest Thing First, Every Day
This particular tip is one I still struggle with myself!
With my newly revised task list, I rank my tasks based on how tricky they are. I find I am at my sharpest in the morning, so I try to tackle the most challenging jobs then, to get them done and dusted by lunchtime. But it does work, and with a bit of practice, you will start to notice the benefits.
Handle Your Business Like a Business
So many beginner writers struggle with this concept. When you start your journey as a freelance writer, you will likely suffer from imposter syndrome at some point early on.
Working for yourself and following your dream almost feels like you are cheating!
But it would be best if you got past this. Writing is your business, and so you need to treat it in this way.
If you treat your writing as a hobby, it might be fun at first, but you will struggle to make advancements or improve your income.
One easy way to do this is to schedule business hours and break times. If you don’t have regular work hours, you will encounter two issues. Firstly, if you never have an endpoint, you will always come back to your laptop and potentially burn yourself out. Secondly, you may not end up being anywhere near as productive as you would like if you don’t sit at your desk at certain hours of the day.
Another good option is to set up a place in your home that is dedicated to your work. When you are there, you are in work mode, and when you leave that space, you leave your work there.
Know When to Say Yes or No
For freelance writers who are just starting, it seems crazy to hear that you should say no to any projects.
However, it will happen for all freelancers at some point. You need to select projects that fit your experience level, expertise and passion. This style of selection will ensure you always produce your very best work.
You need to know what you are good at; you also need to know what you are not so good at.
Taking on jobs, you find challenging and take you a long time to complete is not worth your time or your clients. You are much better off waiting and using those hours to find a client that better suits your skillset.
Final Thoughts
Ultimately, there are lots of little things that you can do in your everyday routine to improve your productivity.
Productivity is not just about doing more work and making more money; it is also about being efficient with your time and finding a strong work and personal life balance.
It can be tempting to work every hour of the day when you work for yourself, but you still need to take breaks like any other job and spend time away from work doing other things that bring you joy.
If you liked this blog, check out 10 Tips on Setting Your Prices as a Freelancer, and make sure you are subscribed to my newsletter, for more great content, delivered straight to your inbox!
