You have finally sat down and done the work to become a full-time freelancer. You built a website; you figured out your pricing, created an order form and some business cards and have some basic advertising done. Now
you just have to wait for the orders to come in and you’ll be rolling in the dough. Predictably, that is probably not the case; here’s why.
Freelancing takes a lot more self-discipline than a traditional job. You are in charge of your schedule, marketing, client acquisition, work conditions, and a number of other responsibilities. This freedom can lead to a severe lack of productivity if not nipped in the bud. Here are some methods of doing just that and maximizing your productivity and therefore your income.
Keep a Schedule
Routine is your friend. If you have an office, keep regular hours. Make it known that you are available to answer questions during certain times. This way, you will be paranoid if you’re not at the office during those times, because you have the potential to lose business.
If you work from home, have a room or area that is specifically for work. Treat this as an office and make sure you are productive when in this space. Be as professional as you need to be to be productive. Again, set regular business hours. If you have a routine, you are more likely to complete projects in a timely manner.
View your Budget as Your Boss
Since you don’t have anyone to answer to, you may not be able to find a lot of motivation to be productive. You need to give yourself a very real consequence for not getting work done. Luckily, this is not hard to find. If you do not work, you don’t make money. If you don’t make money, you don’t eat. Every time you are tempted to surf the web, view that distraction as one less meal. If you put time into dollars, you will be able to motivate yourself to work harder. If you get paid per hour, that is pretty simple. If you get paid per project, estimate how long it will take you and divide that by how much you’re making. Once you truly view time as money, finding the motivation will be much easier. Imagining your wallet berating you for being lazy is another option.
Track Your Projects
Like any company, you need to organize your files and records for easy access. When you organize your data, things are less likely to fall through the cracks. Use a personal or professional database system to keep track of projects, clients, marketing outreach, income, and other records. This will also help you when doing your taxes, as the clearer your records are, the more prepared you will be for both filing and in case of an audit.
Know Your Goals
When you set standards that you would like to meet, you make it more likely that you will complete those tasks. End each day by making a list of things you want to accomplish tomorrow. Have a list of immediate, short term, and long term goals. Immediate goals will be your daily to-do list, short term goals are projects you are working on, and long term goals affect your overall future. Evaluate short and long term goals regularly to make sure that you are on track to completion.
By increasing your productivity, you boost your income. These are a few steps to get you on your way to a successful freelancing career. By treating your job as you would a traditional one, you are improving your chances of reaching your financial and personal goals.
Guest Writer – Vanessa James
Vanessa James is a business technology consultant specializing in database management. She has a passion for sharing her knowledge with individuals and companies alike. She currently writes for a database performance company, confio.com.