Productivity helps us stay on top of everything, from work to taking care of our home and even achieving personal goals. But running a freelancing business can make it hard to stay on top of things. So, if you find yourself feeling overwhelmed or struggling while staying productive, don’t panic. There are plenty of productivity hacks available to help you stay motivated and organized. Here are seven awesome productivity hacks that’ll help you get back on track and feel more in control. I hope these tips help you focus on what matters most.
1. Track your hours
To stay organized, you must know how much time you spend working. A simple app like Toggl Track is an excellent way to monitor your time on each task. If you’re a freelancer, it is crucial to know this. Other means of tracking your work hours include:
- Writing on a detailed hourly planner
- Using a spreadsheet planner template
- Jotting down your tasks on a checklist
2. Pace yourself
The best way to stay motivated and organized is to have a strict schedule. My favorite timekeeping tool is PomoFocus, an online take on the Pomodoro Technique. The method is easy to remember:
- Work continuously for 25 minutes
- Take a five-minute break
- After four work ‘cycles,’ take a 15-minute break
3. Take digital notes
When remembering something from a meeting, lecture, or brainstorming ideas, it helps to type notes into an online notebook like Microsoft OneNote or Evernote. I highly recommend the latter, which offers free features and templates. I use Evernote to remember freelancing job boards and search keywords, blog post ideas, topic pitches, and much more. The key is to keep all your notes in one tool rather than on paper notebooks and pads you’ll probably forget.
4. Manage your workload
Remembering everything that needs to be done can be overwhelming. To avoid this situation, write down everything you need to do on a work management tool like ClickUp. Then, break up your projects into smaller tasks that you can easily accomplish within 20 to 30 minutes.
For example, if you’re writing a blog post, list down tasks like:
- Brainstorm title ideas
- Edit title for SEO
- Write rough outline/headers
- Draft short introduction
- Search featured image
You’ll feel much better knowing that you’ve finally checked things off your to-do list.
5. Stay on top of your finances
No matter your profession, one thing remains the same—finances can be stressful. However, it’s possible to keep your finances in good shape. With the proper planning and tools, you can save money, find ways to increase your income, and keep track of it all. Take advantage of a financial service like QuickBooks to stay on top of your accounting.
6. Keep in touch with clients
When working with several clients at once, it can be hard to stay in touch with them. But by scheduling regular meetings to sync up, you’ll be more inclined to stay organized and accomplish tasks. Update your clients through email, instant messaging, or your preferred workload management tool to keep them in the loop and ensure that everything is progressing as planned. It’ll also be easier for you to address potential issues or concerns that might arise.
7. Get started
So, we’ve discussed some productivity hacks for staying motivated and organized, but how can we get started? Dive in, and start working. Get your thoughts in motion and your ideas flowing. Do whatever it takes to get moving.