Even Freelancers need to punch out once in a while.
I was reading a post over at Jon Becket’s Life and Times blog last evening where he was talking about how much extra work he has been putting in as a freelancer. He’s working several hours a night, after getting off work from his regular job. And it kinda got me thinking. I know of several other freelancer writers who work hours that most traditional on-site workers would balk at.
Starting up any new career takes a lot of hard work. Doubly so when the career is in freelancing. Not only do you have a lot to learn, but you have to find work, meet commitments, and market yourself. If you choose to have a blog, or other side projects, as well, there is even more to do. The work of a freelance writer, or web designer, or anyone else in a freelancing career, is never done. There is always something more that could be done. Even on our days off, there is email to check, job leads to follow up on, and other tasks to do.
So, how do we, as freelancers, solve this problem? We don’t have a clock to punch, we don’t get paid by the hour. When do we know when enough is enough? I have a few suggestions.
Make a to-do list. It has to be something reasonable. What can you actually get done in a day, without having to work from the moment you wake up until the moment you fall asleep? Work on your list throughout the day, and when everything is done, so are you. Another way to do this is to make a weekly list. Even if you put in extra time at the beginning of the week, you’ll have extra time off at the end of the week to make up for it. I do this on two levels- weekly and monthly. I know how much I need to get done each month to meet my expenses. That amount gets broken into weekly goals. For example, I need to write 20 articles a month for one company, or 5 a week.
Set a work schedule. Does 9-5 work for you? How about 9-3, while the kids are at school? Because you work from home, you don’t need to work conventional hours. If you work best at night, then that is when you should “go” to work.
How much time do you need each day? If you plan on working five hours a day, those five hours don’t have to be lumped all together. Work for a couple hours in the morning, an hour while the kids are napping, and then a couple more hours after the kids go to sleep, or however else you choose to schedule your day.
We work at home because we enjoy the flexible schedule, and being able to spend more time with our loved ones. Or maybe it’s because we have physical limitations that make a on-site job more of a challenge. Whatever our reasons were, they should be forefront in our minds when deciding how much we are going to work. Deciding to stay home with your children, and then working all day and night, isn’t fair to anyone. There are definitely reasons, like financial worries, that warrant more work time. Just remember to give yourself the time off you deserve.
What time management tricks work well for you? Do you have difficulties “punching out” at the end of the day?
{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
Thanks for the mention! I get disbelieving stares when I tell people the hours I’m putting in at the moment, but it’s also worth stating that I couldn’t do it on my own – my other half has been taking the brunt of normal life away from me while the work is there – purely so I can get it done, and get paid. She’s doing it because we are a team
In terms of time management, I like to-do lists. I looked at the whole “Getting Things Done” methodology last year when things started to get a bit crazy, and ended up trying to implement a little bit of it. The most difficult thing was just getting into the habit of checking the list… checking the calendar – seeing what I had reminded myself to get on with.
Great post btw!
Isn’t it great how a wonderful spouse can make our lives so much easier? I couldn’t do half of what I do without the support of my husband. He takes over for me a couple hours each day, and all day on his days off. I’ve never heard of the “getting things done” methodology. I’ll have to check it out. Thanks!
I do a lot of the things you mention. In addition, I print up a blank monthly calendar, and fill in at least a couple of post titles for each week. I also keep an “Ideas” diary with me at all times. As a blogger, sometimes I find the hardest thing is to find inspiration every day. It doesn’t happen for me every day, so when I feel uninspired, or stuck for things to ruminate on I check my little diary. There’s almost always something there I can turn into a post.