Freelancers are the envy of professionals across industries. They have the freedom to work any time and anywhere globally, and do it on their own terms. But what people don’t know is that this freedom can turn into procrastination pretty quickly.
Freelancers face many obstacles during their work. Working from home can be a distraction in itself, but then there’s also the fact that they don’t have colleagues to interact with and lighten the mood when things get stressful. Not being present physically among your peers can be a significant challenge.
As a freelancer, do you often find yourself postponing work till the last minute and missing out on deadlines?
You aren’t alone.
According to one study, nearly two million Americans are now freelancing, making them 36% of the US workforce. Therefore, it is important that you stay motivated and reach your goals to play your part in not only your own success, but also the success of our society as a whole.
Motivation in any job is super important. Without it, there is no incentive for workers to achieve a specific goal. Finding inspiration is also crucial as it allows you to change your mindset towards a job, encouraging you to set goals and make plans.
It gives you a chance to experiment with innovative ideas that can boost creativity and productivity.
Here are some tips to help you stay motivated when freelancing:
Strategize Goal-Keeping
The OKR methodology (Objectives and Key Results) is a goal-setting strategy that outlines clear objectives and key results of a project.
Freelancers turn to OKRs to build a framework that helps them set priorities so they can continue to successfully work on their own terms.
Using the OKR approach can drive motivation as it helps freelancers align their individual goals with client goals and identify ways to be productive. It also provides transparency into company updates and priorities and clarifies to workers which areas they need to improve on.
The good news is that setting your OKRs doesn’t have to be done manually. There are some great OKR tools to help you manage your tasks, OKRs, employee performance, and work-flows.
Create A Work Routine
Just because you’re not working from an office doesn’t mean you cannot have a routine. Setting a pattern will help prioritize important tasks and ensure that you don’t work around the clock. It is easy to work 24/7 when you’re at home in front of the computer, leading to brain drain, frustration, and irritation.
Here is a quick guide to making this idea work for you:
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Set a designated time to wake up just like you would for a 9-to-5 office job .
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Exercise. Even a 20-minute light walk can help start your day on a positive note.
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Discover the time you are most creative, and remove all distractions during that time.
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Hold all your meetings in one corner of the house. This ensures that whenever you get a meeting call, you can physically move to that spot, organize your ideas and convey them with more clarity, without any disturbance.
Strengthen Your Communication
One of the most common obstacles that freelancers face is a lack of a proper communication system. Even if all channels are open, there are times when freelancers are waiting to get a project approved in its prime-time, but the delay can make them lose motivation and creativity.
From timely emails to pre-booked Zoom calls, there are plenty of free tools at your disposal that you can use to send updates and request information, and keep it all on record. Phone calls and video chats are good for quick Q&A sessions since they can convey your tone and help you understand the client better than other means of communication.
This is necessary when you are on the job and even after you are done with it. Ask the right questions because it will help you do your job better and earn client’s goodwill. And working with a happy and enthusiastic client is quite motivating as well.
To Conclude
Freelancers start their jobs with rigor and passion but tend to lose this motivation for work as time passes. This happens when they feel overwhelmed, disorganized, and feel like they are working for the sake of the job.
Your work should be a place for you to explore your ideas and passion. Workers who love their job always come up with some of the best ideas that enable them to regain their enthusiasm for their job.
Hopefully, this article can help you re-energize your drive to work and build a successful freelancing business.