Three ways my mother can help you be a better freelancer
My mother was never overbearing or naggy when I was growing up, but she often gave me advice about things. There are three pieces of advice she’s given me that I value the most, and today I actually found myself experiencing them one by one during my work day. She’ll be pleased to know that her random bits of life advice can actually help me be a better freelancer!
1) “Messy house, messy mind” – Organize your home work area
Pretty much the only piece of advice my mom delivers in catchphrase form, this one was my great epiphany for today. I spent the day working on a project, referring to notes I’d taken when I’d met with the client. Near the end of the day, I was running out of steam and sitting in a pile of my own papery mess. I decided I needed a break and got up to do something that wasn’t writing-related, but I ended up wandering into my home office, getting a file folder, writing my client’s name on it, and putting all those papers in that file folder. It’s hardly the kind of revelation that will blow your hair back, but getting my papers so organized really did make a difference in how well I worked afterwards.
2) Don’t work in your pyjamas
Growing up, if I was feeling truly ill or merely struck with a teenage disgust for living, my mom would advise me to at least change out of my pyjamas. She’s a sneaky and smart lady, because it worked every time. Working in your pyjamas always seems appealing to freelancers – I mean, there’s a reason it’s kind of the hallmark of a scam work from home opportunity – but it rarely lends itself to feelings of productivity. I believe there really is a connection your brain makes when you wake up in the morning and get dressed. It sounds vaguely cheesy, but changing out of the clothes you’ve slept in is a signal that it’s time to move from sleep to activity.
3) “Be systematic” – Develop a routine in your work day
She first said this one as instruction for the best way to sweep the floor when I was a kid. At the time, systematically sweeping the floor made no sense to me and I said so, turning “be systematic” into yet another family joke (I know it’s not funny to you, but family jokes are like that). However, I find this one to be the most beneficial to my freelancing work days. Sticking to some kind of schedule is so important for people working from home. How else can I avoid distractions in the form of Facebook Scrabble and experimenting with the manual features on my camera? Each day is usually different – some can be more writing-focused and some can be more business development-focused, but developing a schedule for your work day is critical if you are self employed.
Category: Freelance Writing, Writing Tips