One of the biggest challenges for today’s successful writer is time management.Let’s face it: in a tough economy, many of us are expected to do more with fewer resources.
Add to this, the never-ending juggling of family obligations, projects around the house, marketing for new clients, and “socializing” via the ever-present social media scene. Hello!
Still, the savvy scribe recognizes that there is great truth to the adage, “time is money”, and acts accordingly.
So, today, let’s look at some ways to make the most of your time, to make the most profit, and move forward in your freelance career.
1. Learn that there is a difference between being “busy” and being “productive“. Surfing the Net for hours is being busy, researching on the Net to write a feature piece, or to gather statistics for an interview is being productive.
2. Control your daily distractions. What’s your guilty pleasure? Some are FaceBook fanatics. Others let computer games get in the way. I personally dig music videos on You Tube. It’s okay to indulge in moderation; it can break up the monotony. But give it a limit. Time, like money, should be budgeted wisely for the best results.
3. Work smarter, not harder. Instead of spending endless hours drafting and crafting queries, expend that energy into polishing pieces for editors that don’t require queries in order for you to get paid and published. Go even further. Once you’ve sold those pieces, don’t stop there; sell them as reprints (if your retain the rights, of course).
4. Rise early. There’s great truth to the adage, “The early bird gets the worm.” Believe it or not, there is so much more productivity for those that get up and get going early in the a.m. And I should know--I’m one of them! I can tell you that lines at the grocery stores are usually shorter and faster, there are fewer phone calls to answer, traffic is lighter, and
there’s a greater climate of calm, (which facilitates creativity), before the hustle and bustle of the day really sets in.
5. Be wise and prioritize. With only 24 hours afforded each day, it’s virtually impossible to cross everything off those pesky to-do lists. A better game plan is to get the most important stuff out of the way. Why? Missed deadlines for clients, or missed due dates for bills can cause stress and unwanted penalties. Stress can impact creativity. No output means no income. Get my drift?
6. Set Goals. Goals are like a compass that guides direction. This ensures that you spend less time being lost on the road to success. For example, every year I set short and long term goals that govern how I spend my time and where I want to be in my career. Consequently, everything I do either supports my goals, or takes away from them. This mindset keeps me on track. It will for you too.
7. Make multi-tasking a daily practice. Though there are different schools of thought on this one, I can attest that it helps me to get more out of my days. Of course, it should be noted, that not all tasks can successfully be done simultaneously. Like, I wouldn‘t advise texting while driving. Or cooking while shampooing your hair. Use proper discernment.
Follow these seven tips and you’ll have more money and more time to spend it.
IMAGE John Kasawa
What, you don't cook and wash your hair? :P I agree, some multitasking is good, like tossing a load of laundry in before working on an article. Other combos, not so much.
ReplyDeleteThese are great points. I can be hit or miss with some of these and need to snap to and be more productive. Thanks for the encouragement!
Have a great week! :)
I seriously struggle with the busy vs. productive one. But one tool that helps me to be more productive that I've started using again is my kitchen timer. I wear it clipped to my top and set it for 15 mins. Then I work as hard as I can for 15 mins on whatever the task is. After three 15 mins. slots, I get 15 mins. of down time where I can be "busy" on Twitter or blog reading or just sipping tea.
ReplyDeleteGreat post. Thanks for the thoughts.
Your second and fourth points are the big ones for me. As for your second point regarding limiting daily distractions, I attempt to stick to a schedule of going online one day for fun (Yahoo and Facebook), and the next day only to further my craft. I've found that I and all of my friends survive if it takes me an additional day to respond to the "What's new?" emails in my personal inbox!
ReplyDeleteAs for the fourth point of rising early, that is this night owl's most recent aspiration! I get so much more done when I get up earlier. Thanks for the reminder. Kicking myself offline now and going to bed. :-D
I always tell myself I am going to get up early and write in the morning, but then I snooze away.
ReplyDeleteHi Karen,
ReplyDeleteGlad you found the tips useful and encouraging. Thanks for your thoughts,(as always). :-)
Hey there, Carol,
ReplyDeleteWhat a nice surprise. :-) Yep, the kitchen timer is a useful tool. I appreciate your feedback today.
Janette,
ReplyDeleteIt's really true--there is so much more productivity to be gained by getting up early! It's one small thing that helps my career more than I can say.
Enjoy your day, (whatever time you rise). :-)
Missed Periods,
ReplyDeleteObviously girlfriend, you still got it goin' on! I read about your agent and upcoming book. Congrats to you and much continued success. :-)
Thanks for your "cameo appearance" here today. :-)
I read something interesting about multitasking (not sure where): apparently, the key to successful multitasking is to combine a physical task (like emptying the dishwasher) with a mental task (like listening to an audiobook). This rule works well for me. Oddly, I figured out that I can read dense securities litigation cases while working out on the elliptical machine -- a great use of this rule. (This rule also explains why you probably shouldn't cook and shampoo your hair at the same time.)
ReplyDeleteHi Nihara,
ReplyDeleteInteresting info. I guess that approach makes sense. :-) Thanks for stopping by and weighing in.