Telecommuting provides freelancers with flexibility, which is highly appreciated by most of us. You can decide when to begin working, how to organize your space, and which tasks to do first. However, flexibility has its drawbacks, such as the lack of someone to set the tone, so you need to make a decision on what should be done and how.
Motivation does not always consist in being enthusiastic about your job every day. Sometimes, you feel more motivated, while at other times, you may need to struggle more to get things done. The idea is to develop practices that make you productive despite a lack of motivation, rather than trying to motivate yourself all the time.
The techniques listed below can be used in order to bring structure into your working process, focus on important tasks, relax properly, and remain responsible while telecommuting.
Start with a realistic definition of a productive day
If there is no manager around you, then you might think about how many hours you are spending at your desk to evaluate your effectiveness. However, it is not what it really means because it does not matter if you have worked for 12 hours, for example. Instead, it is more important to check if you have made progress in your work.
At the beginning of each working day, make a list of tasks that will make your day meaningful. Keep it short so that it does not scare you and helps you to decide what should be done today and what can be postponed. It will help you to understand better what you are doing and what distracts you from your tasks.
Do not try to lie to yourself about the amount of tasks you can perform. Administrative tasks, e-mails, edits, and other things consume your time. If you ignore them, then your plan will look ambitious in the morning and you will feel disappointed by the end of the day.
Build a routine you can repeat
A morning routine eliminates the decisions which may cause problems at the beginning of your work. This does not mean you have to create an inflexible plan and assign specific tasks for each minute of your day. All you need is to establish some regular moments of your day: starting time, checking of priorities, breaks, and stopping time.
Start with those elements of your routine that are easier to regulate. You can get ready for work, look through your task list, select the task you will complete first, and only then look through your emails. In the evening, you will record everything you have done and which tasks should be completed tomorrow. Those simple acts create a smooth transition from your everyday life to work.
An efficient routine must fit your duties and personal energy level. If your work time is not fixed, keep the same sequence of your routine while changing time. It is not necessary to follow any perfect routine. You just need to make sure that your next step will be absolutely obvious for you.
Make it easier to start difficult work
Large and/or ambiguous tasks can zap motivation before you even get started. If you catch yourself procrastinating, there may be no problem of motivation or discipline at all. You might just need a smaller step.
Break down the task into smaller steps until you can come up with a concrete step that can be done right now. “Work on the project” sounds too broad. “Read the briefing,” “enumerate the questions that must be answered,” or “write the opening paragraph” will provide you with something to start working on. From then on, you will see how to proceed.
You can also make time during which you will be able to concentrate without interruptions and devote this time to completing a task, not jumping between this task and your e-mail. You don’t have to accomplish all of your tasks at once; making a good start is enough.
If the task is hard to start, think about why it is hard and what is in your way. Is it the lack of information, a decision, or feedback that you need?
Give your workday a clear beginning and end
Working at home can create confusion regarding when you have started and stopped working. You might start to work but then keep getting involved in your other tasks. Later on, you might feel bad about leaving your work since work is just accessible to you.
There is a good idea for starting. Just take your seat in your preferred location, set your priorities, and get going with the first task. Non-urgent emails and chores can always wait for later in the day. It will give you a sense that you have actually started your work.
There is a need to develop a good stopping routine as well. While ending your work, you need to write down what you have done, what remains unfinished, and what your next step is regarding the next day. Then leave your work. Freelancing will never be fully completed; therefore, you cannot wait to finish your work before leaving.
Having such boundaries allows you to come back more focused. In addition, it becomes easy to enjoy yourself while away from work and not burdened by your task list.
Reduce distractions before you need to resist them
Self-control becomes easier if your environment assists you in it. If your phone, notifications, and tabs are constantly tempting you to do something else, self-control may become a very tiring exercise.
Identify the distractions that bother you the most and implement some changes to deal with them. Turn off any notifications that are not urgent. Keep only the items you need right now visible. Close tabs that are not in use. In case you live with other people, inform them when you need some time for yourself.
It might not always be possible to avoid all the distractions. However, try to eliminate those which you can get rid of. It might take just a few little steps to help you focus on your work much easier than through ignoring constant distractions.
When you have a distraction, write it down, but don’t give into the temptation to do something else straight away. You can attend to the distraction during your break or at a scheduled break point. This way, you will remember the distraction and won’t abandon your initial work.
Take breaks that serve a purpose
It is quite simple to equate taking a break with a lack of concentration. It is important not to think about breaks as a reward that comes after exhausting efforts.
Taking a real break implies giving your brain some time to switch off. Take a walk, drink some tea, stand up, move, etc. Pay attention to what really prepares you for going back to work. If using your smartphone usually takes you off the topic, it might not be the best way to spend your break.
Make plans for your breaks in advance, before getting exhausted. There is nothing wrong in using the end of a task or work period as a reason to take a break. At the end of it, make it easier for yourself to continue your activity by knowing what task you will go back to.
Taking longer pauses also has its importance. Let yourself eat without seeing this activity as an opportunity to work. Being responsible does not imply neglecting breaks, as they help to concentrate better.
Create accountability that works for you
Even without a supervisor around, there has to be something to determine if you are fulfilling your promises. While accountability can be seen in supervision, it does not have to be. All one has to do is make his priorities known and go through them from time to time.
One should maintain a reliable task list. Not only should there be deadlines, but one has to make sure that all the prerequisites for each deadline are listed down. One should stick to certain times to look through the list and make changes where necessary. It will be more beneficial for a person to keep a list that is based on his real life rather than on some perfect day.
It is also possible to schedule the reviewing of his accomplishments, unfinished tasks, and future obligations. One should ask himself what helped him complete something and what made it difficult. In case if a particular task is constantly being postponed, he should ask himself if it should be divided, re-evaluated, rescheduled or simply done away with.
Some people working as freelancers might find it useful to share their objectives or even get checked up by someone else. If you see yourself in such a position, try to keep it simple. Say what you intend to do, and then just ask if you have done it. What really matters is not to put yourself under unnecessary pressure.
Expect motivation to change
Motivation is helpful, but it does not create a reliable schedule for every day. There are days when work can be enjoyable and others when even well-known activities require an effort. Neither kind of a day determines your capability of being independent at work.
In case when you feel less energetic, use your routine as a base for your activities. Analyze your priorities, choose a reasonable activity and begin. You may have to make some changes in your plan purposefully, but you can still get an opportunity to do the most important thing, deal with necessary messages, or prepare for the next day.
Take care of patterns rather than evaluate one particular day. In case when you experience difficulties in concentrating on things, try analyzing your load, your schedule, your breaks, your expectations. The routine that worked well previously may not suit you now. Motivation is not the matter of forcing the same technique to continue working.
Keep your goals connected to your daily work
Deadlines will show you when something needs to be done, but sometimes they won’t provide you with information about what should be done right now. Linking your larger objectives to your smaller actions will make the process less intimidating.
Look at what your goals are and at what actions can be taken now to achieve them. Make sure to include them in your calendar along with your immediate tasks. Otherwise, it is very likely that your important goals will get lost under anything that seems more pressing right now.
Additionally, pay attention to your small progress that may go unnoticed. Completing an edit, answering a question or preparing resources for the next step may not seem exciting, but they will make the process move forward. Tracking your progress in the form of a checklist will allow you to be aware of it without feeling constantly productive.
Still, make sure that you don’t evaluate your productivity all the time. Your goals are just tools for guidance, not for punishment.
Make consistency more important than perfection
No system will make sure you don’t have distractions, delays, or hard days. The key is not to stick to your plan perfectly. The key is to have a good way back into it after your day has gone off track.
In case you get distracted, stop and take a look at your priorities. In case you have a change in your schedule, figure out what needs to be done and what can be postponed. When your planned working session does not work out, start over but this time from a smaller task. There is no need to scrap everything else on your agenda just because something went wrong.
Being your own boss means providing your own structure. This structure can be supportive rather than demanding. Realistic plans, consistent routines, reduced distractions, breaks and check-ups give you practical ways to keep going.
Motivation may inspire you to get things started, but you do not need to rely on it every time. Make the tasks easy to see, make the start of work more effortless, and provide yourself a reliable way to get back to work. With time, these techniques can make you accountable and flexible enough.
