Freelancers A to Z #003. Stay Organized, Tackle Business Slowdown and Find Your Coworking Space
In this issue of Freelancers A to Z. The Articles Every Freelancer Needs to Read I have a bunch of useful resources to boost your productivity.
If you have problems with staying organized, suffer from writer's block or are afraid of slowdown in your freelance business it’s a must-read for you.
The new playlist and stories about clients from hell will help you relax after a day full of work.
Freelancers A to Z is a series of roundup posts with captivating curated blog posts, podcasts and articles.
My purpose is to give you as a freelancer a place where you can find support and help with productivity, motivation and time management issues.
Here you will find simple yet powerful hacks to improve your productivity and boost your freelance business instantly.
Are you ready? Let’s dive in!
1
How to Stay Organized as a Freelancer?
The struggle to remain efficient is an ongoing battle many freelancers grapple with every day.
Balancing another job, child care, and other obligations can make coordinating everything on a schedule a frustrating experience. “…it takes a great deal of discipline to keep productive and achieve results.” Truer words have never been spoken and they come right from an informative article written by Udacity, the popular career resource center.
The article “Freelancing Guide: How To Stay Organized” will give a gentle shove in the right direction for anyone needing guidance managing their busy schedules.
Udacity goes into great detail on several different ways to get an out of control schedule under control. As Udacity states: “Be strategic about the work you take and seek out.” Even this simple line of advice can be helpful.
They turn what can seem an impossible task into something enjoyable. Following the suggestions can and will bring new life into a struggling freelancer’s career; by staying organized, a busy life can seem less overwhelming.
Don’t let daily tasks get the better of you! Think about what makes you productive every day and make that your environment. Take on Udacity’s suggestions and believe that there is a path to organization ahead.
2
Relatable and Relaxing
Everyone, freelancer or not, needs time to unwind and take a breath after a day’s work.
Some they go out, others stay home and find ways to relax there. Listening to podcasts one of the ways people relax, and a pastime that many have. For freelancers, there is a podcast that every budding or experienced freelancer should listen to.
The Clients From Hell podcast is a relatable and at times, hilarious look into the life of freelancers of all types. It features episodes in both bite-size chunks of twenty minutes and longer features at just over forty minutes.
The author, Bryce Bladon, is a funny and well-spoken man who delves deeply into the issues that freelancers face throughout their careers.
Not only will listeners laugh out loud listening to horror stories about customers, but they will think deeply on the more serious subject matter. A recent episode called Freelance Forgiveness is one of the first any frustrated entrepreneurs should listen to.
Published just recently in November 2019, he talks about the dealings between client and seller and how rarely seeing one another on a regular basis can change relationships. Anyone who needs to relax and have a laugh, while at times thinking about the future, needs to check out Bryce Bladon.
3
Tackling Slowdown
Inevitably, there will be a time when business is slow.
No clients are on the horizon, all prospective leads have led nowhere, and your online business hasn’t received many hits, let alone emails. The slowdown can happen to any business, but for freelancers it hits harder.
Repeatedly refreshing your email and checking for missed calls is an almost unavoidable, stressful side effect. Letting out a breath and taking it all in stride is a challenge.
Diana Kelly Levey will help any stressed-out freelancers take on the slowdown and let out that breath.
In May 2019, she published a blog post called “29 Things To Do When Freelance Business is Slow.” She steps through and explains why the slowing in business is expected and not something to become stressed over.
Everyone, no matter how successful, can assume they will get a lower number of clients around the same time each year. Her words are very relatable as shown in this quote: “While a slower pace is often welcome in corporate environment, it can feel worrisome and stressful when no one is getting back to you.”
With her 29 tips to manage worry, every concerned freelancer can let out some of that stress and understand that it is all normal.
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4
Why Do You Need a Coworking Space?
Working from home can seem like a dream come true.
At first. However, after weeks of isolation and no one but yourself to talk to during work hours except clients, it can make people feel stir-crazy. Or perhaps, it is the opposite problem; too many distractions from kids, pets and daily chores.
Creating a “home away from home” may seem silly and a needless expense when it is possible to stay home and work in pajamas, but it has several benefits.
Lena Katz describes a world where an office away from home raises creativity, productivity, while lowering stress in her article “Find Your Office Away From Home: Five Coworking Communities for Freelancers and Small Businesses.”
After reading, it will be near impossible to deny how having a separate work space can help.
At the very top of her article a quote perfectly sums up what business spaces have become: “Coworking spaces have gone just beyond desks and Wi-Fi but are evolving into communities.”
Every freelancer should have a community. With community comes support, friendship, and connections that can propel a career forward.
5
How to Push Through Writer’s Block?
The empty white page is a writer’s worst nightmare.
With a client and deadline coming down the pipe it can turn from a hindrance to an emergency.
Writer’s block ignores schedules and customers. It ignores experience level, from a college student writing an essay, to a freelancer who’s been in the business for twenty years. When the pressure is on to come through with an amazing product, the wall in front of ideas and creativity can feel miles high.
Diana Kelly Levey, who was previously featured on this post, comes through with another post on her website. “Fun Ways to Come Up with New Freelance Writing Article Ideas,” will show any struggling writer how to shatter the brick wall blocking fresh ideas.
She encourages everyone to take her ideas and get silly with them. There is no strict way to follow her suggestions, and in fact she prefers that writers take her ideas and change them to suit their situations.
She is a funny and uplifting writer who deserves every visitor to her website.
6
All work and no play…
The last thing I would like to share with you is music. It has a special place in my life. For that reason I listen to music when I work. Hoverer, as some of you already know, it’s also because I want to cut off the noise caused by my neighbors.
This week I’d like to continue the series of playlists with little to no vocals. Happy listening!
In the next issue your playlist can appear in this place. So leave in comments below your favourite music that you love to listen while you work.
One last thing
In the comments below let me know what do you think about this issue of Freelancers A to Z. Tell me what do you like, what is not so good, what do you want more of. I need to know everything.
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The next issue will be available in two weeks.
Take care and have a nice time
Mariusz from the Time Continuum App