04 Dec 09 Are You a Freelance Writer, Do You Know How to Fight Distraction?
For a freelance writer, it is quite easy to get distracted because he works from home. For the large part of the day, people in our home keep either talking or watching television, which never fails to distract us. This is frustrating, which further sucks away our productivity.
How to avoid it?
Fortunately, there is a way out of it, which anyone of you can use to avoid distraction, regardless of your situation.
Assign yourself a place of work
This is the must-take action for any freelance writer. It is not good to carry your laptop and sit anywhere in your home to work, well occasional working-in-kitchen will not hurt but do not make it a routine. I know it sounds against the spirit of freelance writing—you can work from anywhere and anytime—but this is worth a deviation. Find a lonely corner in your house and turn it into a workplace.
Fix your work hours
I may sound like talking against the freedom of freelance writing, but my intention is not to drag you back into the 9-5 job that you left in the past, it is only to help you produce more. And as it is you can anytime pull the string and call it off.
Work, no matter what
Once you fix your work hour, you should stick to it, no matter what. Well, you can deviate from “no matter what” principle without any guilt feeling when you know you need to. Occasion deviation never hurts, at least not in our profession.
Talk to your family
At times, getting things write just need a word from us. Talk to your family and tell them that you are working around here, so not to create distraction. Well this might not work with a disgruntled spouse, but in most of the cases, this will be enough. Believe it or not, they understand the value of the work you are doing.
As you can see, fighting off distraction does not take so much of muscle power as much it takes discipline and tactics. What are your tactics to fight this monster off? Use the comment box and tell me your strategies.
Tags: Discipline, Distraction, Freedom, Freelance Work, Freelance Writer, Freelance Writing, Guilt, Intention, Job, Laptop, Lonely Corner, Monster, Muscle Power, Occasion, Principle, Productivity, Profession, Sounds, Spirit, Watching Television
06 Aug 09 7 Commandments of Freelance Writing
1st Commandment: Thou Shalt Have a Dependable Computer
When I say, a dependable computer, I mean a computer that functions properly without freezing for hours. If your computer or laptop – I am not in favor of using laptop as a primary device, but you can use it as secondary device for the time when you are out – works fine with your word processing program or office suite, internet browsers, chat clients, and FTP client then you can stick with it.
2nd Commandment: Thou Shalt Get a Mechanical Keyboard
You should have a good keyboard that allows swift typing. If you are using a keyboard that has membrane-based keys then I will suggest buying a spring-based (mechanical) keyboard like TVS Gold, next time when you are out shopping for a keyboard.
A keyboard with spring-based (mechanical) keys not only sounds sweet but it lasts for long. I am using mine for more than 3 years and it is still as swift and soft as any new keyboard could be. I use TVS Gold. No membrane keyboard will last even half as long, no matter how expensive it is. Go for the sweet metallic, typewriter-like sound of a mechanical keyboard. Mechanical keyboards are expensive but it is worth the investment. Do not worry much about price when buying a keyboard. After all, this is the device that will earn you your living.
3rd Commandment: Thou Shalt Ask For Work
Do not assume that the client has just so much work to give you. He may be employing other freelancers to do his work. Why don’t you show him, how eager you are to take more responsibility? Also convey that you have sufficient time to do justice with the new work.
Have you contacted your ex-clients lately? If you have not done so, do it now! Drop a mail and ask if there is anything you can help him with, and also emphasize how satisfied or delighted he was while working with you in the past.
4th Commandment: Thou Shalt Follow the Laggards
In freelance writing career, each one of us ends up working with a client or two, who delays the payments as much as he could. Do not forget to follow them up, and make a polite request to pay your dues every time you communicate.
5th Commandment: Thou Shalt Communicate Well
Do you talk to your client regularly? If not, why? And also do not restrict yourself to using only IMs (instant messaging). Call him, mail him and if he is in the neighborhood, drop in.
6th Commandment: Thou shalt set Your Income Goal
You should have a clear income goal in mind, which should be revised every month or every quarter. Set your income target and go for it. Do not forget to be realistic in setting income goal for the month or for the quarter!
7th Commandment: Thou Shalt constantly be on the Lookout
Do not rest on your laurels, and do not count only on what you have. Keep on chasing new work. Who knows when one or more of the existing clients abruptly decided to stop taking your services! And who knows the new client you will get is better paying than the one you have now! Keep looking.
Tags: 3 Years, Chat Clients, Dependable Computer, Freelance Writing, Freelancers, Gold, Keyboards, Laggards, Laptop, Mail, Mechanical Keyboard, Membrane Keyboard, Suite Internet, Th Commandment, Tvs, Typewriter Sound, Word Processing Program, Writing Career
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