Now you have left the dreaded nine-to-five, become a freelancer paving your own career for yourself, you will need to not only be a productive and efficient employee but a great boss to yourself. Learning how to manage your own time effectively and stay motivated is definitely a learning curve, and it can be difficult to know where to start in your new role as a self-managing worker. In this handy guide, you will get to grips with some of the best ways to be the best boss to yourself as a freelancer, ensuring you are able to reach the highest productivity you can while also taking care of your mind and body in the process.
Shutterstock Licensed Photo – By Leszek Glasner
Keeping a Clear Head
When you are starting out on the challenging career path of a freelancer and want to be productive as possible to impress clients and build your portfolio, you might think that the best way to be a great boss to yourself is to work overtime. While this initially might seem like the best thing to do, taking little or no breaks can actually lead to you producing subpar work and not meeting deadlines. The importance of taking breaks is vital as it gives your mind a chance to reset and refocus. A good idea is to use the Pomodoro technique, which involves timing yourself to work for a twenty-five minute period, then give yourself five minutes mini-break, so you never overwork your brain.
Get Outside
It has been reported that over fifty percent of workers in the UK don’t get the full lunch break they are entitled to, and this has a negative effect on the work they are able to do. As you are your own boss, you need to make sure you are being kind to yourself and not let work cut into your personal time. A good way of doing this is by finding things to do on your lunch break to get you outside and interacting with the world. Doing some gentle exercise, visiting your favourite coffee shop, or even just reading a new book on a bench in the sun will do you a world of good and mean you inject some positive energy into your work life without delay in your new freelancing career.
Don’t Go it Alone
One advantage of freelance work is that you get to choose where you work from. Many people will initially think they want to work from home, but this isn’t the most productive environment to work in, and it can mean you have limited social interaction. One great idea is to opt for a co-working space, which you can find at thebrew.co.uk, as this set up can offer you a great opportunity to network and even make some friends. The professional and office-style layout of these places will make the adjustment from your old nine-to-five job a lot easier.
Going freelance comes with its challenges, but few career options are more rewarding or give you more freedom and flexibility.
