{"id":936,"date":"2021-11-28T11:30:00","date_gmt":"2021-11-28T19:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.radialhub.com\/blog\/?p=936"},"modified":"2024-02-12T05:14:46","modified_gmt":"2024-02-12T13:14:46","slug":"7-ways-to-keep-your-freelancing-growing-without-burning-the-midnight-oil","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.radialhub.com\/blog\/7-ways-to-keep-your-freelancing-growing-without-burning-the-midnight-oil\/","title":{"rendered":"7 Ways to Keep Your Freelancing Growing Without Burning the Midnight Oil."},"content":{"rendered":"

Once in a while, as a freelancer, you might have to pull an all-nighter to get a project delivered in time. But this definitely shouldn\u2019t be the norm if you want to grow your business as a freelancer!<\/p>\n

Time management and organization are crucial to your success, but so is understanding your capacity and taking on the right amount of work.<\/p>\n

Below are seven tips to help you manage your workload as a freelancer<\/a>, and they mean you don\u2019t have to burn the midnight oil just to meet your deadlines.<\/p>\n

Set Office Hours<\/h2>\n

It\u2019s not uncommon for freelancers<\/a> to begin their careers by assuming they need to be available every hour under the sun. This simply isn\u2019t possible, and the vast majority of clients don\u2019t expect you to respond to their \u2018urgent\u2019 message at 11 pm on a Sunday.<\/p>\n

As you take on more projects, it\u2019s a good idea to set your office hours, so your clients know when you can be contacted. Because your clients are likely to be from different parts of the world, make sure you include the time zone and try and be available at times when most of your clients are awake!<\/p>\n

Setting office hours helps you with discipline and ensures you don\u2019t have to be online, checking your account throughout the night.<\/p>\n

Work Out Your Capacity<\/h2>\n

Freelancers<\/a> tend to experience burnout and end up working through the night when they\u2019ve bitten off more than they can chew. So, how do you avoid this?<\/p>\n

It\u2019s all about working out your capacity. When you\u2019re new to freelancing<\/a>, you probably won\u2019t know how long a particular task will take you, so you need to keep a time diary to reflect your output.<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s say you\u2019re a freelance<\/a> writer, and it takes you one hour to write 1,000 words. If you plan to work for seven hours a day, it would be prudent to set a 5,000 words per day limit, as you need to take into account other daily tasks that require your time, as well as breaks.<\/p>\n

If you don\u2019t know your limits, it isn\u2019t easy to plan your diary appropriately, and you will end up burning the midnight oil to get your work done!<\/p>\n

Amend Your Price Structure<\/h2>\n

This point follows nicely from the previous one. Once you\u2019ve worked out your capacity, it\u2019s time to set your price structure to match. So many freelancers<\/a> fall into the trap of setting their prices too low just to get business and then find themselves completely overwhelmed by their current projects.<\/p>\n

Your price structure should reflect your capacity and should earn you what you need on a daily basis. So, if we continue with our example from above, how much should you charge per 1,000 words?<\/p>\n

Well, let\u2019s say that your weekly income target is $500. That translates to $100 over five days. To meet your income target and be in line with your capacity, you would need to charge $20 per 1,000 words, which would give you a rate of $20 per hour.<\/p>\n

While this is a good starting point, you need to consider how your required rate is compared with market rates, and as your demand increases, so should your price.<\/p>\n

Work from a Dedicated Space<\/h2>\n

Homeworking is great for lots of people but is incredibly difficult for others. After all, there are so many distractions at home, be it the kids, the dogs, or Netflix! If you work from your sofa or bed, you will find it extremely challenging to be productive, and you will it takes so much longer to complete your projects.<\/p>\n

As such, it\u2019s a good idea to set up a dedicated workspace in your home, where you go specifically to complete your work. Your family should be aware that this is your workspace and should respect your boundaries.<\/p>\n

If working from home is just too difficult for you to focus on, consider looking for a co-working space in your town or city, where you can hot desk and get away from the distractions of home. You will find that being disciplined with your workspace will increase your productivity and will therefore reduce the need to stay up all night catching up with yourself!<\/p>\n

Minimize Distractions<\/h2>\n

The modern-day world is full of distractions, and your productivity can be severely affected from all angles! Here are five simple tips that will help you minimize distractions and help you stay focused during your working hours:<\/p>\n