Starting your freelance career can be exciting. The autonomy to work for yourself, flexible hours, doing what you love, and the promise of unlimited earnings potential can be super-motivating.
But what about the day-to-day life realities of working as a freelancer? What healthy and productive habits can you implement to make the most of the momentum so you can become as successful as possible?
Here are 8 habits to help smash every day and help keep you fully motivated as a freelancer.
1. Have a regular morning routine
A famous quote by Jim Rohn says either you run the day, or the day runs you. And it’s true.
That’s why many freelancers swear by having a morning routine that sets them up for the day ahead. Your morning routine could be anything from exercise to writing a journal that you perform first thing in the morning.
Or it could be as simple as getting up, enjoying a nice coffee, and planning the day ahead. The key is to do what works for (and energizes) you.
2. Have a source of motivation
We are all motivated by different things, i.e. family, financial security, recognition, health, a higher purpose, etc. So, it makes sense to identify what truly motivates us and our why (or purpose) and remind ourselves of it often.
Once identified, find ways to anchor that thought. It could be via a sticky note on your fridge with your favorite mantra. It might be a piece of music or power ballad that inspires and reminds you of your purpose and gets you in the mood for the day ahead – it might even be singing in the shower to get you in the right frame of mind.
Whatever it is, find it – and use it to reframe your mind and get motivated for the day ahead.
3. Get proper rest
Getting a proper night’s sleep is super important for our overall health. Sometimes, as a freelancer, it can be tempting to burn the midnight oil, especially when working to a deadline.
However, consistently working without proper breaks and rest can quickly lead to burnout. Also, be sure to incorporate breaks and vacations into your freelance schedule. You’ll be amazed how refreshed and replenished you feel after some time away, and it can even lead to fresh ideas you can implement to make your business even more successful.
On a day-to-day basis, don’t dismiss the restorative power of taking a well-deserved nap if you want one. Many famous people throughout history, from Aristotle to JFK, were fond of napping. If it’s good enough for them – it’s good enough for you!
4. Eat nutritious foods
It can be easy to skip meals or snack as a freelancer. We can get so involved in what we are doing that we give little thought to what we are consuming and simply grab a quick bite to eat when we can—or the nearest thing we find in the fridge as we walk past. However, it’s important to fuel ourselves with the proper nutrition so we perform at our best.
Eating nutritious foods makes us feel better and perform better both physically and mentally.
You can combat naughty snacks and fast food by preparing nutritious snacks and meals in advance. For example, you can batch-prepare them for the week ahead at the weekend, which nicely brings us to the next tip.
5. Batch ‘to-do list’ tasks
By batching similar tasks together and doing them on the same day or time slot, you can better organize your working week.
For example, you could do client work on one specific day, admin tasks such as invoicing on another, have a set time for outreach and getting on calls on another, etc.
This way, you know that important tasks are getting done. Ticking these off your to-do list can be satisfying and super-motivating.
6. Exercise regularly
You don’t have to go on a half marathon or do anything extreme; simply getting away from your desk and going for a refreshing walk can do wonders for your productivity, creativity and, of course, your health.
Adding walking into your daily routine can also greatly boost your mental health.
Whatever you do—yoga, going for a run at lunchtime, or an invigorating game of squash—schedule time for it during your day or week. You won’t regret it.
Exercise boosts your mood, stimulates the brain and makes us healthier and happier.
7. Celebrate your wins
As you accumulate more client testimonials and customer reviews, complete successful projects, and win clients, make sure you celebrate these achievements.
One way to keep you motivated and inspired is to keep your testimonials in a file and review them periodically to remind yourself how far you’ve come and the milestones you’ve achieved.
You might even want to post your wins somewhere you can easily see them. It can also help you combat Impostor Syndrome. You can learn more about Impostor Syndrome in our article here.
8. Use the right ‘power’ tools
It can be tempting to try to do everything yourself as a freelancer—especially if you are on a tight budget.
However, nowadays, you don’t have to go it alone. Many online tools are available to help you run your business, and new ones are constantly being developed.
Having said that, not all software is made equal. It can be easy to get tempted by shiny object syndrome and invest in all the new gadgets, apps and tech available.
The key is to find the right online tools that work for you and your business.
Take invoicing, for example. Invoice Ninja is a leading free invoicing software specifically developed for freelancers and small businesses like yours.
It includes professionally designed invoices, multiple payment gateways, client-side portals, quotes, recurring invoices, time and task tracking, and lots more to ensure you get paid quickly and hassle-free.
Try Invoice Ninja out for free here.
~
You are not going to feel 100% every day. There will inevitably be days that don’t go as planned, and you don’t feel particularly motivated. That’s normal. However, consistency in the habits mentioned above and routines will help on the days when you are not inspired. You can read more productivity tips in our article here.
Here’s to having a smashing day and your ongoing freelance success!
