5 Popular Methods to Stay Focused on Freelancing Tasks | Boost Your Productivity
Discover proven strategies to overcome distractions and stay focused on your freelancing tasks. Learn time management techniques to maximize productivity while working from home.
As almost 99% of freelancers work from home, most of the time, focusing on tasks and completing them on time seems the toughest job for freelancers. Distraction is a common problem at home, and you really can't avoid these when your doorbell rings, when your kids scream, or when your phone rings. It's not going to end there. As you are working online, you may be distracted by new email notifications, chatting and new message notifications, along with any other social media notifications too.
Distraction is the enemy for every freelancer out there. As you have no boss to monitor your work and nobody is there to push you to do a task within a given time, you might love to work freely. But this will harm your productivity along with killing valuable time. So, there is no substitute for learning about the methods of how to stay focused on your freelancing tasks by ignoring or kicking the ass of so-called distractions.
But, what are the methods? How do you stay focused on the tasks? Well, here are the popular methods for time management and laser focusing capabilities enhancement strategies for everybody who wants to make money as a freelancer and for the outsourcing personnel who want to build a business using freelancers.
1. Make A To-Do List
A To-Do list will remind you to do the tasks you have assigned yourself each time you get distracted. A typical To-Do list will tell you how much work you have already done and what more is yet to do. So, whenever you feel like doing something that is not related to your tasks, your To-Do list will remind you that there is still some work undone and you have to finish these before going anywhere else. There are lots of free online To-Do list apps that you can use to increase your productivity and to save your valuable time. I personally use ToodleDo for managing my To-Do List.
2. Fix A Time For Your Work
Like the traditional office time, you must fix your time for your freelancing work. If you do so, you can produce more work within a little time. Whenever you make it a habit, you will find it easy to manage your tasks as you are always maintaining a strict time to follow.
3. Switch Off Your Phone When The Output Matters
Sometimes, a freelancer has to face situations when they must provide their products to their buyers within a tight deadline. If phone distractions happen during that time of working, you will lose your attention on work, and thus it creates work delay. So, make sure your mobile phone is switched off when you are in tough time constraints.
4. Unplug Yourself from Media Distractions
Make sure your TV and Music Player are switched off. Shut your window if the sounds come from the outside. Sit in a calm room to start your work.
5. Sign Out from Social Media & Email Clients
Email checking and social media conversations are huge time killers these days. We love to check new and exciting emails and are hugely active on various social media like Facebook, Twitter, or Google+. Sign out from these social media platforms and from your email dashboard to concentrate on your freelancing jobs.
6. Create a Dedicated Workspace
Having a dedicated workspace helps signal to your brain that it's time to work. Set up a comfortable area with all the tools you need readily available. This physical boundary can help create a mental boundary between work and leisure time.
7. Use the Pomodoro Technique
The Pomodoro Technique involves working in focused 25-minute intervals followed by 5-minute breaks. After four "pomodoros," take a longer 15-30 minute break. This method helps maintain concentration and prevents burnout.
These methods are a matter of practicing and becoming habituated with them. If you can manage to do all of the mentioned methods, then you will definitely be a real freelancing expert that every client will love to hire. It's your turn now!
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