Every professional has something to offer the world, but for freelancers and creatives in particular, producing excellent work often requires an extra layer of discipline and effective time management skills. If you work for yourself, there’s nowhere to go to clock in, and no strict time that you have to pack up for the night. So how do you stay productive and continue to meet your responsibilities without overworking yourself? Here, we share three time management tips.
Schedule your time
You might think that routine and structure go against everything it means to be a creative person, but in fact, these are important for maintaining a healthy work-life balance and ensuring you’re able to stay productive. By planning what you’re going to do at different times of the day, you may find it easier to prioritize certain tasks and get far more done in a shorter space of time.
Your schedule doesn’t have to be completely rigid. Depending on your individual needs and preferred way of working, you may want to simply allocate some time slots to more important tasks, and then leave yourself some free time at the end of the day to get other bits done.
Use physical tools
Some people may find it helpful to have a timer available for their work sessions, particularly a visual one that’ll allow for gentle time prompts instead of letting off an annoying noisy alarm. This can be helpful if your work requires deep focus, or if you’re working on a creative project that demands your full attention – after all, it’s fairly easy to get back to routine tasks after a distraction, but a startling disruption to creative work can result in you losing your train of thought or an all-important idea.
In addition to a timer, a fidget toy can help to keep your hands busy while you’re coming up with new ideas, or working on something you’re not necessarily putting down on paper. It may take some trial and error to find the right tool for you, but it’s worth it for effective time management.
Prioritize your mental wellbeing
Often, if you do what feels right for you, the rest will follow. So if you’re prioritizing your mental health, you’re likely to naturally fall into a more manageable routine. After all, it’s hard to feel good if you’re overworking yourself.
Freelancers and creatives with less predictable working hours should take special care when it comes to protecting their mental health. If you’re unsure about where to begin – or what, if anything, needs changing – be sure to reach out to a professional or refer to helpful resources. For example, this Function Central guide covers mental health and wellbeing support for musicians, but the advice can be applied to other creative and freelance professionals, too.
Strike a healthy balance
Remember that, no matter your industry or your professional goals, effective time management is important – it’ll help you strike the right balance between staying productive and not having too much on your plate. By creating a schedule, using helpful tools, and taking care of your mental health, you’ll continue to grow and thrive as a freelancer or creative.
