Jan 16, 2020
Designing your ideal week as a freelancer is one of my favorite topics and in this episode we talk about how to do it effectively.
It’s important that we get our weeks right as freelancers so that we can optimize our time for the best productivity, the best output, and to match the times of day our brains work the best. Setting your own schedule is one of the best parts about being a freelancer, but it’s important to make sure you actually set a schedule for yourself.
“The key thing to remember is that proper planning prevents poor performance. If you want your week to work for you, you have to plan it in advance. It has to be put together very deliberately.”
In this episode Avani talks about:
On a calendar, or a schedule in front of you, cross out the days that you will not work in the week. Plotting it out is helpful so that you can visually see it.
Similar to the last step, cross out the hours you aren’t working, or highlight the hours that you are working. Make it clear to yourself what those hours are.
It’s important that you stick to the schedule that you are setting for yourself and that you’re strict about it. You wouldn’t take a break to do laundry in an office, why would you do it if you’re working from home?
Mark or label on your schedule the type of work that needs to happen on each day. One day could be meetings, another could be a work day. Tailor the days to best suit your needs.
Allow yourself some days that are flexible. These days can be for appointments, errands, lunches, etc. Don’t do these things any time of the week, make plans for them instead.
Play with what works to your energy. If you’re a morning person, plan your more difficult work in the morning. Don’t plan your creative time right after meetings if talking burns you out. Experiment!