Time Management – How to PART TWO

How do you manage your time as a freelance writer? PART TWO

In PART ONE of this topic, we established that managing activities is only one part of the equation. What’s crucial is to schedule them in a way that feeds motivation rather than increase the likelihood of burnout. So in this post, I’ll describe the first two of five total techniques that work for me at the present time. If you see something here that you can emulate, great! I hope it works for you as well.

Five techniques that ensure I stay on track with my freelance career:

1. Scheduled time off
2. Daily checklist items
3. Regular physical activity
4. Consistent meal times
5. Consistent bedtime

Scheduled Time Off – By giving myself one full day each week where my only goal is to do as much NOTHING as possible, I’m ensuring that I have the space and time to wind-down. As a compliment to this, I take three consecutive days off approximately monthly so I have something to look forward to. Again, with the goal of doing as much NOTHING as possible.

Now you may be saying, “wait, that’s a six workday week,” and you’re correct. Freelancing is not a standard 9 to 5 job, and writing is certainly not something that can be contained in only five days. It is a pursuit that can roll into full seven workday weeks and continue until total burnout occurs if left unchecked. That’s devastating. But at the same time, taking two consecutive days off each and every week sorta… well… gets in the way of productivity.

Blocking one day each week works for me. I have enough time to relax and recharge before tackling everything I need to do the following week. What does it mean to do as much NOTHING as possible? Well, I’m talking about writing-related activities as well as anything that would be strenuous, draining, or require my undivided attention. So, in general, what I don’t do includes:

Daily Checklist Items – Consider these three scenarios:

1. I wake up early and am already typing at the keyboard by the time 7:00 a.m. rolls around. I complete all the items on my checklist by lunchtime. This leaves me with a free afternoon with the option of continuing more writing/editing/research or turning my attention to something else.
2. I’m feeling less inspired to write, so I press snooze a few times or take a morning walk around the neighbourhood. I start my workday at mid-morning with a coffee on my desk. I work through my checklist items, taking a break for lunch and my afternoon exercises, then finish-up before supper. I eat my evening meal with the satisfaction that I’ve completed another day of work.
3. A freelance assignment arrives in my inbox with a 3-day deadline. I devote the first part of the day to this task with the plan of proofreading and performing last-minute checks the following day (reserving the third day as, “only if needed”). I start working on my checklist items while I’m waiting for the oven to heat up my lunch. I break for my afternoon exercises, then return to finish my work by supper.

All three of these scenarios could happen. Notice that I finish my daily tasks in all three scenarios. The end result is the same. The checklist works. It’s only the process that differs.

The third scenario reveals an excellent reason as to why I use checklists instead of blocking time for specific tasks. As long as I complete what I’ve set out to do that day, then I’m on track for the bigger picture. Now, I’ll say a few things about the actual checklist.

Firstly, I aim low. I do not give myself more than is necessary for each particular day. I set realistic, non-arbitrary goals. I don’t go way out there with things like, “Finish 3000 words on manuscript,” or, “Read 500 pages for market research.” I keep it to a simple, “Work on manuscript,” or “Conduct market research,” and I know when I’ve reached my daily stopping point for these activities. Be honest with yourself.

Secondly, the checklist includes more than just writing-related activities. I alluded to this in the section about scheduling time off. When I say work, I mean all work. So the checklist includes a set of errands and chores (housework) that need to get done before supper. Just like my writing and editing, household chores are mostly flexible activities that do not need to be scheduled within an arbitrary time block. But if I don’t include them in my checklist, then I’m likely to put them off until another day.

My third and final comment is that most items are cyclical and recurring. This is either by their nature or by my own strategic (non-arbitrary) design. So, if it really comes down to a scenario where I cannot finish every single item on my daily checklist, the whole system does NOT come crashing down. I do not need to push an item to the next day, nor do I need to worry about squeezing it in somewhere. Cyclical items are already built-in to my checklist, recurring on a quarterly, monthly, or weekly basis. So although it still requires self-discipline to follow my own system, I have designed it with a fail-safe in mind.

Stay tuned for PART THREE of this series where I’ll unpack the final three techniques that I use to stay on track with my freelance writing. In the meantime, please share your techniques for staying on track. What works for you? Please comment below.

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