Flexible working hours, work from anywhere, being your own boss – freelancing sounds so much fun. After all, who doesn’t love freedom? If you are a freelancer, you might have heard this from everyone. On the other hand, every day, you find yourself trying to catch a breath between deadlines and a long to-do list.
Freelancing also means you decide your salary. Thus, optimising productivity becomes the utmost priority. Juggling between client calls, deliverables and your work timing is not an easy task. The same “perks” sometimes become the most significant hurdles in everyday work.
For those days when even a strong cup of coffee doesn’t seem to work, here are a few tips that can help you improve your productivity.
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1. Personalise your schedule
With no office timings to adhere to, your work-life balance can be in shambles. To avoid this, plan your day ahead of time. Divide your day into slots. Set a time for meetings, calls, checking emails and stick to it.
Try avoiding meetings and phone calls after business hours. Taking necessary breaks in between will help you perform better.
Are you an early bird or a night owl? Select a time when you can concentrate best and schedule your major tasks then. But remember to log off from work completely post that. After all, you are your own boss!
2. DIY office setup
The one good thing about working as a freelancer is the freedom to work from anywhere. In case you are working from home, then have your office setup ready. Yes, a desk and a chair. No, your bed cannot be your workspace!
Keep your desk tidy and organized, just like you would have it in an office. This is the place you would let your creativity flow so make it your own space. You can also try getting dressed up for work.
Almost like an office, except you get to choose your deadlines and set your goals.
3. AFS: Away from smartphone
Many times you will find yourself in the dilemma of choosing between checking that new notification and finishing the task at hand. You pick up your phone thinking it’s just one post or video and the next thing you know, 30 minutes have passed.
To avoid falling into this rabbit hole of recommendations on the internet, stay away from it during your working hours. Turn off notifications, even email notifications to avoid any kind of distractions while working. At the end of it, reward yourself with some screen time of your favourite show.
4. Declutter Your thoughts and your desk
As much as it is important to declutter your thoughts to release stress, it is also vital to arrange stuff properly on your desk. Also, remove the unnecessary files from your desktop. This will help you stay attentive and focused on the next task.
Try keeping only the essentials next to your workspace. Every item on your desk can serve as a distraction. A minimalist workspace can help you stay productive and give your mind the peace it needs.
5. Prioritize and organize
You would often find yourself working on more than one project simultaneously. Multiple client meetings, emails, invoices, follow-ups – the list is endless. As a freelancer, multitasking must be in your second nature.
However, it is also essential to stay focused to get things done. Rate the tasks by their level of importance. Try to finish the difficult tasks first. This will not only give you the boost you need but also help combat procrastination.
Approach tasks one at a time and work with limited tabs open on your screen to avoid distractions.
6. Managing finances
Managing your finances as a freelancer is one of the most important yet challenging things. Creating invoices, accepting payments from various sources, following up on late payments, sending reminders – all of it can take up a lot of your time and energy.
To keep your payments, dues and settlements organized you can count on Razorpay. Our powerful product stack ensures safe and hassle-free money movement. Real-time analytics via our dashboard will help you understand the way your business is performing. Not just this, also get a complete overview of the payments received, disputes raised and payments due.
You can create GST invoices with ease and send payment reminders to your clients with Razorpay. Head on to your Razorpay dashboard to create GST invoices and send them via SMS, email or any social media channel within minutes.
You can also enhance the payment experience by offering the option of partial payments to clients with just one click!
[Recommended Read: Create GST Invoices Within Minutes & Save Big on Time & Efforts]
How Razorpay can help you stay productive?
Razorpay, with its no-code products and powerful integrations, makes every process easier while helping you understand the performance of your business.
Here’s how Razorpay can help you increase your productivity significantly –
Razorpay Payment Links – This product by Razorpay is one of the easiest ways to accept payments from your customers 24*7. Some of the key features are –
Razorpay Payment Pages – Payment Pages is specifically designed to accept payments from your customers, even if you don’t have a website.
Razorpay Payment Button – With Razorpay Payment Button, everyone can accept online payments within one ecosystem, without any redirections.
Razorpay Invoices – As mentioned above, with Razorpay invoices you can –
- Create GST-compliant invoices with Razorpay and share them across any platforms
- Choose to accept partial payments via these invoices – something that a lot of freelancers look for
- Add descriptions and details and keep your legal basics sorted with Razorpay.
