The freelance life is growing in popularity. Many people are making exceptional incomes as freelancers, taking advantage of the global economy and the freedom offered through entrepreneurship. If you are a freelancer, you’re going to need to stay focused in order to stay productive. For freelancers working in an apartment, this can be even more challenging, because they often lack a dedicated office. Here are some tips that will help you stay focused as you work to build a successful freelance business, even in an apartment space.
Create a Dedicated and Comfortable Work Environment
While an apartment may not allow for a room that is a dedicated office space, you can carve out an office area. Having a dedicated space that you do your work will help prevent distractions. Make this space as comfortable as possible, with good ventilation, a comfortable place to sit, and good lighting, to improve your productivity.
Dress for Success
Freelancers often fall into the trap of dressing sloppily, especially when working from home. After all, you are not going to be seen by your coworkers, right? What you wear has a strong impact on your productivity. When you dress professionally, instead of staying in your sweats or pajamas all day, you will find your mental focus is stronger.
Tap into Apps
Productivity apps can help you stay on task as a freelancer. Some apps, for example, allow you to block websites and apps that tend to distract during your work hours. This will stop you from clicking over to Facebook when you should be hard at work. Other apps allow you to break down your work into manageable, smaller steps that help you stay on task.
Keep Your Inbox Under Control
Most people have cluttered inboxes. it’s not uncommon to find a freelancer with thousands of unread emails. These can turn into distractions.
To keep your inbox under control, start by unsubscribing to sales emails and newsletters that no longer bring you value. Then, search by “sender” to delete those emails that you no longer need. Weed through the clutter, so you can focus your energy on the emails that really matter.
Get Out into the Community
Surprisingly, as a freelancer you need to take breaks for socialization. The nature of this work is quite isolating if you aren’t careful. Schedule regular breaks to use the community amenities of your apartment. Whether you head to the fitness center for a workout or the community meeting areas to mingle with your neighbors, use the benefits of your apartment community to prevent isolation. You’ll be surprised at just how much more connected you feel if you do.
Freelancing is a rewarding career choice, but you must be careful to protect your productivity. With these tips, you can have a profitable freelance career, no matter where your work takes place.
Good ways to stay productive.