How to Keep Yourself Accountable as a Freelancer

 

Guest post by Michelle Laurey

Around all employees will be spending at least some of their time working remotely as of this year. The rise of cloud computing, mobile software, and other essential tools means that it’s easier than ever for people from all backgrounds to work away from the office.

The more time you spend out of the typical nine-to-five work life, the more you may decide that you want to go remote full-time.

Perhaps you even want to run your own freelance business?

Freelancing can be an excellent way to follow your dreams with your career and build a job around your passion.

You could freelance as a writer, offering reviews and insights into the latest music on the market. You could pursue your skills as a graphic artist, teacher, or translator.

The only issue?

When you’re a remote and freelance employee, there’s no-one to hold yourself accountable to.

You’re your own boss, which means it’s up to you to ensure that you’re holding yourself to the right standards.

Step 1: Build A Routine

So, how do you make sure you keep yourself accountable to both yourself and your clients in a freelance position?

Start by approaching your new career like any other job.

While freelancing gives you more freedom over your work hours and demands than the average career, you still need to stick to a certain routine if you want to ensure that you’re meeting deadlines and communicating with your customers in a timely manner.

Figure out which times of day you’re most productive, build a schedule, and stick to it.

Having the right calendar in place will help to stop you from getting distracted every time a friend invites you out for coffee, or you see something you want to watch on YouTube.

Step 2: Establish Your Goals

Once you have a basic idea of what your schedule will look like, think about how you can keep yourself on track with the right selection of goals.

Many of us find a purpose in our jobs – our careers are the reason that we get up each morning and strive to accomplish more.

If you don’t have milestones to meet as a freelancer, then it’s easy to start resting on your laurels.

But unless you constantly work to improve yourself as a freelancer, you’ll begin losing clients and money-making opportunities.

A goal for you could be to find three repeat clients by the end of the year or increase your profits by 20% in the next six months. Break your goal down into smaller steps, and go for it.

Step 3: Organize Your Tasks

Managing a consistent schedule is only one part of being well-organized as a freelancer. You’ll also need to correctly organize your tasks.

Lists, such as simple to-do-lists that prioritize your most important work to the least important each day, are valuable. These lists will help you remember when you have deadlines to meet.

Don’t overwhelm yourself with too many tasks at once.

Rather, start each morning by asking yourself what you’ll focus on each day. This will allow you to get your mind on track, and it will ensure that you know which tasks you can put on the backburner if you run out of time quicker than you thought.

Step 4: Focus on One Thing at a Time

Many people assume that they can be more productive if they learn how to multitask.

Jumping from one job to another throughout the day makes us feel as though we’re accomplishing more.

However, multitasking drains your focus and your productivity. The more that you flit between tasks, the harder it is to focus on completing one specific job.

You’ll find that you reach your goals a lot faster if you address them one at a time.

While you’re concentrating on eliminating multitasking for your schedule, it’s also worth paying attention to how much time you have in your day. This will help you to ensure that you’re not taking on more tasks than you can handle.

Forcing yourself to take on every project that comes your way could compromise the quality of your work.

Step 5: Get Your Equipment Up to Scratch

There’s more to holding yourself accountable as a freelancer than having the right equipment.

However, if you don’t have the right tools in place, then it’ll be a lot harder for you to get everything done.

Start by deciding which tools are essential to your work. Perhaps you need to have a fast computer that’s not plaguing you with lag every time you switch it on.

If that’s the case, learning how to speed up your computer and detect potential problems could be essential. It might also be a good idea to invest in a stronger internet connection, so you can ensure that your web pages load quickly too.

Succeeding as a Freelance Worker

For a successful freelancing career, you need more than just the right equipment and a good routine.

You need the right attitude.

If you struggle with staying disciplined when there isn’t someone looking over your shoulder, then you’ll have a hard time in the freelance world.

Freelancing gives you more control over your work-life balance, but it also means that you’re responsible for ensuring that you get the right tasks done each day.

Not everyone will feel comfortable in a freelance environment, as they’ll struggle to find the motivation that they need to stay focused on their work each day.

If you can hold yourself accountable to a set of specific standards, the tips above could make you a more productive and successful worker.

Michelle Laurey works as a VA for small businesses. She loves talking business, productivity, and sharing her experience with others. Beyond her keyboard, she enjoys spending time with her Kindle library or binge-watching Billions. Her superpower? Vinyasa flow! You can reach her on Twitter.