Freelancefolder

5 Ways To Get More Done By Not Doing

Posted April 29, 2009 in How-To, Productivity 20 Rockin' Comments »

Freelancers and web workers are always searching for ways to become more productive. What works for one person may not work for everyone else, so it’s a constant struggle to find productivity tips that fit with your personality.

That’s where this article might just come in handy. It seems like the topic of productivity is always associated with doing something, so to break that monotony of becoming productive by doing things, let’s take a look at some of the things that can help you get more done by actually eliminating stuff to do.

Most people call it the elimination approach, but I refer to it as “the ditching approach.” Let’s go ahead and see how we can get more done by not doing stuff.

[Click Here to Read More...]

The Freelancer’s Battle: Fighting Distractions and Staying Productive

Posted April 24, 2009 in Lifestyle, Productivity 32 Rockin' Comments »

Whether you’ve been freelancing for two months or two years, it’s likely that you fight an ongoing battle with distractions. To succeed as a freelancer, it’s vital that you gain control over those distractions.

I think that freelancers face a particularly difficult battle against distractions because we often work independently. If we get off track, there is no one there to notice or to remind us to get back on task.

Working from home, while having many advantages, can also lead to distractions. If you work from home, how many times have you started the day focused on work projects and sort of drifted into doing errands instead? (If you can relate to this scenario, you’re not alone.)

Winning the fight against distractions can keep you from missing deadlines, having to rush to keep up, or making mistakes due to your own procrastination.

Fortunately, there are some simple steps that you can take today to overcome your distractions.

[Click Here to Read More...]

15 Firefox Add-Ons to Tame Social Media Addicts

Posted April 23, 2009 in Productivity, Tools/Resources 21 Rockin' Comments »

Freelancers and web workers have it really hard. People think it’s all fun and games sitting on a chair and working at home all day, but man, do we have to keep ourselves focused.

It’s easy to get side tracked quite a bit with a social media or news addiction, and not to mention the urge to check email every twenty minutes or so. To keep my mind from wandering excessively on the web I use quite a few Firefox add-ons. Below are fifteen that I use on a regular basis which have helped me maintain my productivity while still feeding my web addiction.

[Click Here to Read More...]

Open Thread: What Motivates You?

Posted April 20, 2009 in Open Thread, Productivity 29 Rockin' Comments »

Freelancing is a world in which motivation and self-discipline can make the difference between success or failure. Freelancers overwhelmingly work at home, and on their own, where there is nobody else to make you work hard and finish projects on time.

But each freelancer is different, and there is no single answer that will help you stay motivated. Some are motivated by the promise of future prosperity and expansion, while others want a stable job that let’s them spend time with their family.

Some freelancers stay motivated out of their fear or dislike for working at a big company, others are motivated by a love for their trade and are simply happy that they can get paid for it.

Knowing what motivates you is an important step towards staying disciplined and productive over the long-term. So, what is it that drives you to work hard?

• Are you motivated by the promise of future success and prosperity?
• Does the freedom you have as a freelancer drive you to work hard?
• Are you working because of the stability and value you can create?
• Are you driven out of fear or dislike of working for someone else?
• Do you work hard because you love your work and want to do more?

Tell us what motivates you in the comments.
[Click Here to Read More...]

7 Productivity Tools I Couldn’t Live Without

Posted March 25, 2009 in Productivity, Tools/Resources 44 Rockin' Comments »

There are only so many hours in a day, so as freelancers it is wise for us to use the time we do have effectively. From keyboard shortcuts to limiting outside distractions, we all have our own ways of speeding up the work involved in certain tasks.

Personally, my day can consist of a number of different tasks including web development, logo design, research, reporting and quite often…writing. While I love what I do and appreciate the opportunity to work from home, there are just some tools that I would find it hard to live without.

I use all the following tools on a daily basis, some less than others (you’ll see why) but they all have their place in my ‘work from home toolkit‘.

[Click Here to Read More...]

Four Ways To Find More Personal Time

Posted March 12, 2009 in Lifestyle, Productivity 28 Rockin' Comments »

You’ve worked really hard to build up your business for months, maybe even for years. At last, your freelance business has taken off. Finally, you can kick back and relax. Finally, you can work on your personal projects. Finally, you can spend time with friends and family. Right?

Wrong!

If you’re like most successful freelancers, then you probably already know that relaxation doesn’t happen automatically once you’ve succeeded. In fact, you may find that suddenly there is not enough time in the day to get everything done that you need to do.

Successful freelancers can find more time for themselves. To do it, however, you will need to adjust both your behavior and your mindset.

Here are some suggestions to help:

[Click Here to Read More...]

Getting Creative: Should You Start From The Big Picture Or The Details?

Posted March 3, 2009 in Inspiration, Productivity 21 Rockin' Comments »

Creativity is a central part in almost every freelancer’s career. Whether you’re a writer, a designer, or even a programmer — mastering your creative side is just part of the job.

Every freelancer is different, though, and getting creative often requires a different approach for each person. In this post we take a look at one of the most fundamental choices when it comes to creativity: working from the big picture, or diving in and starting with the details.

[Click Here to Read More...]

The Messy Guide To Staying Organized

Posted January 22, 2009 in How-To, Productivity 27 Rockin' Comments »

How organized is your office?

If you are anything like me, office organization is something that you struggle with. After all, we creative people (web developers, writers, graphic artists ) should be given a little leeway when it comes to keeping things organized — right?

Wrong!

Proper organization is critical to freelancing success. While my personal tendency may be to put off straightening things up, I’ve learned that disorganization is bad for business. As a freelancer, I’ve had to put into place some organizational methods to help myself become more efficient.

[Click Here to Read More...]

Are Your Excuses Holding You Back?

Posted January 9, 2009 in Inspiration, Productivity 24 Rockin' Comments »

It is important to take some time and think about your priorities.On a daily basis, we make excuses or reasons for every action we take, from the food we eat to the work that gets done.

What are your reasons for not doing X,Y, and Z? Are you not doing something you should be doing? Are your reasons legitimate or getting in the way of your success?

• Maybe you want to make more money; why aren’t you?
• You want to learn a new skill; why aren’t you?
• You think losing weight is difficult, why?

You have reasons (yes, many, many reasons) for not doing the things you would like to be doing (and the things you do not want to do as well). Now that the new year has begun, it’s time to look at those reasons and decide whether or not they are getting in the way of your dreams.
[Click Here to Read More...]