How to Stay Motivated When Working as a Freelancer

Stay Motivated as a Freelancer

Are you just not feeling it today? You’re not sick, and you’ve had plenty of sleep. It’s not particularly lovely outside, so you aren’t tempted to go out a get some sunshine. But for whatever reason, you just can’t get motivated to work.

When you worked in a regular job, you may have been motivated to work by your boss and peers. Maybe a constant barrage of calls and customers kept you on your toes.

Now that you are a freelancer, you may be working from home. You may not have daily communication with your clients.  No one would know if you had a quick nap. Or a three-hour nap. Or watched a few more episodes of The Crown.

While everyone needs to take a day off every once in a while, it can become a bad habit if you do it too often. What do you do to stay motivated enough to work each day? Here are some ideas.

Keep a visual reminder of why you are working as a freelancer.

Did you have to wear a nametag for your previous job? Display your badge in a prominent place to remind yourself that you never want to go back to that job again.

Perhaps you were never able to make it to any of your son’s birthday games because you were always traveling on the nights he played. If that’s the case, keep a baseball or a photo of your son near your workspace.

Whether it’s a pair of high-heeled shoes or your business card for a job you hated, use those reminders as inspiration to push on with your day.

Remember the money.

In your previous life, if you had a lazy day at work, it may not have affected your paycheck. Unless you worked in sales, your pay was probably the same regardless of if you busted your rear or not.

As a freelancer, your bottom line is closely related to your amount of hustle. Is it a slow week for jobs? Then you should be developing your skills by learning something new about your industry. Are your current clients not keeping you busy enough? Then maybe you need to seek more work.

It may sound crass, but most people freelance to make money. Sure, you can make the world a better place while you are at it, but you also need to put shoes on your feet and pay your mortgage.

Set work hours.

We know that one of the reasons you quit your day job to become a freelancer was so you could have a flexible schedule. But if you are struggling to stay motivated, why not try to set regular work hours? Your hours can be of your choosing. They can even be through the night if you wish.

Setting a specific schedule will also help if you find yourself at the other end of the work spectrum. Maybe you know that work=money, so you find that you are working all the time. Make sure you have balance in your life. Obtain that balance by setting specific work hours.

Try a Change of Scenery

Sometimes just the act of gathering your work items and driving to a different location will knock the cobwebs loose in your brain. In other words, nothing may be wrong with your current workspace, but the act of moving will energize you enough to move on with your day.

You may also opt for a completely new workspace. If you work from home, try a coffee shop. Use earbuds playing classical music to block out the background noise.

Try your local library. Many are very accommodating for participants of the gig economy. You may be able to schedule time in a private office or find a quiet niche to complete your tasks.

You may even want to try working outside. Sometimes the only thing you need to get inspired is fresh air and vitamin D. 

Create bite-sized chunks.

Maybe you have taken on a task that seems overwhelming. If this is the case, break up the work into bite-sized chunks. You will feel as if you are accomplishing something each day, even if you don’t complete the full project. Write down your to-do list at the beginning of each day, and tick off the items when you achieve them.

Take a walk.

If you have stared at the same screen for an hour, and you have accomplished nothing, permit yourself to take a break.

Working as a freelancer is new territory for most people. You aren’t going to be great overnight. Try different strategies to stay motivated.

This article was originally posted at Freelancing buzz!

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