What’s on the iPod: The Adventures of Rain Dance Maggie by Red Hot Chili Peppers
It’s been a productive week so far. Monday was nonstop work.Tuesday I had to stop for a few phone interviews and a furniture delivery, plus I had to get out of this house before I suffered some serious cabin fever. In August, no less.
I started a new project for a client and have made some pretty good headway. The project deadline is the end of the month, but I have a vacation stuck in there, so timing is everything.
In fact, timing is always everything, isn’t it? I remember having to explain myself after I’d snapped at someone in the house because I’d just been interrupted for the fourth time in an hour. My reason? “When I’m not working, I’m not earning.”
It’s true I’ve become attached to my habits, including solitude and peace when I’m working. That doesn’t mean my workday is timed to perfection. Not even close. I fall victim to the same things that suck you in — phone calls, emails from friends (or worse, sale emails), sunny days, fatigue, Starbucks runs, Facebook….
Truth is, we waste a lot more time in a day than we realize. Don’t believe me? Try this little experiment:
Download a project timer. (I use this one)
Open your latest project.
Turn on the timer.
Stop the timer every time you take a break.
Wow, did you really spend all day at that project and log only three hours of actual work? Yes, you probably did. And there were probably some really good reasons for it –the phone rang. A client email came in. Small emergency with a project. Delivery person at the door. Interview scheduled, kids fighting in the next room, you needed a coffee, lunch called…..you get the idea.
Here are a few ways in which you can bring more time to your day:
Identify you time sinks. Do you really need to watch one more episode of House Hunters? How many times a day are you checking in on Facebook or Twitter? When you go to LinkedIn, how long are you spending in the group discussions? Take a hard look at what you do (or don’t do) in a day.
Time it all. That’s right; all of it. From emails to Bejeweled Blitz breaks, hit that timer and make sure you don’t go over your allotted time. And maybe allow yourself only 15 minutes on your games or social media habit?
Turn off distractions. Leave your phone ringer off, close your email program, pretend like you have no Facebook access, etc. Whatever is chewing up your time, find ways to avoid it. I once changed my search engine from Yahoo! with all its news and eye candy to the blank Google canvas. You know your own bad habits — eradicate them.
Schedule it. That includes projects. If you’re working on more than one project at a time, you’ll benefit from breaking your freelance writing schedule up into hour-long increments (or two hours, if you’d rather). One hour on project A, the next hour on project B, another hour on email marketing, another hour on blogging, etc.
Dangle a carrot. If you give that project one solid hour without interruption/distraction, have a reward waiting. I like to give myself an Oreo break or an exercise break (usually after the Oreo break).
Outsource the small stuff. I don’t do it, but I know writers who outsource their administrative stuff — invoicing, market research, etc. If you’re seriously pressed for time because you have too much work, first of all congratulations on some seriously good marketing. Second, get some office help.
Tidy up. If you’re like me, you just do better with a clean desk. Spend five minutes at the end of your day to straighten up, file those papers, and remove the plates, mugs, and stray mail. If you have fewer visual distractions, you’re more likely to stay on task.
Writers, how do you find extra time in your day?
What are your main distractions?
Leave a Reply