3 Ways to Increase Your Efficiency as a Freelancer

For freelancers, hard work pays off, but keeping your energy high and the hard work flowing isn’t always easy. If you’re finding that your efficiency is beginning to wane, we’re sharing three of our best tips to help you stay motivated, productive and to keep your energy levels high.

Ask for help when you need it

Being self-employed means that you take on a lot of different roles, but by doing too much, you can stretch yourself too thin. One of the best ways to increase your efficiency is to outsource tasks when you can – you might be surprised to find just how much time and energy those little things eat into.

According to a recent study by SJD Accountancy, seven in ten contractors and freelancers admitted that doing their own accounts is causing stress. Despite this, only 28% are getting help.

Consider getting help with every aspect of work you feel you would benefit from. This could be anything from small daily administration to ongoing support with your finances. Whatever you feel is causing you stress or eating into too much of your time, a helping hand can make a big difference to your work.

Mix things up

One of the most attractive aspects of the freelancing lifestyle is the ability to work flexibly, and you should make the most of this. If you’re finding that you’re falling into a rut, consider a change of state.

If working from home isn’t to your taste, try setting up office somewhere more public such as a coffee shop or a co-working space. If you have the budget, you could also consider renting a small office or unit where you can work undisturbed.

Alternatively, if you’re finding yourself becoming inefficient during your working hours, simply consider changing them. It may suit you better to work later into the night and have the morning to relax.

Your working environment may be a case of trial and error until you fall into a routine which suits you, so you should take the time to explore different ways of working until you find what works best. And when you’re growing tired, remember to try something new.

Establish some good habits

Just as it’s important to mix things up when work is getting stale, establishing some good working habits can be an effective way of improving your efficiency.

When you need to, it could benefit your workflow to be strict with yourself and set deadlines to keep you on track. Always communicate deadlines clearly with your clients when you first take on work – setting a clear deadline will motivate you to work hard each day.

To keep on top of the day-to-day tasks, consider enlisting the help of a daily planner. There are plenty of free apps available to download to your device, so you can find the best one that works for you.Or if you’d prefer something more traditional, a desk planner could be a good investment to help you stay organised.