Free AI web copilot to create summaries, insights and extended knowledge, download it at here

Abstract

day at 6 am or 9 am on Tuesday. This initial step hinges on listening to your body, leaning into its strength, and maximizing output levels.A byproduct of this is that you develop clear, achievable goals and build consistency over time. These key skills are necessary for building an invested clientele list and maintaining a high level of professionalism.<h1 id="c9c8">Lump related tasks together</h1>Next, create a list of categories for the task you need to tackle. To break it down further, create a list of interrelated tasks within the categories that you can complete in an established time frame. This process is called batch scheduling.<h2 id="4c41">How to apply to your freelancing work</h2>Use the batching schedule to;<ul><li>Identify and list categories (content creation and admin work)</li><li>Rank in order of urgency</li><li>Create a list of actionable tasks within the categories</li><li>Identify urgent tasks within the category that you must complete first.</li><li>Break down into interrelated activities</li><li>Move on to the next category upon completion</li></ul>For example, let’s say you have a client deadline to meet. Your lists might look like this;<ul><li>Pitch to client</li><li>Research topic</li><li>Draft article</li><li>Reply emails</li></ul>There is no clear sense of what tasks should be done first and what interrelated activities should be completed within an existing time frame.With batching, your categories and tasks can look like this;Level 1 Category (Content Creation)<ul><li>Research topic</li><li>Draft article</li><li>Edit the article and send it for approval</li></ul>Level 2 Category (Administrative Work)<ul><li>Check and reply to emails</li><li>Pitch to clients of choice</li><li>Create and manage invoice</li></ul>If you want to break this down further, you can add time blocking. This essentially means planning out your day in time blocks.Level 1 (Content Creation)<ul><li>6 am-7.30 am — Topic research</li><li>8 am-10:30am — Draft article</li><li>11 am- 12 pm — Edit article and send for approval.</li></ul>Level 2 Category (Administrative Work)<ul><li>1:00pm- 2:30pm — Check and reply emails</li><li>3:00 pm-5:30 pm — Pitch to clients</li></ul>This simple procedure has been beneficial to me in managing my workload.I feel overwhelmed when faced with the sheer magnitude of a project, which can be offputting. But having a batch and time blocking schedule that breaks down the tasks into manageable pieces makes the once daunting task less intimidating.<h1 id="7da0">The 90–120 minute window</h1>Generally, these daily ultradian cycles involve <a href="https://www.fastcompany.com/3013188/unpl

Options

ug/why-you-need-to-unplug-every-90-minutes">alternating periods</a> of high-frequency brain activity (about 90 minutes) followed by lower-frequency brain activity (about 20 minutes).The Ultradian Rhythm theory states that you can only focus for 90–120 minutes at a time. Now you might be thinking, I can work for 4 hours straight, and if that is you, more power to you.However, in a study of top violinists conducted by psychologist Anders Ericsson, the <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/science/2019/aug/21/practice-does-not-always-make-perfect-violinists-10000-hour-rule">results</a> found that top performers exhibited the same practice characteristic;<ul><li>They used mornings for practice</li><li>Each practice session was 90mins or less</li><li>They took breaks between sessions</li></ul><h2 id="1194">How to apply to your freelancing work</h2>From this, we can see that less is more. So why not use the Ultradian rhythm to work on your hard tasks first. These tasks are the one that often requires critical thinking and problem-solving.Tasks like your research-heavy project or article writing fall into this category. So maximize effort during this window.Once the 90–120 minute mark peaks and you find your energy and focus beginning to wane, it’s a good time to stop and get some stretch or a walk-in.For instance, for me, my most productive time is 9 am-11:30 am. During this time, my phone is on DND (do not disturb), and my emails are muted. When I’m done, I take a 15–20 minute break before moving on to the next task.<h1 id="b29f">Final thoughts</h1>A lot of us are productive, but are we truly productive in the things that matter? The key to increasing productivity levels is getting the right things done rather than attempting to do everything at once.When we strive to achieve everything, we push to maintain a constant high level of productivity during the day, with detriment to our health.What works for me is working intuitively with my body. Using batch scheduling combined with my body’s ultradian rhythm has been game-changing. The great thing about this is that it isn’t a one size fits all philosophy but one that takes into account what works for you.It’s a great initial step to being a freelancer as it creates an intuitive way of working. It can also serve as a sustainable template for getting back into the swing of things when life happens (and life will always happen).As time goes on and you build your clientele list, you can tweak your things to reflect where you’re on the journey.<h2 id="5581">The Mini Post-Grad Survival Guide</h2>A 5-day email course with tips on budgeting, investing, and productivity for 20-somethings. <a href="https://morning-darkness-5176.ck.page/75ec2d5152">Sign up for free</a>.</article></body>

3 Ways to Maximize Your Workday and Be Productive as a Freelancer

A beginners guide to getting more done

One of the great perks of freelancing is the freedom to work when you want to. And having a workable schedule is the bare minimum to excelling at it.

However, if you find yourself running around like a headless chicken, chances are your productivity will be affected.

I’m a scatterbrained human with multiple open tabs in my mind and on my laptop. At any given time of the day, I have a million different ideas circling my mind. This means I’m often flying by the seats of my pants and falling into bed with sheer exhaustion.

And my income suffers for it.

Having an overwhelming workload can leave you feeling unproductive, agitated, and even mess with your mental state. Having a simplified and effective schedule can help you avoid this and really ace your game.

The benefits of doing so are;

Increased productivity
Builds focus
General peace of mind
Reiterates professionalism
Meet your goals

Here are 3 ways to maximize your workday and boost productivity as a freelancer.

Know your Ultradian rhythm

If you don’t know yourself, you’re not going to be able to get much done. Knowing yourself entails knowing how your body operates intuitively and playing up to those strengths.

By now, we have heard of the Circadian Rhythm, but have you heard of the Ultradian rhythm?

Discovered by the father of sleep research, Nathanial Kleitman, the Ultradian Rhythm is a relative of the circadian rhythm and considers the body’s natural propensity to manage its productivity highs and lows.

In simple terms, the ultradian rhythm manages the noticeable cycles of energy bursts, production, output, and recovery within the 24-hour time frame. It is a fancy way of describing your body clock and how it works.

How to apply to your freelancing work

Notice your body’s Ultradian Rhythm and schedule accordingly. With this, you can use it to your advantage by identifying the times and days you’re most productive.

Are your energy and productivity levels at a high 6 am Monday? or 9 am Tuesday? Then schedule most of your work on Monday at 6 am or 9 am on Tuesday. This initial step hinges on listening to your body, leaning into its strength, and maximizing output levels.

A byproduct of this is that you develop clear, achievable goals and build consistency over time. These key skills are necessary for building an invested clientele list and maintaining a high level of professionalism.

Lump related tasks together

Next, create a list of categories for the task you need to tackle. To break it down further, create a list of interrelated tasks within the categories that you can complete in an established time frame. This process is called batch scheduling.

How to apply to your freelancing work

Use the batching schedule to;

Identify and list categories (content creation and admin work)
Rank in order of urgency
Create a list of actionable tasks within the categories
Identify urgent tasks within the category that you must complete first.
Break down into interrelated activities
Move on to the next category upon completion

For example, let’s say you have a client deadline to meet. Your lists might look like this;

Pitch to client
Research topic
Draft article
Reply emails

There is no clear sense of what tasks should be done first and what interrelated activities should be completed within an existing time frame.

With batching, your categories and tasks can look like this;

Level 1 Category (Content Creation)

Research topic
Draft article
Edit the article and send it for approval

Level 2 Category (Administrative Work)

Check and reply to emails
Pitch to clients of choice
Create and manage invoice

If you want to break this down further, you can add time blocking. This essentially means planning out your day in time blocks.

Level 1 (Content Creation)

6 am-7.30 am — Topic research
8 am-10:30am — Draft article
11 am- 12 pm — Edit article and send for approval.

Level 2 Category (Administrative Work)

1:00pm- 2:30pm — Check and reply emails
3:00 pm-5:30 pm — Pitch to clients

This simple procedure has been beneficial to me in managing my workload.

I feel overwhelmed when faced with the sheer magnitude of a project, which can be offputting. But having a batch and time blocking schedule that breaks down the tasks into manageable pieces makes the once daunting task less intimidating.

The 90–120 minute window

Generally, these daily ultradian cycles involve alternating periods of high-frequency brain activity (about 90 minutes) followed by lower-frequency brain activity (about 20 minutes).

The Ultradian Rhythm theory states that you can only focus for 90–120 minutes at a time. Now you might be thinking, I can work for 4 hours straight, and if that is you, more power to you.

However, in a study of top violinists conducted by psychologist Anders Ericsson, the results found that top performers exhibited the same practice characteristic;

They used mornings for practice
Each practice session was 90mins or less
They took breaks between sessions

How to apply to your freelancing work

From this, we can see that less is more. So why not use the Ultradian rhythm to work on your hard tasks first. These tasks are the one that often requires critical thinking and problem-solving.

Tasks like your research-heavy project or article writing fall into this category. So maximize effort during this window.

Once the 90–120 minute mark peaks and you find your energy and focus beginning to wane, it’s a good time to stop and get some stretch or a walk-in.

For instance, for me, my most productive time is 9 am-11:30 am. During this time, my phone is on DND (do not disturb), and my emails are muted. When I’m done, I take a 15–20 minute break before moving on to the next task.

Final thoughts

A lot of us are productive, but are we truly productive in the things that matter? The key to increasing productivity levels is getting the right things done rather than attempting to do everything at once.

When we strive to achieve everything, we push to maintain a constant high level of productivity during the day, with detriment to our health.

What works for me is working intuitively with my body. Using batch scheduling combined with my body’s ultradian rhythm has been game-changing. The great thing about this is that it isn’t a one size fits all philosophy but one that takes into account what works for you.

It’s a great initial step to being a freelancer as it creates an intuitive way of working. It can also serve as a sustainable template for getting back into the swing of things when life happens (and life will always happen).

As time goes on and you build your clientele list, you can tweak your things to reflect where you’re on the journey.

The Mini Post-Grad Survival Guide

A 5-day email course with tips on budgeting, investing, and productivity for 20-somethings. Sign up for free.