6 Pro Ways: To Stay Motivated As A Freelancer

How To Motivate Yourself As A Freelancer | 6 Pro Motivation Tips

Are you feeling disturbed because of your lost focus or motivation?

We've your back.

According to Payoneer, there's a 78% annual growth in earnings – the U.S. is the fastest-growing market in the world. In this rapidly growing market where people are doing work day and night to succeed.

Most of them find it challenging to be focused or motivated.

As a freelancer, it's sad but true, and I've faced these things in my own freelancing work life. But instead of staying in that state of misery, I started searching for answers and I'm using these tips and tricks from the last 7 years!

So, Today I'm going to share some self-tested effective tips and points that helped me to attain my focus and gave me the motivation to do Work with heart.

Let's get straight to our point…

How To Stay Motivated As A Freelancer?

Delaying all the Work until the deadline is near. It's a common habit among people to do all the Work on the 11th hour.

According to CNBC:

92% of freelancers cannot take a proper vacation.

There will be a lack of creativity and feel of a burden if you're completing your tasks at the last minute and ultimately developing hatred toward your self.

Try to do everything with a plan; it will help you to decrease your future burden.

If possible, spend some with your self by visiting places that inspire you to be a better version of yourself and push you to your boundaries to do something productive.

This will hook you to whatever you love or do. Believe me; this works exceptionally!

Set goals

In simple words, make a god damn list of objectives you want to achieve in a specific amount of time.

A Harvard business study showed that: 14% of people who have goals are 10x more successful than those without plans.

And the best part is 3% of people who wrote their goal where 3x more successful than the 14% who hadn't written their goals.

So, you better start writing for your self's freelancers!

That's all you have to do; just write one for yourself and go through test and trial. This will increase your productivity to the next level for sure.

So now you'll how to write one for me?

Just create a write a rundown list and make sure you put the most challenging thing first, so you can enjoy doing something you love at the end.

You can go a little further and cross thing from your list once they're done (it will give a feeling of happiness and gives your brain a sense of satisfaction.)

There's a psychology behind it. Instead of explaining to you in detail, I'll tell you in simple words –By doing this, your mood will stay happy while leaving the table!

Modern problems require a modern solution, Huh.

Challenge Yourself By Setting Timeframe For Each Task

By setting a specific timeframe, you're emphasizing and challenging your brain at the same time.

Brain love challenge. But make sure they're feasible!

For me, this gives me a boost of new angles to complete a specific task in a short time. This leaves little to no room for spoiling in your passion for freelancing.

It's no longer fun when there is a massive burden of responsibility laid on you. You need to feed your passion, or it will die off gradually!

This trick will save your time and passion for Work you're doing.

Work In The Right Environment.

Aside from the job scope, there's one significant factor that impacts how employees feel about Work; it's the environment.

It's like a cover around you that maintains your focus while doing Work. You won't feel it, but it exists. For instance, generally, people work more effectively while they're in-home, and when it comes to someone else, you won't even think of it.

By work environment, I mean everything that forms part of a freelancer's involvement with the Work itself.

A lively work atmosphere makes you feel focused while doing Work, and this will offer the motivation that will last throughout the day.

There has to be some balance among your Work and personal life. Having this balance will improve your work-life satisfaction because you won't feel that you're not overlooking the other aspects of life that may or may not be necessary for your work life.

If you don't get which environment you deserve, then create one for yourself.

Remember Why You Took This Work

To make sure that why you took this Work, write down the "why factor" in your list. Don't make it hard to write its value and importance to you.

You can use this as a "motivational statement" to guide you when you doubt yourself or lose your faith in your ability.

Makes sense?

There is no time like the present. To reach somewhere, you've to leave somewhere first. Your goals will never happen if you don't take action.

It may seem scary at a first leap. Just jump in, and you'll start figuring it out as you dig deep.

People will start to come out the blue to help you, or that circumstance will teach you the courage of "Asking" people for help.

It's my personal experience, and time had taught me well about "Asking." You'll get what you ask for.

Stay Focused Using Apps.

The internet is one of the most significant sources of distraction. While I'm aggressively knocking out my to-do list, and the next moment a notification popped up from Facebook, "Which celebrity character are you?"

It's not just from Facebook; I'm talking about every single app that makes you stay away; you're your to-do list. Like Skype, phone alerts.

To stay focused, I've listed some extensions that will help you out!

AdBlock Pro (Chrome Extension)

Price: Free

While researching or browsing for inspiration, sudden ads or redirects by the website can distract you a lot like pop-up banner ads. These ads are made to distract you from other things.

This extension will block all these ads from YouTube, Pinterest, or any other websites you're visiting.

So next time, don't get click baited for "lasting long in bed."

Todoist (Chrome Extension)

Price: Free

It's hard to be productive if you lack a list of what you need to achieve.

Been using the extension for seven years, and I still use it. It's a great place to catch all the info happening in your daily life, and it's so integrated into different platforms.

You will get the most out of it by doing quick tasks for Work or life. Todoist is all about keeping it clean and straightforward.

I have no more than five projects, and my productivity has increased. Todoist saved my life.

Use Asana and Tello for group projects or giant notes if that's what you are looking for.

Strict Workflow (Chrome Extension)

Price: Free

Pomodoro is a popular technique for increasing productivity using: 25:5 ratio – means you work 25 minutes straight, and then you'll rest for 5 minutes, or you can also use a ratio of 45:15.

This will help you stay relaxed under pressure.

Strict Workflow makes it easy by automating this and also helps to blocks certain websites that you'll choose. It will show time on the browser when to take a break.

xTab (Chrome Extension)

Price: Free

Are you addicted to open every damn webpage in a new tab? You're not alone, buddy.

This one can be incredibly frustrating, but you can end this habit of opening too many tabs. xTab job is to prevent you from doing that.

In the extension menu, you have to select the numbers of tabs you'd like open at maximum (I'll recommend you 6).

Note it; if tabs are closed by extension, it won't open again with what you were doing (It's not recoverable). I know it looks exhausting, but this will help you train your mind and body

F.B. Purity (Chrome Extension)

Price: Free

You didn't have to say; I already know you're addicted to Facebook! So what to do about that?

This extension will customize your Facebook feed, and I'd highly recommend it. You can do everything from removing ads to hiding the news feed.

Isn't it interesting?

The I like the most is 'Sequential News Feed' – it will temporarily stop your Facebook's algorithm, which shows you what you'll want to see.

Momentum (Chrome Extension)

Price: Free

It's one of my favorite and most straightforward extension I've ever used. This extension will replace your new tab screen with a lovely new photo every day, and a request to know what your focus for the day is.

It will remind you what to focus on, every time you open a new tab.

Take A Break.

In 2011 the University of Illinois found out that: human brain stop paying attention after focusing on a single task for a long time – it will decrease your both ability focus and performance.

It's best to give yourself short breaks. It will help you stay focused on your Work.

– Professor Alejandro Lleras (Lead researcher)

How to be creative while doing something in pressure?

When you're focused on a complex task, it's too easy to lose sight of the bigger, more strategic picture.

Just step back, and take a short break.

Think inside; what are your goals and priorities? How can you make this better?

Short breaks more than providing us relaxation and tolerance; it's vital like vitamin D for the brain and the body, and people who are lacking this will suffer a mental sickness… It is, illogically, necessary to getting any work done.

– Essayist Tim Kreider (In 2012, New York Times)

Final Thoughts On "Motivating Yourself As A Freelancer"

According to Upwork, 57 million Americans freelanced, and freelancing income stood at almost $1 trillion in 2019.

Isn't that crazy statistics?

In this vast market, some people are struggling to get motivated as a freelancer after taking time off, don't be hard on yourself!

It's only a matter of time before you get back on track. Just follow these tactics, and you'll be good to go.