Ten Tips for Freelancers to Focus

By Jeremy Porter

Those of us who work alone develop some terrible habits. Some days I spend hours avoiding doing work and end up playing catchup long into the evening. Here are 10 simple ideas to help you focus and claim back your day.

1. Work on a crappy computer
   George RR Martin revealed that he writes his epic novels on an old DOS computer. This is a great idea because it completely removes the possibility of opening up a web browser, watching YouTube clips or jumping on instant messenger. If your work doesn’t require a great computer, use a crap one.
2. Go notification free
3. Turn off email
   Most email can wait. Much of it can go straight in the trash. But when that alert pops up the damage is done — your concentration is shot and you’ve lost 30 minutes even if you delete the email straight away. One solution is to check email three times a day: first thing in the morning, again just before lunch, and finally just before going home. If people need to contact you urgently they will. Everything else can wait. Make sure you’ve turned off alerts and notifications. Better yet, close your email completely.
4. The Pomodoro Technique
   The Pomodoro Technique is a time management method that breaks work down into focused blocks of 25 mins. It comes with a book, a timer, and courses (which feels like overkill.) Open up the clock app on your phone, set the countdown to 25 mins and focus. Take a break, repeat.
5. Move away from the window
   The world is an interesting place and endlessly distracting. If you need to get work done, move away from the window and point your desk towards a blank wall.
6. Get a boss
   This is a bit tongue in cheek, but if you can find someone to be accountable to that can help you focus. It could be your partner, another freelancer, a colleague, or a close friend. Tell them what you will deliver and when.
7. Get away
   If you can find a place you can go where you don’t know anyone and work. By all means see a few sights, but the idea is to remove the distractions of friends, and work.
8. Delete apps and games
9. Fine yourself
   Set yourself a fine if you don’t finish something. At the end of the week, give that money to a cause you don’t like. (Editor’s note … but not to any cause too terrible!)
10. On the other side of the ledger, reward yourself. Plan your work in segments, and reward yourself for completing each one. You don’t have to go overboard: something as simple as watching an episode of a favorite show, or playing ball with your dogs for ten minutes are both excellent rewards.

Your turn
What helps you focus and have time left over for fun stuff? We’d love to hear about them — the simpler the better!

Jeremy is a freelance communications consultant based in Brooklyn, but working as a digital nomad for clients around the globe. Read more of his stuff and get in touch here.