HOW TO FOCUS (WHEN YOU'RE A FREELANCER WORKING FROM HOME)

Sometimes it just feels right. You’re in the zone. The wind is at your back. You’re physically, mentally, and emotionally ready to take on your whole to-do list. Let’s talk about the other times.  

As freelancers, we live and die by billable projects and hours. This means that time lost to distractions has a direct, measurable impact on our revenue — a fact that often weighs heavy when we realize we’ve just spent the whole morning researching ergonomic desk chairs. Unfortunately, paralysis often begets more paralysis. The stress of knowing that we desperately need to focus can become a distraction in itself, and sometimes deadlines simply don’t allow time for a hard reset. 

We’ve talked a lot about strategies for maximizing profitability as solopreneurs, but perhaps the most underrated one is improving personal efficiency: in other words, getting more done in less time, with less existential dread. If you’re ready to reduce the number of hours you spend navel gazing, looking for your favorite pen, or struggling to quiet your mind, read on. 

Understand the Difference Between “Busy” and “Productive”

When we’re faced with an overwhelming task list (or a terrifying slow period, for that matter), our brains can struggle to distinguish that anxiety from a grave physical threat. In a business context, the classic fight, flight, or freeze response usually divides us into two categories: people who shut down completely, and people who struggle to find stillness. 

Staying “busy” with invented tasks and unhelpful side quests is a form of procrastination that tends to fly under the radar. We would judge ourselves if we shut the laptop and started playing Candy Crush, but we justify that sudden urge to start alphabetizing old invoices. If you’re someone who gets a jolt of nervous energy in the face of an intimidating business problem, you may find that you end your working day feeling completely worn out but with very little to show for it. 

Whether you’re struggling with a hefty project or dealing with downtime, think seriously about how you are expending your energy and what your efforts are actually contributing to your business. Sometimes stepping away from the problem is the most productive thing you can do. 

Hack Your Habits

Too often, we think of habit-building as an exercise in breaking ourselves down. In actuality, lasting changes are much more attainable and sustainable when we lean into what’s already working for us. 

You know how and when you work best. The beauty of freelance life is that it offers you the freedom to create your own schedule and office environment. Stop wasting energy fighting with yourself. If you struggle to form coherent thoughts before 10am, shift your business hours. If you require complete silence to focus on a task, invest in good noise-canceling headphones. Give yourself what you need to succeed as much as you can, and you’ll find it much easier to get into a productive groove. 

Try Block Scheduling 

If you approach your to-do list by cherry-picking tasks, you’re probably wasting a great deal of time without realizing it. Context switching, or the process of transitioning from one kind of work to another, is an underrecognized annihilator of productivity for freelancers. 

It goes like this: you sit down to tackle a project for a specific client while also fielding Slack messages, emails, and texts. In the middle of it all, you remember that an invoice needs to be submitted before noon. As you pivot to cross that off your list, you get a notification from a colleague about a new lead. You’re doing everything and also nothing. 

Our brains need time to settle and regroup when we move from one task to another. While transitions are an inevitable part of the workday, frenetic, unnecessary context switching can eat up a horrifying 20-80% of our productive time. 

The solution? Reduce the number of times you have to switch gears during the day with block scheduling. Take a look at what needs to be done today, this week, and this month, and set aside time for each individual task or client. Once you’ve blocked off time for a specific job, don’t let anything interfere — emails and messages can wait their turn. 

Identify the Work that Matters 

On top of client work, solopreneurs have to keep up with the tasks that make our businesses run. Your marketing efforts, bookkeeping, and networking aren’t paid labor, but they’re nonetheless essential — unless they aren’t. 

Before you burn out, ask yourself: 

• Will this task help me meet a particular business goal?
• Would it be a better use of my time to delegate this task to a subcontractor?
• Would I be better off hiring a professional than learning how to do an unfamiliar business task? 
• Will taking the time to attend this event get me closer to the people who matter? 
• Will I be glad that I used my energy in this way later? 

Develop your own litmus test for determining what deserves your focus and do what’s necessary to eliminate distractions. 

Take Rest Seriously 

If you don’t make time for breaks, don’t be surprised when your brain goes on strike. 

In defiance of the standard eight hour workday, Harvard neurologists have found that most people are capable of just 10-52 minutes of uninterrupted focus. In order to keep our attention on what we’re doing, we need breaks — but how we take those breaks matters a great deal.

Look for ways to break big projects down into bite-sized pieces with natural stopping points. When you feel your mind start to wander, take a stretch break, go for a walk, or get a glass of water. If you plan to return to the same task after your break, avoid using the downtime to work on a new task (hello, context switching). Keep your rest actually restful, and you’ll be able to re-engage with your work with less mental fog. 

Get Organized

If a lot of your day is lost to struggling to locate files, emails, and errant post-it notes, you’re costing yourself time and money. There isn’t any single “correct” method of organizing the materials and resources you need to do your best work, but successful freelancers do need a system. Otherwise, the search for a former client’s contact info can quickly transform into an afternoon of looking at old pet photos. 

Use your downtime to end the chaos once and for all. When there’s a place for everything and everything is in its place, you’ll be amazed by how much time you recover.

Adopt a Mindfulness Practice

We may shift into business mode during the workday, but we’re still the same people. The work that we do (or don’t do) on our bodies and brains in our downtime will spill over into our professional lives. 

One of the greatest benefits of meditation is that it teaches us how to intentionally place our focus and redirect our minds when they wander. If breathing exercises aren’t for you, any activity where you attenuate only to the present moment can help train your brain. Go for a run, pick up an instrument, or break out the adult coloring book. If thoughts about the past or future try to worm their way in, acknowledge them briefly and come back to the here and now. 

Get Good at Saying “No”  

One of the biggest challenges of freelancing is that well-meaning friends and family can mistake your flexibility for unemployment. While you may not keep traditional hours or run the risk of a write-up for taking a long lunch, that doesn’t mean that adhering to a routine is unimportant. 

Be conscious about the things that you say yes to and how they impact your ability to focus on critical tasks. Spreading yourself too thin personally or professionally can upset your work-life balance, so create some boundaries and stick by them. Protect your work time as well as your downtime, and it will be easier to feel fully present for both.