10 Tips to Work Better Without Working More as a Freelancer

Track Your Time!

Monitoring your time will boost your productivity and help you understand exactly how long it takes you to complete a task.

Whether it's invoicing, emailing, or any other activity, apply the same approach to managing your time effectively.

Make sure to track the time you spend on your phone as well. Every notification interrupts your focus, and you may quickly realize just how much time is being lost throughout the day!

Disconnect!

If you're like most self-employed professionals, you probably start your mornings by replying to emails.

You may also answer phone calls during breaks, but in reality, this often means you're working continuously, and phone calls are far more frequent than you might think. We simply aren't designed to work that way.

The reality is that our bodies and minds operate according to a natural cycle known as the circadian rhythm.

"These are physical, mental, and behavioral changes that follow a roughly 24-hour cycle and primarily respond to light and darkness in an individual's environment."

This rhythm is similar to the one we experience during a healthy night's sleep. Throughout the night, we move through several sleep cycles. The first cycles generally last around 90 minutes and provide deep, restorative sleep. They are followed by lighter sleep cycles, which is when dreaming typically occurs.

During the day, if you want to be more productive, disconnect every 90 minutes. Get some fresh air, take a walk, or grab a coffee, but leave your phone behind. Freelancers deserve breaks too!

Take a Nap

Yes, you read that correctly.

Studies have shown that taking a 20-minute nap in the afternoon can significantly improve productivity.

A short nap helps recharge, refresh, and revitalize both your body and your mind. It can make you feel more relaxed and may even contribute to better long-term health. For example, napping has been associated with a reduced risk of heart disease.

It's no surprise that major companies such as Google have introduced relaxation and nap spaces within their offices to help improve employee productivity.

So if you want to be more productive: GET SOME REST!

Let the Light In!

A study conducted by the neuroscience program at Northwestern University found a relationship between workplace exposure to natural daylight and employees' sleep quality, activity levels, and overall quality of life.

Research also showed that employees who worked in environments with access to daylight slept an average of 46 minutes longer each night. They enjoyed deeper, more efficient sleep and reported a better quality of life than those who worked without natural light.

Workers without windows experienced lower vitality levels and poorer sleep quality.

Whether you work from home, in an office, or in a coworking space, let the light in!

Surround Yourself with Plants!

Research has shown that freelancers and independent professionals tend to be more productive after spending time outdoors.

Being surrounded by trees, plants, and natural environments can inspire us and stimulate both creativity and productivity.

Of course, we can't all spend our days outside. The next best solution is to bring nature indoors by adding plants to your workspace.

Plants have been proven to increase both well-being and productivity. They can also help reduce stress, partly because they improve air quality by reducing certain pollutants.

Plan Your Day

Planning your workday allows you to organize your tasks around meaningful goals.

List your priorities and aim to tackle them during the first hours of your working day.

As a freelancer, it's very easy to become distracted and spread yourself too thin, so take the time to structure your schedule.

Achieving your goals boosts productivity. Having a plan reduces anxiety and frees up mental space. A clear plan helps you stay organized and removes unnecessary stress.

Research has shown that people are far more likely to achieve their objectives when they have a plan. However, don't become obsessed with following it perfectly. The most important thing is to find the right balance to maximize productivity.

One study asked participants to write a report about their Christmas holidays two days after Christmas.

One group was instructed to specify exactly where, when, and how they would write the report. The second group was simply told to submit the report without any planning.

The results were remarkable:

• 71% of participants who planned ahead submitted their reports on time.
• Only 32% of those who did not plan managed to do the same.

Pursue Happiness!

Sonja Lyubomirsky, one of the world's leading researchers on happiness, explains in The How of Happiness:

"In virtually every area of life, happiness appears to create numerous positive side effects. By becoming happier, we increase our experiences of joy, satisfaction, love, and pride. We also improve other aspects of our lives, including our energy levels, immune systems, engagement with work and other people, and our physical and mental health."

Research has shown that happier people are around 12% more productive.

Freelancers deserve happiness too 😉

Avoid Constant News Consumption!

Living in a world where we are connected 24/7 means being bombarded with information constantly.

The problem is that much of the news we consume is negative.

As mentioned earlier, happiness contributes to greater productivity, and excessive exposure to negative news can have the opposite effect.

Constantly absorbing this type of content can impact your mood and hinder personal development.

Instead of endlessly following news updates, you could:

• Exercise
• Read a book
• Learn a new skill
• Improve an existing skill

These activities are far healthier for your well-being and can significantly boost your productivity.

Spend Time with Friends

Researchers in sociometrics found that employees who regularly spent lunch breaks with colleagues were 36% more productive throughout the week.

The same study found they were 30% less likely to experience stress.

Even when the company later went through a period of layoffs, employees who socialized more continued to report lower stress levels.

Social interactions help clear the mind and provide opportunities to relax. Talking with others often gives us fresh perspectives on problems and tasks.

If you work from home or as a freelancer, call your friends or family and enjoy a meal with them whenever possible.

Choose Single-Tasking Over Multitasking

"The brain cannot truly be in two places at once. What people call multitasking is what neuroscientists refer to as task switching, which simply means quickly moving from one task to another," explains Devora Zack, author of Singletasking.

Task switching not only reduces productivity by up to 40%, but it can also have a negative impact on cognitive performance.

"When you overload your brain by constantly switching tasks, you place unnecessary strain on it," she explains.

The lesson is simple: our brains and bodies perform best when they focus on one thing at a time.

When you're self-employed, it's tempting to start multiple tasks at once because there's always something to do.

However, that's rarely the most effective approach.

Focus on one task at a time. Your productivity will thank you for it!

Start by reducing distractions:

• Disable unnecessary notifications
• Turn off email pop-ups
• Write down distractions and revisit them later
• Remove avoidable interruptions from your routine

Bonus Tip: Listen to Music!

Noise can sometimes be distracting, but the right atmosphere can also increase productivity.

Music, in particular, can help improve concentration when performing repetitive tasks.

Today, there are many apps and platforms offering productivity-focused soundscapes, ambient music, and focus-enhancing audio environments designed to help you stay in the zone.