How Freelance Writers Can Fight the Urge to Procrastinate

If there’s one thing every writer dreads, it’s the feeling that they’ve wasted a day. You sit down to work, feeling productive and efficient, and you wind down your day several hours later in the dismal realization that you haven’t gotten much accomplished. Instead of focusing on your goals for your freelance writing career and moving toward them, you ended up putting off essential tasks—and now your next workday will be all the more difficult. You’ve fallen prey to the writer’s oldest nemesis: procrastination.

Of course, it’s not necessarily always wrong to put off a task you’re currently working on. Freelancers have a lot of projects to juggle. There will be times when you need to shuffle your schedule to focus on tasks that are more urgent. If you find yourself procrastinating on a regular basis, however, it’s a good idea to reduce that trend before it has a chance to harm your freelance writing career.

Why do we procrastinate?

Everybody procrastinates. Some people postpone doing their taxes. Others delay doing their Christmas shopping or put off studying for an important test. There are a number of reasons why we do this. According to Psychology Today, some people procrastinate because they enjoy the rush of trying to finish a task at the last minute, others do it because they have trouble making decisions, and still others have avoidant personalities. Regardless of the reason, chronic procrastination can be a serious impediment to having a healthy and well-functioning life.

Why is procrastination a problem for freelancers?

It’s not hard to see why procrastination is a bad habit in general. Deadlines are generally in place for a reason. If you start running afoul of them, you’re likely to face some real consequences, whether that means paying a late penalty or doing badly on an exam. Freelancers, however, should be especially wary of procrastinating.

If you’re taking on multiple writing jobs at once, postponing work on one can leave you with no time to do it, since the rest of your schedule is already full. You may end up working late hours—or worse, missing a deadline. If you’re not able to meet your deadlines, employers aren’t likely to want to work with you again in the future. Your freelance writing career can’t afford to be casual about losing out on valuable work opportunities. If you want to use your time wisely and get all your work finished on schedule, you need to get your impulse to procrastinate under control.

What can freelance writers do to avoid procrastinating?

If you want to prevent procrastination from putting your freelance writing career in jeopardy, there are a number of strategies you can adopt to make sure that you stay on schedule throughout the day. Here are some tips to keep in mind:

Tackle your toughest projects first.

If you leave your most challenging assignments until the end of the day, it means that you’ll have them hanging over your head until it’s finally time to tackle them. At that point, your impulse may be to find an excuse to put them off. You can help to prevent this from happening by working on the most difficult assignments—the ones that require the most action on your part, such as stories that need a lot of background research—early in the day.

Work outside of your home.

Many freelance writers relish the feeling of not having to go to an office every morning. There is something to be said, however, for working in environments other than your home. If you’re feeling listless and uninspired at home, try moving to a coffee shop, a library, or another public venue. Many people find that the low-level noise of a public space makes it easier to focus on their work. Working at a coffee shop also allows you to reward yourself with another cup of coffee or a scone when you’ve finished a task.

Work with someone else.

One of the most common problems freelancers run into is feeling isolated. When you don’t work in an office, it’s easy to feel lonely and unstimulated. If you can, try to find a friend who can work with you now and then—another writer, perhaps, or a student who needs someone to study with. Along with assuaging your feeling of isolation, working with someone else can help keep you accountable. You may even want to ask your friend to text you at a certain time of day for a while to ask if you’re staying on task.

Never delay a project more than once.

Chances are, you’ll find a good reason to delay a task every now and then. Maybe you need to interview someone for a story you’re writing, or maybe you have a more urgent deadline you need to attend to. When this happens, make a note of the delay and the reason in your calendar. Set yourself a firm rule: Never put off a single task more than once. Sticking to this rule will help to ensure that you don’t end up with a backlog of unfinished projects or negatively impact your freelance writing career.

Keep your phone out of reach.

Phones may be indispensable, but they are also an obstacle if you want to avoid distractions. Leave your phone in the other room while you’re working. Then, allow yourself a quick break every hour or two to check for emergency calls. If you need to use your phone for work-related reasons, put it away as soon as you’re finished.

Close tabs when you’re done with them.

Do you have a habit of keeping a dozen tabs open at once? Keep in mind that each tab represents a potential distraction. Close a tab when you’re finished looking at it. Don’t have time to look at it right away? Copy the URL and make a note to look at it later. The fewer tabs you have open, the more likely you are to remain focused on what you’re doing.

Schedule social media breaks for your workday.

You should also limit your use of social media while you’re working. While you may need to look at Facebook or Twitter while you’re researching certain articles, don’t get into the habit of checking your accounts every five minutes during your workday. Giving yourself a five-minute break to look at social media every two hours can be a good way to ensure that you stay on task.

Find the right soundtrack for your day.

If you’re like many writers, music is an essential part of getting your work done. As with the ambient noise of a coffee shop, the mild distraction of music can block out other distractions and help you stay focused. Make sure, however, that you’ve picked something that won’t demand your attention. Music without words or music you know so well you won’t be paying close attention to it can be good choices.

Don’t be afraid to take breaks.

It’s easy to get burned out when you’re a freelancer. You have to have the discipline to make your own schedule and stick to it. After all, you don’t have the structure of a traditional job to hold you accountable. That’s one of the reasons it’s so important to schedule breaks throughout the day. Even if you’re on a tight schedule, giving yourself a five-minute break every hour or two will help to keep you from feeling exhausted and fed up with your work.

Whether you’re an experienced wordsmith or a new writer, launching a successful freelance writing career is a much more achievable goal than you might realize. At Writers Work, we’re here to connect you with the resources you need to find the rewarding jobs you’re looking for. If you’re ready to get started, visit our website to join our writers’ community today!