Remember what I was saying about looking after yourself? If not, check out part one and two of this series to get up to speed! In the meantime, here’s another dose of helpful productivity tools for freelancers.
Maintaining focus through food
Simple one, but surprisingly effective. Not only is the food you important, but timings are a big factor. This depends on your health and dietary needs, but eating consistently and keeping your body fuelled throughout the day is a beneficial productivity tool for freelancers.
If you have a 9-5, set mealtimes tend to naturally carve themselves out. But being freelance and working from home can sometimes mean that this doesn’t happen. Your fridge is dangerously close all the time so you snack excessively, or you simply forget to eat. I’ve found that when I eat consistently, I naturally become more productive.
See the world
Ok, so I realise this is sounding more far-fetched as we go along, but stick with it. What I mean by this is that being in nature can dramatically improve your concentration levels. We’ve all had those days where we’re glued to the screen from when we wake up to the moment we start chopping our first onion for dinner prep. But how do you feel on those days? Depressed? Aches and pains from sitting for too long? Fuzzy headed?
Taking a break is great, but taking a break where you remove yourself from your indoor environment is better. It allows you to re-centre your focus and feel refreshed. I’ve found that making a walk a mindful activity by paying attention to all the sounds, sights and smells around me is incredibly calming.
Yes, there are times when you’re so incredibly busy you’ll think you don’t have time for a break. However, more and more studies are showing that forcing ourselves to work for hours on end harms productivity. Taking a well-earned stroll in the great outdoors not only has physical health benefits, but also makes us more focussed. It doesn’t have to be long either – if you can only do ten minutes, that’s still better than nothing!
Head over to the final part in this series of productivity tools for freelancers that I’ve found the most beneficial.