Productivity is a challenge at the best of times and with a doozy of a year behind us, freelancers can have trouble adhering to a schedule and creating content. Many of us either go too hard or can’t even get out of bed on some days so how does one find balance?

That’s why planning ahead of time for creating, editing, and publishing content is so handy. It can definitely save freelancers from rushing to meet last-minute deadlines or doing a hatchet job. If you are not a planner, then it can be overwhelming trying to schedule your content or plan it.

Before you say ‘YOU CAN’T PLAN INSPIRATION’ then you sadly haven’t been a freelancer for long. Bills and clients do not wait for inspiration. You have to churn content out whether you are in the mood or not. Hence this planning and coordinating can definitely help you create the kind of content you desire without it being too last minute or hectic.

Let’s go!

FIX A DAY TO PLAN YOUR MONTH

You can do it on a particular day, such as the last week of the previous month (plan for March in the last week of Feb, etc.) or the first week of every month. Set this day aside to organize your clients, work schedule, social schedule (if possible), school, and personal commitments. You can use a planner, a whiteboard, a calendar, or an app, depending on what feels comfortable to you.

Give yourself a realistic work-life balance and keep a schedule that you feel you can commit to. Most of us get carried away and write things such as ‘WRITE 5000 WORDS A DAY’ when we all know it’s not really happening. Use this day productively and sort through your really important, difficult tasks so you can space them out and have enough time to do things you want too such as hobbies and relaxing.

You can plan it in absolutely ANY form, using color codes, fun chores, and rewards for completing your tasks (not 5 hours of procrastination for 20 minutes of work done though). It is extremely essential that you understand your limitations and also remember that for creativity to exist you need to keep honing your skills without overdoing it.

IMPROVISE

Obviously life doesn’t always go to plan and with freelancers, there will be new clients, work or social commitments that can spring up last minute. You have to improvise and adapt your schedule according to the new changes.

When you plan your month, leave a couple of hours daily or few days a week to accommodate any new clients, work, or sudden changes. If you have a social commitment that is unavoidable then try to work around it or give yourself permission to relax for a bit. You can also absolutely take unplanned breaks depending on your state of mind and stress levels.

The idea of having a planned schedule is to allow yourself breathing space and freedom to create content positively and without any excessive worry.