To be a productive writer you must be clear on what to do and why, and how to do whatever you do as efficiently as possible. But another key component of being productive is deciding what NOT to do. What do I mean? High productivity requires that you get your highest priority tasks done quickly and well. A key component […]
Why Freelance Writers Often Miss Deadlines
Hey freelancers, why do your writing projects take you all the way up to the deadline to complete, and why do you sometimes miss deadlines, even when you had plenty of time to do the project? It’s because you’re making a key time management mistake: you’re letting yourself fall victim to Parkinson’s Law. Parkinson’s Law? […]
Learn to Say NO!
Learning to say NO is a key principle of time management. Every day we are bombarded with requests large and small: from loved ones; from friends and neighbors; from potential clients, from co-workers, bosses, and employees; and from people we hardly know or don’t know at all. Frequently you should say Yes. But you must […]
8 Time Management Techniques for Successful Writers
Time management is absolutely critical to achieving success in freelance writing and in the rest of your life. Time is the great equalizer: we all have 24 hours in a day. Managing Your Time as a Freelance Writer The big question—what do we do with our time? How you spend your time — what you […]
Better Time Management through NOT Watching TV
Want to improve your time management? You watch much TV? Does it make you happier? Richer? Healthier? According to data from the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics, Americans on average watch 2.7 hours of television a day. (And here’s data on TV and kids. More here.) Me? I watch about 1-3 hours of television a week, […]
Why Multitasking Makes You a Less Productive Writer
Writers are often tempted to multitask because they think it’s a good time management technique, but usually it decreases productivity. But not always… What is Multitasking? It’s doing 2 or more things, supposedly at the same time. Sometimes you can do it, it’s appropriate, and it increases your productivity. However, most of the time it’s […]
How Smart Phones Can Make Us Less Connected to What Really Matters
The Boston Marathon bombings shocked and saddened me, as they did many other people in the United States and abroad. At first I wasn’t going to post this week. But as I reflected on how life can so easily and suddenly be snuffed out, I thought about how important it is for us to be […]
How Being Late Hurts Your Freelance Writing Career and Your Life
Why is punctuality such an important time management skill for freelance writers? Simple — punctuality is a sign of someone who is organized and trustworthy. If you want editors to give you freelance writing projects, or get people you care about to spend time with you, you must be on time. If you cannot keep […]
Freelancers, Would You Use This E-Mail Auto-Response?
When and how should a freelance writer use an e-mail auto-response to potential clients? What are the possible payoffs and potential pitfalls? Freelance E-Mail Auto-Response: A Real-Life Example A few months ago I exchanged a couple of e-mails with another freelance writer. Immediately after I sent her the initial e-mail, I got an auto-response back […]
