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Working remotely as a freelancer is exciting but can be challenging. As you would have done from the office setting, it requires a commitment to time management without compromising productivity. A Stanford Graduate School of Business survey discovered that freelancing and working from home boosts performance by 13%. Due to COVID-19, this system of working has seen a sharp increase worldwide and looks like a prominent feature of the new normal. So, how can you prepare for your workday as a remote freelancer? Here are some tips to help you.

1. Prepare ahead of time

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Before work begins, ensure everything you will need is prepared ahead of time. It is never a good idea to wait until the last minute to scramble for the things you require. By maximizing the free hours from the night before you start work, you gain more time to be productive the next day. Besides, it is an effective way to avoid rushing through with your work. Ensure you have sufficient internet data to last you through the month. Also ensure that the connection speed is optimal to maintain your productivity levels.

2. Pay attention to your to-do list

As a remote freelancer, you must set daily goals to enhance your value, use your time productively and deliver quality work. Creating a to-do list helps you accomplish your goals and gives you a sense of direction during the workday. Sometimes, you may want to multitask but without knowledge of which tasks have high priority over others. Writing a to-do-list provides a visual reminder of duties that need to be done urgently without slighting a client. 

Remember that the client is the reason you have an income at the end of the month. Therefore, you should never take them for granted. Write down your list immediately after checking your voicemails and emails. Through these emails, you can identify how your day will pan out. When done, tick all urgent tasks with a red marker and non-urgent ones with a green color. Use online apps such as Wunderlist, Toodledo, and Flow to help you track your daily progress.

3. Decide on your working hours

A flexible work schedule as a remote freelancer may be a blessing or a burden, depending on how well you manage your time. Sometimes, in building a career through freelancing, many freelancers lose sight of setting restrictions on work hours. More often than not, working outside of an office setting tends to mix up a freelancer’s personal and professional hours. Therefore, before you begin your day, set out the number of hours you will be working and stick to it. Your schedule could start to control your life if you don’t. Depending on the requirements of your job, your working hours could be out of your control – particularly when working as part of a team. For example, if your work involves designing custom cable assemblies, your working hours may be determined by the wider team involved in prototyping, design verification, production and testing. The collective effort increases the likelihood of meeting client deadlines.

How you prepare for a workday will determine your overall productivity. Although remote freelancing offers flexibility, it also tests your self-discipline and dedication to clients’ satisfaction. Keep in mind that what works for another freelancer may not necessarily work out for you. Therefore, do what feels comfortable for you.