Editor’s note: This is a guest post from Jared Goralnick (@technotheory), founder and productivity evangelist of AwayFind, a web application that helps people to stop constantly checking their email.
Like many of you, email and social network messages have threatened to overwhelm me in recent years. Over time, I’ve developed a workflow and schedule that helps to keep me a bit saner. This workflow involves a number of tools and methods that allow me to stay in touch without being continually interrupted, and that’s what I’d like to share with you today.
From 9am to 12pm, I get things done outside of email. Every night, I jot down two or three important tasks and take note of any appointments for the next day. When I wake up in the morning, I don’t check email. With Outlook, Postbox and Gmail all closed, and my task list in hand, I start my day around 9. Read the rest of this entry »
When did Noah build the ark, Gladys? Before the rain. Before the rain.
- Nathan Muir, Spy Game
In recent months, I’ve become acutely aware of how life and business can easily conflict with each other. It seems that the work involved in creating a successful business is never done, and if there’s an avalanche to come in life, it’s going to happen when there are deadlines looming and there’s a mountain of work to be done. Read the rest of this entry »
As we move into another holiday season, I’m already noticing an increase in my stress levels. During the holidays, we all face additional expectations on our time. We still have our regular work to do, but we also have holiday shopping, additional expenses, extra cooking, family gatherings, holiday parties and other activities that seem to take up more time than we have available in a regular 24-hour day.
Most of us also try to take a few days off around the holidays, which can create additional time and budget constraints. For freelancers, no one actually pays you for those days off, and you still need to meet client expectations. Telecommuters and other workers still have about the same amount of work to complete with fewer days to accomplish it. Regardless of your work situation, this still means more stress during the holidays. I have a few suggestions to help you manage your stress and come out of the holidays at least as healthy and happy as you were before the holiday season. Read the rest of this entry »
When you think about growing a business, you think about how to attract customers. You might build a web site, create marketing materials, and look for ways to get your message to the masses, but have you ever considered ways to repel clients?
Separating the wheat from the chaff is a big part of creating a successful business. As one Inc. magazine article noted, “A person ought to be able to…in five or six seconds have an idea of what you’re selling and whether it applies to them.” Weeding out those who are not well-suited for you and your business is just as important as attracting those who are. Read the rest of this entry »
Just like most people with web access, my life is well documented. If a future grandchild idly wonders what I did last October 24 in the afternoon, some notebook, blog post, or social networking site will hold the answer.
I decided to take this a step further — what if I made a real effort to note down what I did every minute of my life? Read the rest of this entry »
Although freelancers and corporate employees both have stages of moving on in their careers, it tends to happen more often in freelancing. Clients sometimes lose funding or focus. Other times we’re called in for short-term projects and aren’t hired again. But there are other times when you initiate the change yourself.
Here are some common reasons why we sometimes feel the need to move on:
- Rates. This is especially true for new freelancers who started out with low rates and eventually had to raise them. While clients are mostly understanding of you raising your rates over time, you might encounter the rare few who’ll insist on paying you low rates even after working with them consistently for several years. If the money is no longer worth your time, it’s understandable to want to move on. Read the rest of this entry »
If you don’t have a professional blog or web site, you may think that you don’t need to worry about content strategy. Think again. Celine gave some great advice in her article “How to Develop a Content Strategy for Your Professional Blog,” but these days our blogs and web sites aren’t the only windows to our professional souls. If you use social media platforms for professional purposes, you should consider having a content strategy for the material you publish on them as well. Read the rest of this entry »
I recently had a day started like any other weekday, apart from a little light rain. It ended with an overflowing inbox of client requests and a that awful feeling of being overwhelmed. Read the rest of this entry »
Like many of you, email and social network messages have threatened to overwhelm me in recent years. Over time, I’ve developed a workflow and schedule that helps to keep me a bit saner. This workflow involves a number of tools and methods that allow me to stay in touch without being continually interrupted, and that’s what I’d like to share with you today.
Web Work 101: How To Escape The Cubicle
