As freelancers, we are likely to get too comfortable with life since we are completely free to plan our time and work. There are a few bad habits that can get in the way of getting each job completed. By making these mistakes, we affect our freelance careers negatively. Among the common freelancing mistakes we make daily, or have made previously, include procrastination.

What is procrastination?

This is all about postponing tasks that we find uninteresting or boring. We also postpone tasks that have a longer deadline, only to find ourselves rushing to complete them in the final day. Sometimes we procrastinate because we want to sleep some more, watch a popular TV program, go out or do something interesting. These actions may be interesting but they are bad for our freelancing career. They can wait until the paid job is over. I am a procrastinator and am trying to change. Whenever I procrastinate, I end up overworking in the day before a project deadline or the last day itself. Needless to mention, I end up stressed out and less motivated when I postpone difficult or boring projects.

3 Simple ways to stop procrastination

Remind yourself why you are a freelancer – Forgetting is a norm for humans. We tend to be serious about something when we are starting it. As soon as we learn how it goes, and earn from it, we gradually get to a comfort zone. It is the same thing with being a freelancer. When you were new to freelancing, you probably used to wake up early and sleep late just to understand it. Then you won your first jobs and gained a little experience that has now given you many clients. As a pro freelancer, you know your roles perfectly and are very quick at finishing them. The fact that you are quick, thorough and reliable can make you postpone work. The best thing is to finish jobs as quickly as they come even if you are quick and thorough.

What do you do when you postpone work? – Because we work online, we are tempted to visit the websites we like. The internet is very sweet, entertaining and tempting. If it is your distraction, start to disconnect it when working. Some of us oversleep in the morning. Remember that the early bird catches the worm. If you feel most productive before dawn, drag yourself out of bed and start working. If you prefer sleeping late, do anything to keep your sleep away. Do you go out with a friend when you should be working? When the monthly bills come, you always pay them on your own. So you should learn to deny your friends’ requests when you should be working.

Are you mentally and physically healthy? – When I feel stressed out and depressed, I lack self-motivation for my freelance projects. Do you feel the same? I feel irritable and almost as if working as a freelancer is slavery. Freelancers have many challenges, especially, to do with poor rates and being unable to cope with today’s high cost living. Perhaps finding a plan B when high paying freelance jobs are hard to find is a good alternative. When your body is ill and fatigued, you are more likely to feel lazy and unable to work. Therefore you should try to do all activities that make you relax physically and mentally.