As a freelance writer, you may put in 8 hours or much longer to meet clients’ deadlines. However, like most jobs, if you keep plugging away at a task without taking breaks and relaxing, there is likely to be a decline in quality. That’s why you, as a writer, need a break now and then. If you’re like me, these will be Pokemon breaks! Discover how you can find time for taking a break and pursuing your passion—even on those days when you have a crazy workload. The following tips for building relaxation into the workday also work for those who prefer crushing candy, herding cats, playing racquetball, sewing, or reading vampire novels, so even if you don’t know a Furfrou from a Furret, you should find some relevant advice.
- Bribe Yourself – So, you have a 800 word blog post titled “Cloud Strategies for Content Marketing in the HVAC Industry” or some equally thrilling topic and all you can think about is catching that shiny Pokemon. Why not bribe yourself? Make a goal to write 400 words, then you can immerse yourself in Poke-goodness for 15 minutes before busting out those last 400 words.
- Build Breaks in The Workday – As you are planning your workday, make breaks as important as the work itself. You are more likely to stick to a sane work/break schedule if you know you have certain set break times.
- Balance Your Schedule – As a freelance writer, you don’t always have control over your work schedule. However, many clients are flexible. Try to arrange your work schedule so you’re not overwhelmed one day and lacking work the next.
- Time Your Breaks – The problem for me is that I sometimes get so involved in battling that sometimes I look at the clock and OMG IT’S BEEN 3 HOURS! Set a timer when you take a break so that you do not put yourself behind and wind up having to push through your work.
- Be Careful of Timewasters – The key to having time in your workday for true breaks is to eliminate the timewasting. When I sit down to write, I have to close Facebook, put my smartphone in the other room, and turn off the TV. This allows me to concentrate and get those words out so that I do have time to concentrate on something truly important to me.
Even if you are facing deadlines, it is very important to stop typing and rest for a few moments now and then. By doing this, you’ll find that you actually write faster instead of slower and you’re less likely to make silly mistakes. Now go forth and write! (Then see if you can beat that annoying Pokemon trainer!)