Pomodoro Technique to Boost Freelance Productivity

Pomodoro Technique to Boost Freelance ProductivityPomodoro Technique to Boost Freelance ProductivityThe path of self-employment isnt always smooth. Hourly workers (freelancers included) account for 60 percent of the U.S. workforce, and according to a brief from the Aspen Institutes Expanding Prosperity Impact Collaborative (EPIC), nearly one-third experience income volatility. Translation Americans need financial stability, and making the most of your time is a vital part of the equation. If you struggle to stay on task, the Pomodoro Technique could be the answer to your workflow problems. What Is It? The Pomodoro Technique was developed in the 1980s by Francisco Cirillo, a college student looking to make better use of his time. Named for the tomato timer Cirillo used (pomodoro is the Italian translation), the technique gained popularity in businesses in the 1990s and is now widely used by professionals to help them stay focused. Heres how it works Identify a goal to complete, e. g., writing an article, submitting an invoice, designing a graphic, etc.Set a timer for 25 minutes and begin working. Avoid any other tasks or distractions during the allotted time.When the timer beeps, take a short break (usually five minutes) to stretch, surf the web, and generally clear your mind.Repeat the process for a total of four rounds, or until your goal is complete.At the end of the fourth round, take an extended 30-minute break to relax and refocus before returning to work. Why It Works As a freelancer, youve probably experienced mental burnout or found yourself surfing the web when you should be working. Good berichterstattung Science says distractedness is your brains natural response to prolonged focus (i.e., its not your fault). Working in intervals can improve efficiency according to a study conducted by Alejandro Lleras, a professor of psychology at The University of Illinois. Llerass research found that spending too much time on a single task reduces your att ention resources, or your ability to maintain the same level of work performance over an extended period. Small breaks allow your brain to reactivate its attention and focus without sacrificing quality. Harnessing Your Freelance Focus Living the freelance lifestyle can be polarizing Either youre too focused on work to step away and enjoy life, or youre too distracted to buckle down and get the job done. In any case, the Pomodoro Technique can help you establish boundaries with incremental accomplishments- a positive force that can lead to greater achievements. Heres how to make the technique work for you Find Your Intervals The standard Pomodoro intervals might suit your needs, but theres nothing wrong with adjusting the timing to fit your personality. If youre easily distracted, for instance, you might begin with a 15-minute work interval before taking a five-minute break. Its also prudent to notenzeichen when youre most productive during the day. If mornings are when your bra in power peaks, save the administrative tasks for the afternoons and tackle the bigger jobs when you can give one hundred percent. Eliminate Temptation If your freelance work involves sitting in front of the computer, its easy to stray from your goals by clicking around on Facebook or checking out the latest news. Remove willpower from the equation by using a web browser extension like Strict Workflow. The app serves as a standard timer while allowing you to block your most-visited sites during active intervals. If accountability is an issue, use technology to help you break bad habits.Track Your Progress We learned that listing your goals is step one in the Pomodoro Technique, and analyzing each accomplishment will help you stay on track. Psychologists have long praised to-do lists as a way to boost productivity, and logging your progress can help you take the strategy a step further. Lets say you work as a freelance copywriter in addition to your full-time job. You dienstgrad a fl at rate of $75 per 500 words, which once required about three hours of focused attention at an hourly rate of $25. Using the Pomodoro Technique, youre able to accomplish the same work in two hours, effectively raising your rate to $37.50. Make note of these improvements to illustrate how the technique benefits your lifestyle, and use the motivation to push yourself further.Beyond earnings and morale, tracking your progress is likely to help you secure the tangible work/life balance that freelancers crave, which means you can use your interval breaks to do the things you enjoy read a book, go for a walk, wash a load of laundry, or even better, do nothing. The options are there if you can afford it, and setting goals is the first step to financial security. Americans are undoubtedly hardworking, but that doesnt mean our methods couldnt use the occasional tune-up. Consider your time-management shortfalls and use the Pomodoro Technique to close the gap between ambition and action. When it comes to freelancing, time really is money.