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<p>Working alone or from home can significantly impact your daily productivity when you are a freelancer or a self-employed worker. Whether you are the type of person to work early in the morning or late at night, how can you go through all your tasks efficiently? How can you stay motivated and avoid exhausting yourself? Let us give you 6 tips to help you remain productive all day long.</p> <p></p> <h3>Take into account your natural schedule</h3> <p>First, if you want to remain productive during extended hours, it is essential that you know your natural schedule. Indeed, some are morning people, while others are more productive at the end of the day. By knowing this, you can manage your workload and schedule according to your preferences and consequently increase your productivity.</p> <p>Here is an example. Let us say that you are more creative after lunch. Keep all your tasks requiring creativity and imagination for the afternoon. Use the mornings to manage your invoicing and clear up all the administrative tasks. This way, you will optimize your energy and lose less time.&nbsp;</p> <p></p> <h3>Have an adequate and stimulating work environment</h3> <p>Here is another important point regarding productivity: ensure to have a work environment that meets your needs and that you like. Since you will spend a lot of time working there, get everything you need close at hand: papers, pens, books, computer, documents, coffee&hellip; Thus, you will avoid unnecessary trips to the kitchen or living room. On another issue, consider having an <a href="https://www.momenteo.com/blog/4-ergonomic-errors-to-avoid-when-we-work-from-home" target="_blank">ergonomic workstation</a> to prevent injuring yourself.&nbsp;</p> <p>Then, we need to ask you if you like your work environment. Do you feel comfortable when working from there? Having a dedicated space for your job would be relevant if you work from home. Think about decorating it and customizing it to your needs. If needed, take a look at interior designer Marie-Eve Allard&rsquo;s tips on how to <a href="https://www.momenteo.com/blog/how-to-create-an-effective-home-office-space" target="_blank">create a functional home office space</a>.</p> <p></p> <h3>Take breaks on a regular basis</h3> <p>Even if it may sound counterintuitive, you are more productive if you take breaks regularly. Indeed, by taking small breaks from time to time, you will avoid mental fatigue and be able to remain productive longer. It is also recommended to take some breaks from your computer screen every hour to prevent visual fatigue. Moreover, if you want to be effective during extended hours, consider altering complicated tasks with smaller or easier ones.</p> <p>One of the most frequent mistakes made by new freelancers and self-employed workers is not defining your boundaries. Thus, to please a client or catch up with some work, they often work more than planned on evenings or weekends. It can work for a while, but if you do not want to burn the candle at both ends, take some days off to rest. You likely wanted to be your own boss to have a better life quality, right?</p> <p></p> <h3>Organize your workday</h3> <p>Knowing what you need to do will make you more productive. Consequently, at the end of your day or when you start working, take a few minutes to make a game plan. What are the emergencies? What tasks need to be completed today? Try to gather all the similar tasks together if you can. You will then avoid losing time finding what needs to be done next.</p> <p>If you feel overwhelmed or do not know where to begin, take a deep breath; there are solutions. If you lack focus, spend some time on an easy task to retrieve a good state of mind. If you can delegate some tasks to other professionals, do not hesitate.</p> <p></p> <h3>Work on one project at a time</h3> <p>Another way to remain productive all day long is to work on one project at a time. Indeed, you lose focus when you stop everything to read an email or check your social media. Besides the time you lose doing this, it will take you a few minutes to be fully focused again. It can have a negative impact on your productivity.&nbsp;</p> <p>Instead, keep specific times to read and answer your emails. It can be after a long or challenging task to let your brain rest. It could also be relevant to keep a moment for unplanned events. This way, you will never be caught off guard and could even get ahead of your schedule.</p> <p></p> <h3>Use the right tools</h3> <p>Several tools can help you with your productivity. First, there are project management tools like Trello or Asana that can be relevant. It is also possible to automatize some repetitive tasks or avoid spelling mistakes with proofreading software like Antidote or Grammarly. Of course, if you need to send invoices, <a href="https://www.momenteo.com/" target="_blank">Momenteo</a> can help you with this!&nbsp;</p> <p>On another note, many freelancers like to listen to music while working. If it is your case, did you know that some types of music can help your focus and productivity? Besides helping you be more focused, classical music can help reduce stress. Your headphones and music streaming software can then be essential to remain productive.</p> <p></p> <p>In conclusion, there is no secret recipe to help you remain productive and focused all day long; however, by taking good habits like having an adequate work environment, taking small breaks regularly, and working on one project at a time, you will be able to complete tasks more efficiently. Working from a coworking space is a great option if you ever need to leave your home office because you feel trapped or uninspired. Good luck!</p> <p></p>