5 Ways Creative Freelancers Can Develop Self-Discipline To Grow Their Business
Making the decision to become a creative freelancer is the easy part. Putting in the work needed to grow your freelancing business is where the challenging part begins. Succeeding as a creative freelancer requires a level of self-discipline and motivation that doesn’t always come naturally. In many ways, working as a creative freelancer requires more self-discipline than working at a traditional 9-to-5 job. Without a boss looking over your shoulder, it’s easy to succumb to the temptation to procrastinate.
Yes, creativity and talent play a role in succeeding as a creative freelancer. But focus, drive, and self-discipline are important character traits for a freelancer to have as well.
Understanding Self-Discipline
Developing self-discipline is incredibly challenging, and yet also very rewarding. Harnessing this skill leads to success, not only as a creative freelancer, but even more broadly in business and in life.
If you’re struggling to understand the importance of self-discipline and how it relates to your freelancing career, consider these four aspects of self-discipline:
1. Personal drive
2. Commitment
3. Initiative
4. Optimism
All four of these aspects must be present to succeed as a creative freelancer working online.
Strategies to Develop Self-Discipline for Creative Freelancers
Business strategies aren’t just for corporate executives. Creative freelancers need business strategies, as well.
In the book Playing to Win: How Strategy Really Works, the authors describe the five choices you must make to create any successful business strategy. Those strategies can be summarized as this:
1. Speak your goals out loud.
2. Decide where to “play.”
3. Learn how to succeed in your chosen playing field.
4. Develop the skills or capabilities required to succeed.
5. Implement a management system to achieve your goals.
While each of these strategies plays a role in developing a freelancing business, it’s really the fourth component—developing skills required to succeed—that stands out in relation to self-discipline.
In order to succeed professionally, creative freelancers need to develop the inner motivation and self-discipline to complete projects on time, even when nobody else is paying attention.
The path that creative freelancers take to achieving this level of focus and dedication will vary, but the following strategies are a good place to begin.
In this article, we’ll take you through the process and show you how to build self-discipline using tactics developed by successful freelancers who’ve been in your shoes.
Top 5 Ways to Develop Self-Discipline
Strategy #1: Keep Regular Work Hours
It has been said that what most hobby freelancers lack is not self-discipline, but self-definition. If you’re struggling to define yourself as a legitimate businessperson or entrepreneur, consider implementing regular work hours, even if you’re working from home or a coffee shop.
Keeping regular work hours shows clients that you’re not just a hobbyist, you’re a professional. It also keeps you accountable and it ensures that your work life doesn’t bleed into your personal life. Whether you choose to have a 9-to-5 workday, or you’d rather keep less traditional hours, is up to you. Just do your best to keep those hours the same each and every week.
Strategy #2: Identify your Weaknesses.
Nobody is perfect. It’s OK to admit that. The key to becoming a successful freelancer is to identify weaknesses, so you can find ways to improve. Maybe you lack motivation, or you have the habit of multi-tasking and failing to give client projects your full attention. Maybe procrastination has caused you to miss key deadlines in the past.
Everyone has a weakness, but nearly every weakness can be overcome through self-discipline. Identifying the areas where you could improve, and then implementing the right strategies to strengthen those areas, is a necessary step to grow any freelancing business.
Strategy #3: Avoid Procrastination
Solid habits turn into solid routines. Breaking old habits isn’t always easy — but it is an important step on the path to developing more self-discipline as a creative freelancer.
If you’ve struggled with procrastination in the past, you’re not alone. Studies suggest that procrastination affects between 15% and 20% of all adults. Breaking bad habits means putting an end to procrastination. Create a schedule and a to-do list with all the client projects you need to complete each day. Then, make the decision to complete that list every day before signing off from work.
Missing deadlines is the fastest way to sink your freelancing career, and it’s up to you to make the hard decision to stop procrastinating on assignments.
Strategy #4: Get Dressed for Work Each Day
Do some freelancers work in their pajamas and slippers? Of course! Getting to dictate your own work wardrobe is one of the perks that comes with living the freelancer lifestyle. If you’re in a place where you’re looking to build self-discipline, though, or you’re lacking focus and not getting tasks completed to the standards you’ve set, then it’s time to make a change.
Getting ready for “work” by getting dressed in professional attire each morning is one of the fastest ways a creative professional can turn freelancing into a legitimate career.
Strategy #5: Say No to Multi-Tasking
Multi-tasking might sound like a productivity strategy, but it’s actually a freelancing killer. When you multitask, you’re not giving anything your full attention. That leads to shoddy work, and upset clients.
Curb the impulse to do too many things at once. Give your client projects the attention they deserve, by dedicating 100% of your focus to the project at hand.
Finding Long-Term Success as a Freelancer
Much of freelancing success is mental. If you truly think of yourself as a professional, then you will have the motivation to follow these strategies to turn your hobby into a business.
If you’re in doubt, consider using an online freelancer marketplace like Funnel to find new clients and manage your freelancing business. Funnel is used by thousands of creative freelancers each day. The marketplace has become a valuable resource for advertising, client management, and more.
To learn more about how you can rely on Funnel’s free tools to turn your freelancing hobby into a business that pays, click here.