The Productive Freelancer

Sometimes motivation can be really hard to find.  Maybe your deadline isn’t for another three days, so why start on that project now?  Perhaps you’ve experienced a lull in business, and it’s easier not to market yourself than it is to get off your butt.  It’s possible that you just let yourself get so distracted by things like cleaning the house that you end up procrastinating and putting off the freelance work.  We’re all guilty of it.  In fact, some of us are guilt-ridden about it! 

Yesterday we had a conference call with members from the eMoms at Home Internet Home Business Magazine channels.  We like to check in with each other, set goals, ask questions, and all that jazz.  Wendy had a really great suggestion for being productive as bloggers, and I thought it would be useful to apply it to freelancing.   

Back in July, Darren Rowse created a post called “How to Keep Momentum Going on Your Blog with a ‘Points System.’”  The whole thing was based on a comment left by ProBlogger reader Jason Parker (who is a freelance writer, no less).  Jason shared that he has created a points system as a way of ensuring that he is staying on top of his work.  I love this because it takes into consideration the fact that writing (a blog post, in this case) is not the only activity that should be considered “productive.”   

Jason’s goal is to earn at least 50 points a day, and he has assigned point values to different activities.  For example, he earns ten points for a long blog post and five points for a short one.  If he comments on a blog he visits regularly, it’s worth two points; and if he comments on a new-to-him blog, then he gets five points.  He also gives himself a point for every comment he receives on his own blog. 

Being the consummate list-maker than I am, I’m just sold on this idea.  I say that we spin it a little for freelancing and make it our own!  I’ll start with some suggestions for points, and you all add in whatever you think would be useful.  Mine will probably end up having a bit of a freelance writing slant, but feel free to add in ideas for whatever kind of work-at-home business you operate. 

• 10 points for fully researching an article
• 10 points for writing an entire article (up to 1,000 words)
• 5 points for every bid submitted for an online job
• 20 points for every big, offline proposal
• 10 points for each new social networking site profile started that day
• 10 points for every magazine query
• 5 points for researching a new, viable market
• 5 points for finding a way to get your child to help out (even if it means finding someone to watch him or her for a couple of hours!)
• 10 points for each marketing packet sent out
• 30 points for an interview with a potential client
• 2 points for every invoice sent out
• 3 points for every invoice paid
• 5 points for balancing your business account
• 5 points for writing something just because you want to
• 2 points for each work-related email you answer
• 20 points for filing and cleaning off your desk
• 1 point for each blog you read in your area of business
• 50 points for paying your taxes

So, I’m excited to see what sorts of suggestions you all have to offer.  I’m planning to put together a list/chart/spreadsheet for my own use, and if it works out well, I’ll make it available to you folks, too!