My writing and working routine (as a full-time freelancer)
I recently began to struggle with the freelance life and lack of routine. I took time out in April-June to publicise my new book, That’s What She Said, and while that was great in the moment, it unravelled what limited routines I had set in place beforehand.
Freelancing was not something I was prepared for; I was shoved into it when I was made redundant. And though it has been great and I found my feet within the world fairly quickly, as someone who thrives under controlled circumstances, everything has always felt slightly out of my control.
Never more so than recently.
I spoke to my career coach about it, and we decided to implement a few easy-to-follow and even easier-to-enact routines to stabilise my routines and get me back on my feet.
Setting office hours: This is not something I had ever considered as someone who technically can work whenever and wherever they want.
Time blocking: Colour coding my calendar with set times for activities has been crucial for getting me back into a routine and back on track.
Out-of-office: Instead of using my OOO for when I’m on holiday, I use it every day when I finish work. Setting boundaries is all well and good, but you have to maintain them, and my office hours are 7 AM to 4 PM BST, every Monday to Thursday only. Outside of these hours, I’m out of the office.
Shutdown routines: To help me implement my office hours I have a mini shutdown routine of going for a walk, before coming home, wiping down my desk, lighting a candle and turning on my vinyl record player. It’s a simple routine but it signals to my brain ‘you’re done for the day.’
How I time block my life effectively
I recently got into time blocking, using colour codes and systems in my calendar to systemise how I get the most out of my days. Not to mention retain my focus.
Some super simple rules are in place:
I only have meetings in the morning.
My lunch is always at the same time, and I have to leave my desk/home for this period of time to reset and move.
I’ve implemented a Shutdown Routine from 4 PM (Monday-Thursday), and after this time, I am not allowed to access work in any capacity. My working hours are 7 AM to 4 PM, with an hour for undisturbed lunch. The only day this differs is Friday, when I work in an office space.
On Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, the majority of my friends are in Central London or a nearby location. These are my designated days for socialising, though I can move things around as life gets in the way. I like to set aside at least two days per week for relaxation and recharging, otherwise I often feel overwhelmed with social plans and become drained.
My ‘bedtime’ - for want of a less infantilising term - moves around throughout the week, based on my activities, but my morning alarm stays the same. I aim for 6-8 hours of good quality sleep per night and make up rest at weekends.
My time blocking schedule is not to everyone’s taste, and may not work for everyone. You have to be regimented, but accept that some days are not going to be easily regimented - life gets in the way!
But time blocking and having a schedule that works to my strengths and strongest work patterns allows me to be productive without burning out. And, most importantly for me, maintain boundaries.
Do you think you’ll give time blocking a go? Let me know in the comments.
Thanks for sharing so transparently. I love this. You're right that as a freelancer it is so tempting to just fill any available crack in your day with work, but that's no path to a healthy life!