Freelance Writing: Simple Tips on Complicated TopicsDo You Suffer from the 4 Worst Habits of Freelance Writers?

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Most of us don’t even notice our harmful habits. Or, if we notice them, we don’t take them seriously. Another chocolate bar right before going to bed? Another working hour spent on chatting with friends or browsing an online shop? Well, who cares?

However, breaking harmful habits really can make a difference. For instance, are you sure that you are free from the common professional bad habits of most freelance writers? Let’s check that!

3 Worst Habits Most Freelance Writers Have in Common

Apart from spending ages on research and always worrying where to get new projects for the next week, you are most likely to be a freelance writer if at least 1 of the following weaknesses resonates with you:

1. Checking your messages board before going to bed. As if you haven’t had enough of it during the working day, you check out your writer’s profile once more, right before going to bed. At the same time, a client on the other side of the globe wakes up, notices you’re online and decides to drop you a message. Isn’t it a scenario of your nightmares? The solution, however, is simple. No checking of your message board, for at least a couple of hours before going to bed.
2. Keeping Facebook open all the time you work online. It may seem that just one more page kept open in your browser doesn’t make much difference. And it usually doesn’t, unless it’s Facebook/ Twitter/ Myspace. Social networks accessed at the wrong time are like Bermuda triangles – your attention and time get lost in them.
3. Letting clients bully you. “Please add a page to this order for free, as I am going to order three thousand new projects from you.” Does this sound familiar to you? Don’t overdo it when meeting clients’ demands, as some of them are simply inappropriate.
4. Working late into the night (or even till dawn). After unsuccessfully fighting the distractions all day long or simply waiting for inspiration, you may occasionally decide that night rest is an unnecessary luxury. However, a good night’s rest is crucial for your wellbeing, so don’t ever forget to take care of your health and sleep during the night.

Good Old Folk Therapy for True Freelance Writers

• Always remember what’s most important to you – put the photos of your kids/ parents/ friends on your table. Their caring gazes could boost your productivity.
• Listen to the best music for writing to improve your concentration.
• Listen to your body and take care of it, maintaining good work and brain hygiene.

What is your worst professional freelance writer’s habit you’d like to break?