Many years ago, I learned of a way to measure the potential of a business
quickly and inexpensively. The technique is to identify the business day with
the best results, analyze what went right that day, and apply the lessons
learned from this analysis. Of great relevance to freelancers, it takes into account
that each business is fundamentally different mainly due to the fact each
person and set of circumstances is unique. This technique helps define the
current actual potential of a business rather than its theoretical and maybe
unattainable one.
Clearly freelancing involves factors not relevant to standard
businesses. Freelancing is generally conducted from a residence and not always
even in a dedicated room. As a result, friends and family represent a major
disturbance factor. Furthermore, household duties, including laundry and
cooking, can be a serious time robber. This lack of clear distinction between
work and home also creates a tendency to relax business discipline as
distractors are close and plenty. As freelancers are their own bosses, work discipline
is internal matter subject to moods and whims, unlike the traditional workplace
where fear of the boss keeps people on their toes. Finally, freelancers must
handle sales, marketing, production, bookkeeping and post-sale service, often
dividing their concentration and rendering them less efficient in any or all of
the tasks. Thus, the potential of a freelancer is not identical to that of a
standard business.
Given the multiples hats a freelancer wears, the term productivity can
be measured on many forms, depending on what is required. The results can
include an order from a new client, proper job preparation, successful
resolution of a customer issue, sending of invoices, collection of debts,
preparation of marketing material, cleaning of the desk and even producing a
product or service. All of these required to earn money but are not directly
reflected in daily income. Psychologically, freelancers must consider each one a
proper and effective use of work time.
Given that the productivity of freelancers is so dependent on
themselves, a good day begins by starting the morning properly. A good night’s sleep creates the conditions
for proper energy while getting waking up at the ideal hour, both individual
matters, helps starts the day with maximum momentum. Likewise, some type of
breakfast fuels the morning hours. Feeling physically good is a basic
requirement for the ideal day.
In addition, since outside disturbances, both work-related and domestic,
drain energy, the efficient day begins with a clear head. Some people have the
skill and/or discipline to block out external matters but most freelancers have
to clear them away. First of all, the best day begins with no pending email
matters from previous days, the mental version of a clear desk. Not always in
our control, it is preferable that there are no unpleasant appointments
scheduled that day, such as the dentist, which not only take time but create
anxiety. Facebook is the enemy of productivity.
Since nothing there is truly urgent, the mere refusal to open it reduces
that temptation. By contrast, scheduling a pleasant evening activity creates a
positive expectation for the evening as well as reinforces discipline in terms
of staying on task as the available time is limited. Importantly, translators
must educate the friends and family that work hours are precisely those even if
they are physically at home. Admittedly, this is not an easy goal to achieve. Thus,
the mind is in focus on the tasks at hand.
The work process directly affects productivity. For example, a clear but
flexible schedule helps directs the order and priority of tasks. For example, if a translation is due EOD, the
first draft should be completed as early as possible in order to have as much
“forget time” before final QA. In additioon, ideally, all elements of the job
should be ready. If a translator is using a CAT (computer assisted translation)
tool on a document from a PDF, the document should be converted into Word the
night before, a task that can be done even when the person is bit tired. If
writing is the task at hand, the freelancer should organize the approach and
material beforehand. It is possible to properly focus completely on either
content or language, but not both. Setting daily goals dividing the tasks that
must be completed and those that we would like to be completed is a useful
technique for many people. If there are multiple tasks for that day, a list
helps freelancers move through the day by creating easy recall and helps prevent
avoidable emergencies. If a task has multiple stages, each aspect should be
considered separately, a successful method for reducing stress in large,
complicated projects. For example, the creation of a website involves attaining
the needed information, creating the text, defining the design concept and
flow, production, proofing, etc., each of which is a complete task in itself.
Of course, if specific physical materials are required, such as a printer
toner, sufficient amounts should be in stock. Like a regular business, an ideal
business day begins with the preparation on the previous day.
When all of the stars are aligned, it is amazing how much a freelancer
can accomplish in a single day and how much satisfaction (and money) it provides.
That magical work day is the current potential of the business, which can change
in either direction for many reasons at any given time. The good news is that
freelancers, like all businesspeople, have the power to influence those factors
and recreate that success. Just as it is important to understand yourself to
achieve happiness, an enterprise, no matter how small it is, needs to
understand not only its failure but also its success. Scio te when the sun is shining.
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