Every freelancer brings a unique blend of technical and creative expertise, but most of us share two key skills: self-discipline and time management. Without these, working for yourself can seem like long, slow days on the couch or weeks jam-packed with endless tasks. I’ve found myself in both modes, but over time I’ve developed a formula that helps me create a manageable and productive weekly schedule.
It’s hard for me to sit and concentrate on one task for hours. Instead, I divide my days and weeks into dedicated blocks for each of my weekly commitments. This allows me to manage my time and create a calendar that I can stick to. It also gives me a framework to say yes to, and which could push me beyond my limits.
Below I’ve outlined a broad day in my life, which includes both creative writing work and the projects I do for publications and brands. Keep in mind that not every day looks this perfect! Sometimes I talk to my mom on the phone for an hour, watch YouTube, or clean the whole house to avoid having to work. This is the schedule I strive for, but life is often more complicated than the structures I create in advance.
First thing (7:00 to 8:30)
This is my dedicated creative writing time. I wake up around 6:45 a.m., make some tea, and then quickly open Google Docs before my brain can convince me not to. Most of the time I’m working on chapters for my memoir in progress, although sometimes I use this time to write other essays or sketch out new ideas. Within this time frame I also eat a little breakfast, always oatmeal. I’ve been eating the same breakfast for ten years because I don’t really know how to cook.
Practice and preparation (8:30 am to 10:00 am)
When I worked full-time in an office, I exercised first thing in the morning. In retrospect, I realize that routine was quite hard on my body. Now that I make my own schedule, I wait until I’m done writing, then go for a walk, start a workout video at home, or go to the yoga studio around the corner from my apartment. Once that’s done, I take a shower and get ready for the rest of the day.
Customer work (10am to ~4pm)
During this afternoon block I concentrate on paid writing work. That includes putting together newsletters, blogs, op-eds or research for the customers I contribute every month. If I’m on deadline for one journalism I also conduct interviews and write those stories during this part of the day. I try to finish around 3:30 or 4:00 PM, depending on how much is on my plate. I also take 15 to 30 minutes to eat lunch (without my computer and phone!) around noon or 1 p.m.
On Friday, I spend a lot of this time on billing, taxes, and following up on emailsmy next week plans, and other life administration. I prefer to tackle all of that in one day, rather than letting it seep into other parts of the week.
Pitching, Ideas, Reading (~4:00 PM – 5:30 PM)
On Tuesdays and Thursdays I spend the late afternoon pitching new ideas or developing drafts for personal essays. That includes researching, contacting editors, and posting notes in various Google Docs (which I try very hard to keep organized, but ultimately becomes impractical). Since this work remains unpaid until the field is sold, I focus on this after all the paid work is done.
On Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays I use the end of the day to keep a diary or to catch up on reading. That includes long-form articles, Substack posts that I’ve bookmarked, and nonfiction books that inform what I’m working on.
Some afternoons I go to a coffee shop to shift my focus and get out of the house. Many cafes in my area don’t have WiFi, which is great for analog tasks like handwriting or reading, but not so great for research or email.
Occasionally I use this time to see a new museum exhibit, watch a movie at the cinema, or go to an off-peak yoga class. I try to remind myself that I became a freelancer free and that my day can look the way I want it to!
Evenings
Two nights a week I have in-person classes for my MFA program from 7:00 PM to 9:30 PM. That’s why I try to keep the other evenings relatively free and stop work at 6 p.m. Sometimes I have a hard time stopping checking emails, so I turn my phone off completely and try to get back outside before it gets dark.
When I started freelancing, I let the work extend into all hours of the weekday and weekend. Lately I’ve been trying to align my hours as much as possible with those of a ‘normal’ workday, although I do make adjustments when I’m traveling, visiting family, or just having a week off.
#structure #weekly #schedule #freelance #writer