Most freelancers would agree that a broadband connection is the one thing that they couldn’t do without. No internet access means no web-based research, no social networking, no staying in touch with colleagues: no job. So what should home workers and freelancers look for in a broadband package?
Online productivity is becoming increasingly popular, but there is still a need for offline suites. Which is the best? Microsoft’s all-conquering Office, or open-source upstart Open Office?
Steve Stark | Guides,Technology
Email is a major sap on time, energy and resources. Learn how to manage it better to reduce stress, free up time and get more done. We generally have an unhealthy relationship with our email. Our inbox is a Pandora’s Box enticing us away from what we are meant to be doing and distracting us with a world of things we have not done.
Isn’t the internet wonderful? You can go shopping without ever leaving your house, you can speak to people the other side of the world, and, most importantly, you can get loads of useful stuff for free!
Andy talks to Clare Evans, personal business coach and author of Time Management for Dummies. In part one we cover:
Plus a great round-up from Darren Fell of Crunch.co.uk and some inspiring ‘Getting Things Done’ advice.
Podcast 27: Ten top tips for great time management (part 1) [ 24:38 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download
Michael Rose | Lifestyle & Time out
We hear a lot about “Inbox Zero”, whether you’ve practiced Getting Things Done, got yourself a set of 43 Folders or just have good Zen Habits, you are probably aware that it’s a good idea to have an Inbox that you treat as sacred and some rules and patterns to govern it; Rule one being get ‘In to Empty’ regularly.
While this all makes a whole lot of sense and has done for years, important bills to pay tucked behind the clock on the mantlepiece was my late Uncle’s preferred ‘productivity tool’, I’ve always thought there should be some discussion of Outbox behaviours.
Michael Rose | Lifestyle & Time out
Freelancers need focus; without a boss to keep you in line and being outside a traditional workflow it can be hard to know where to focus your efforts. Combine this with the pace of modern life and it’s easy to get swamped and to feel that there just aren’t enough hours in the day. Not only is there a lot of work there are constant distractions, tweets, bleeps and pings pulling us away from our true goals and aspirations.
Focus: The Power of Targeted Thinking attempts to give the solution to all these feelings of confusion and distraction.
Michael Rose | Lifestyle & Time out,Technology
Teux Deux is a super-simple, sleek and stylish to-do list manager. If you like great design with a tiny pinch of minimalism then this might be for you.
Built entirely for the web you just sign up for a free account and start typing in your to-dos. To add a task you just type and hit return. That’s it.
Prioritising and planning how you use your time is a key skill for every great freelancer. Freelancing gives you the freedom to choose what you do and when you do it.
This freedom can have shortcomings however as it’s very easy to be distracted by emails, twitter and other interruptions — and it’s tempting to focus on doing those tasks you like instead of those which may be most useful.
Checklists are an essential part of finishing any project and when it comes to website launches there are a whole host of checks, fixes and tests that need to be done to make sure your project is firing on all cylinders, with valid HTML, CSS and javscript, that works in every browser, at different resolutions and on all platforms.
Launchlist.net is your one stop web checklist. Simple enter your details, project name and your clients email address, then set to work checking all the boxes.
Anthony Hewson | Working From Home
You gave up working for someone else for a reason. More than one in all likelihood, but one stood bold and proud: freedom.
Such a noble word; such a bright and sparkling principle; such a statement of hope and promise.
Such a lie
Judy Heminsley | Lifestyle & Time out
When freelancing or starting a small business and looking to keep costs down working from home is the obvious solution.
There’s also a downside, though, and that’s the risk of becoming lonely and isolated, with its knock-on effect on self-confidence and motivation.
Continuing our #WorkingFromHome series Judy Heminsley shares her hard-won tips for overcoming the gloom of isolation and how to get motivated in the mid-afternoon slump…
Judy Heminsley | Lifestyle & Time out
When I talk about home working to someone who is office-based, they reply, ‘I could never work from home. I’d spend all day in my pyjamas watching daytime TV.’ What they mean is that they’re afraid that away from the eyes of bosses and colleagues they’d never get anything done, that they would procrastinate.
The trouble with procrastination is that it drains energy from us every time we think about that dreaded task and then stuff it to the back of our minds again. Far more energy than it would take to complete.
So why do you procrastinate?
Leo Babauta | Lifestyle & Time out
Single-tasking: getting more done by doing less.
Developing good, simple habits and maintaining a focused mind can not only help you stay sane but is way more efficient than multitasking.
Guest blogger and productivity-pro Leo Babauta tells why multitasking is bad and how we can avoid doing it.
Leo Babauta | Lifestyle & Time out
Leo Babauta of Zen Habits rises at 4:30 a.m every day. And he’s clearly insane! But before we roll over and pull the covers over our heads… lets hear some of the benefits and, if it sounds good to you, how you can make it a lasting, productive habit.
Leo Babauta | Lifestyle & Time out
As a freelancer with multiple clients, multiple deadlines and multiple todo lists it can be hard to know what to focus on next – so rather than choose we often end up doing two, or more, things at once. As part of a series of posts on Getting Things Done for Freelancers Leo Babauta of [...]
Mark Kirby | Lifestyle & Time out
Our resident time-management guru Mark Kirby starts the first of his regular columns with hints and tips on ways to better manage your time. The techniques Mark uses have enabled him to achieve far more in the week than he ever thought possible, and enabled him to feel more relaxed when not working… If your [...]
