The Freelance Writer’s New Year Resolutions
Let’s start this new year off with a bang, shall we?
Happy New Year, fellow freelancers!
If you are like me, you probably have a few resolutions in mind for the upcoming year. This can be anything from improving your writing to becoming more organized and efficient.
Freelancers rely on their own motivation and discipline to stay on track, so it’s important to set achievable goals that you can stick with throughout the year.
But focusing solely on your resolutions can be daunting, so let’s take a look at some of the steps we can take to make this year our best year yet.
For this short exercise, I will utilize the SMART goal-setting strategy.
This method helps to keep our goals Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Timely. This method has given me great success in the past, and I encourage you to try it!
What is the SMART Goal-Setting Strategy?
Before we dive into setting our goals, let’s break down the SMART goal-setting strategy.
Specific: Start by being concrete about what you want to achieve. Instead of stating, “I want to make more money this year,” try “I will increase my monthly income from freelance writing by 25% in the next 12 months.”
Measurable: A key part of any goal is to measure your progress. This can be done by tracking the number of hours spent working or measuring the amount of income you’ve earned.
Achievable: Goals should also be realistic and achievable. It’s great to have ambitious goals but make sure they are realistic and within your means.
Relevant: Your goals should be relevant to your overall goal and vision. Having too many “irrelevant” goals can distract you from what’s most important.
Timely: Finally, all goals should have a timeline associated with them. This gives you the incentive to stay on track and gives you a sense of accomplishment when achieved.
Now that we know what SMART goals are let’s look at some specific resolutions for freelance writers this year. Depending on where you are in your career, these resolutions can be tailored to your needs.
Resolution 1: Improving My Writing
Each year I resolve once more to improve my writing. As a copywriter, this is especially important.
Whether reading more books, taking a creative writing class, or practicing my writing skills daily, I ensure that I devote some time to this each week.
One of my favorite ways to improve my writing is to just write!
Publishing blogs on Medium, writing pitches for prospective clients, or even just recording my thoughts in a journal; I make sure to commit some time each day to practice my craft. The more you write, the better you get!
Resolution 2: Becoming More Organized and Efficient
Organization is vital for freelancers. Staying on top of deadlines, client meetings, and invoices can be a challenge.
To help with this, I use project management tools like Asana and Trello to stay organized and on track. I also create project management databases in Notion to keep track of all my clients and projects — making it easy to reach back to old projects for portfolio requests.
In addition to organization, efficiency is also key.
To be a successful freelancer, you need to manage your time efficiently and ensure that you are maximizing productivity while minimizing wasted time. One way I do this is by batching tasks.
This means grouping similar tasks or tasks that require the same resources and completing them in one session. This is a great way to stay focused and avoid distractions.
Resolution 3: Manage My Time Wisely
I loathe saying manage my time because we all know that time is not something that can be ‘managed.’
However, we can be intentional about how we spend our time and use it wisely.
This includes creating a schedule for yourself and sticking to it. I love time-blocking — scheduling my day out and ensuring that I focus on one task for a block of time. This helps me to stay focused and get more done in less time.
I also make sure to factor in rest, exercise, and self-care into my schedule. These activities help to keep me balanced, energized, and motivated throughout the year.
As a freelancer, I find that when I actively schedule my day, I feel more in control and productive.
Resolution 4: Scale My Financial Income
One of the most important resolutions for freelance writers is to increase their financial income. This can be done by finding new clients, increasing your rates, or scaling up your services.
Last year I aimed to increase my freelance writing income. This year, I plan to diversify my income with additional services such as copy-editing, product development, and consulting.
This will not only help to increase my overall income but also provide me with more opportunities for growth. I’ve found that when I diversify my services, I can experiment with new skills and expand my client base, leading to increased financial success.
Avoid These Resolution Pitfalls
Now that we’ve looked at resolutions for this year let’s talk about some pitfalls that can derail your progress.
Even with a roadmap, getting off track or overwhelmed can be easy. Here are a few tips to help you get back on track:
1. Don’t set overly ambitious goals: Setting too ambitious goals can often lead to disappointment if they cannot be achieved or become overwhelming. Setting realistic and achievable goals is essential so you don’t burn out.
2. Don’t try to do it all at once: If a goal is too big, break it down into smaller actionable steps. This will make the goal much more manageable and ensure that you are making progress.
3. Don’t forget to reward yourself: Celebrate your successes! Rewarding yourself for small milestones can be a great way to stay motivated and on track.
4. Don’t forget to take a break: Making sure that you take regular breaks and rest is essential for staying productive. Working too hard can lead to burnout, so ensure you have time for yourself and your hobbies.
Happy New Year!
2023 is the perfect time to set goals and resolutions as a freelance writer.
From setting goals and improving your writing to becoming more organized and efficient, there are many ways to make this year your best.
With these tips in mind, you’ll be ready to hit the ground running and create success for yourself in 2023!
Good luck, and happy writing! See you on the other side!
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