As a writer and editor, habit and creativity are the cornerstones of my work. Habits help to maintain organisation and productivity, while creativity can be a freelancer’s strongest differentiator.
Mason Currey describes the work routines of 161 famous writers, painters, musicians and scientists in his book, Daily Rituals: How Artists Work. He suggests habit aids creativity. Eighty-eight per cent of those studied followed a noticeable routine. Here’s a glimpse into mine:
Ideas need managing. You might have an idea that you feel is so good you couldn’t possibly forget it. Experience has taught me otherwise. Take a photo, make a note – do what you have to do to capture it. I record new ideas in a free Evernote account.
Back it up. I rely heavily on my laptop and phone but what would happen if I couldn’t use one of them? I back up my work daily and aim to keep important files in three places: my laptop, Google Drive and email.
Simple tools keep costs down. A simple spreadsheet works for customer relationship management. I keep a Google Doc called Daily Victories in which I maintain a to do list, record positive outcomes and list work I produce, for three reasons.
Firstly, it helps me focus on results.
Secondly, listing achievements, no matter how minor, reinforces why I work (enjoyment as well as financial reward).
Thirdly, I can easily monitor tasks that don’t seem to get done. Maybe they need breaking into smaller jobs, or maybe they need ditching.
I try to stick to these habits and others. Routine builds momentum which leads to completion and satisfaction.
