Balancing Fun and Writing This Summer
Make sure to balance your work and your play this summer.
No matter how much you like being a freelance writer, the flexibility of the job may be overshadowed by the need to be on your computer when the weather is beautiful. While you need to stay on top of your assignments this summer, there are ways to balance having fun and getting your work done. Here are some ideas to keep you motivated and successful as a writer throughout the summer.
Instead of separating your writing from your summer fun, why not combine the two by drawing on your experiences? For example, you could learn more about backyard barbecue equipment by hosting a cookout. The knowledge that you get through hosting a barbecue can help you write how-to guides. If you are more inclined to write creative pieces, experiences with your children during summer trips can help you to write for parenting blogs.
The weather may be gorgeous on the average summer day, but there are always days when the thunder is rumbling or the drizzle is falling. Take a few minutes out of your morning to look at the extended forecast to figure out which days are likely to be a bust in terms of weather. Planning your work schedule according to adverse weather conditions helps you to get your writing tasks out of the way when you are unable to spend time outdoors anyway.
Getting up early during the summer gives you the opportunity to get some writing in before the rest of your family wakes up and wants to get outside. While it may feel odd to wake up at 6 a.m. on summer days, you can get plenty of work done before everyone else is even ready to sit down for breakfast. As a bonus, you get to take full advantage of the hours that Inc. reports are the most productive. Instead of letting your morning go to waste as you sit and sip coffee right after waking up, you get to use that added boost of motivation to increase your productivity and get more done in less time. The end result is a relaxed late morning and afternoon that can be focused on having fun instead of meeting deadlines.
If you work better when you are working toward something, make meeting deadlines and earning money a task that gets you something you want. For example, you may determine that 20 percent of all your writing earnings will go toward an end-of-summer vacation. While you could scale back your work and go on a discount vacation to a nearby tourist town, you could take on extra work to pay for that vacation to Disneyland that your family has been dreaming of for years. Knowing that the scope of your vacation depends on how many deadlines you meet over the summer will give you a reason to keep plugging away, and you will have something to look forward to as you put in the hours.
You might think that freelance writing will keep you inside and away from your family and friends this summer, but there are ways to have fun without missing deadlines. Follow the tips outlined above to make the most of warm weather and weekend trips while you maintain your career as a writer.
How do you balance work and fun? Let us know in the comments below.
See Below for More Freelance Life Tips:
Take a Vacation from Writing
Why Freelance Writers Shouldn't Fear Content Marketplaces
Content Marketing Trends and Freelance Writers: What You Need to Know
No matter how much you like being a freelance writer, the flexibility of the job may be overshadowed by the need to be on your computer when the weather is beautiful. While you need to stay on top of your assignments this summer, there are ways to balance having fun and getting your work done. Here are some ideas to keep you motivated and successful as a writer throughout the summer.
Draw on Experiences
Instead of separating your writing from your summer fun, why not combine the two by drawing on your experiences? For example, you could learn more about backyard barbecue equipment by hosting a cookout. The knowledge that you get through hosting a barbecue can help you write how-to guides. If you are more inclined to write creative pieces, experiences with your children during summer trips can help you to write for parenting blogs.
Take Advantage of Rainy Days
The weather may be gorgeous on the average summer day, but there are always days when the thunder is rumbling or the drizzle is falling. Take a few minutes out of your morning to look at the extended forecast to figure out which days are likely to be a bust in terms of weather. Planning your work schedule according to adverse weather conditions helps you to get your writing tasks out of the way when you are unable to spend time outdoors anyway.
Write Early
Getting up early during the summer gives you the opportunity to get some writing in before the rest of your family wakes up and wants to get outside. While it may feel odd to wake up at 6 a.m. on summer days, you can get plenty of work done before everyone else is even ready to sit down for breakfast. As a bonus, you get to take full advantage of the hours that Inc. reports are the most productive. Instead of letting your morning go to waste as you sit and sip coffee right after waking up, you get to use that added boost of motivation to increase your productivity and get more done in less time. The end result is a relaxed late morning and afternoon that can be focused on having fun instead of meeting deadlines.
Plan an Incentive
If you work better when you are working toward something, make meeting deadlines and earning money a task that gets you something you want. For example, you may determine that 20 percent of all your writing earnings will go toward an end-of-summer vacation. While you could scale back your work and go on a discount vacation to a nearby tourist town, you could take on extra work to pay for that vacation to Disneyland that your family has been dreaming of for years. Knowing that the scope of your vacation depends on how many deadlines you meet over the summer will give you a reason to keep plugging away, and you will have something to look forward to as you put in the hours.
You might think that freelance writing will keep you inside and away from your family and friends this summer, but there are ways to have fun without missing deadlines. Follow the tips outlined above to make the most of warm weather and weekend trips while you maintain your career as a writer.
How do you balance work and fun? Let us know in the comments below.
See Below for More Freelance Life Tips:
Take a Vacation from Writing
Why Freelance Writers Shouldn't Fear Content Marketplaces
Content Marketing Trends and Freelance Writers: What You Need to Know
