Freelance Writers and Self Discipline

So it's 3 p.m., and you've finally found the perfect ending to that freelance article that you've been working on all morning. (Not too dramatic, not too boring.) You're trying to get the thoughts down on paper, before they escape you, and then it happens. The door bell rings, and it's your neighbor. She knows that you're home, because your car is parked prominently in the driveway. It seems that she will not take "no" for an answer. When ringing the doorbell repeatedly doesn't appear to work, she begins to pound on your front door. When that fails, she walks around your house to the home office, and taps on your window repeatedly, calling your name loudly. And just about that time...you forget that perfect ending. Frustration abounds, and you indulge in momentary thoughts of violence. (It's just another day in the life of a freelance writer, who works from home.)

One of the perils about working from home (as a freelance writer) is that no one seems to respect your boundaries. Of course, part of the reason may be, that you haven't set any. When you freelance from your house, it is important that you order your work time, just as you would, if you worked in an office away from home. You must respect your time, if you want others to.

Most people are pretty considerate when they call someone at the office. They assume that you have work to do, and that your boss may frown on lengthy personal conversations, during work hours. But at home, friends may want to chat, churches and civic groups may call asking you to volunteer, telemarketers find you easy prey to their ploys, teachers want to discuss Johnny's math assignment, and even your mother doesn't consider freelancing a "real" job. So it's up to you to build a fence around your creativity, and your work privacy. Let the calls go to the voicemail between certain work hours. Let's face it, if there's an emergency, they will most definitely call back. Callers are getting used to recorded messages, and will understand that you will get back to them at your earliest convenience. The days are surely gone, when we suffered ulcers over unanswered calls, wondering if there was an earthquake in California, where Sue lives, or if Billy had fallen off the monkey bars. So let the calls go to voicemail while you work, and if you must monitor them, set aside a certain time at the end of each hour, to listen to messages. But if you can wait, it's better to check your messages on a scheduled break, (or at your convenience) so that you won't get distracted by the cares of life, or bogged down in trivial concerns, that upset your train of thought while you work. Being a freelance writer requires concentration and focus. Those personal calls can wait until after your scheduled work time.

You may also want to leave a small personal mailbox (different than your home mailbox) by your door, where friends can leave messages for you, while you work. Leave a note on the door saying that you are writing, and do not wish to be disturbed, but also leave a pad and pen nearby to write messages. If you are firm about not going to the door, during your freelance work hours, visitors will begin to respect your boundaries also.

I don't advise trying to care for children, while writing freelance articles or your first novel, but if your older children are of a safe age to entertain themselves, let them know that when your door is closed, you are not available, unless there is a crisis. My friend defines "crisis" to her children as "someone threw up, or someone is bleeding." That may be a bit confining in the realm of disasters, by your definition, but it is a good guideline not only for teenagers, but spouses also. You might even want to invest in a lock on your door, and make some rules about loud music, TVs, wrestling, or other disturbances, while you work.

Also remember to choose an appropriate, comfortable work area, that you and others will respect as your work space. This should become "holy ground" where you are afforded the privacy and peace you need, in order to be productive as a freelance writer. Make it a place that you love, that inspires you, and reflects your personality. You'll get a lot more work done, if you look forward to being there.

And if you want to be successful, you'll need to discipline yourself also. Set definite hours to work from home. You don't have to be legalistic about the time of day that you write, necessarily. (For instance, some people are more creative in the evenings.) But chances are, that unless you schedule your time to write, you're not going to write. As the day wears on, life has a way of interfering with the best laid plans and intentions of a freelance writer. So treat your freelance writing endeavors as a career, and let others know that is a profession to be respected.

Spouses have a way of intruding into your freelance writing space as well. They don't really mean to. It's just that you are...well...so available. While you may not mind the interruption of occasional hugs and kisses, you'll probably find that the latest sports score, celebrity gossip, or CNN news headline can wait.

Sometimes my husband will give me that look that says, "You're on the computer again?" That's when I have to gently (but firmly) remind him, that it's what I do for a living. I'm a freelance writer. And I explain to him, (with a charming smile) that I wouldn't scold him for going into the office each day to work. (It puts it in a little better perspective.)

Don't forget that working from home, also puts you face to face daily, with unfinished chores and housework. It's important that you don't let these tasks distract you from your schedule as a freelance writer. Designate a time to get these done, other than when you have scheduled your writing work. Also, because you are a freelance writer, family members may need to be reminded, that even though you work from home, you do have a career, and chores will need to be shared, in order to keep the home running smoothly.

And realize that as a freelance writer, who works from home, you may not be able to accept every invitation from your friends, to go shopping, or to that great new cafe on the corner. I remember when I wrote, produced, and recorded a daily radio program, it required a lot of time, and my friends just couldn't seem to understand that, even though I was working from home, I had to be disciplined to get the work done. They thought it was great that I had my own radio show, but they never could grasp that it took a lot of discipline (and sacrifice) to make it happen. It was one of the trade-offs of working from home as a freelance writer. I had to set a schedule, and then stick to it.

On the other hand, one of the perks of being a freelance writer is, (that if you plan ahead), you can take those occasional days off for something special, because your work schedule is more flexible than a nine-to-fiver. But remember, it's that flexibility that can also trip you up, and cause you to neglect the restraints and limits that are necessary, in working efficiently from home. ( Again, maintaining a schedule may be your biggest challenge as a freelance writer.)

A word of warning is in order here. Because you do work from home, you may also be tempted to work continuously, simply because you can. The lines between work and leisure are easily blurred when you are a freelance writer, working from your house. You will probably need to schedule your leisure time as well, because creativity often flows from a relaxed state of mind, so breaks from work are necessary to keep those ideas flowing.

As you can see, working as a freelance writer from home is a challenge, but with a little bit of planning and discipline, you can create a freelance work environment that accommodates your need for privacy, space, and creativity. It's all about setting those boundaries, and seeing that they are honored.