A Step-by-Step Guide to Build the Right Freelance Routine for You

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If you’re a freelancer or remote worker, it’s so important to build the right routine for you.

One of the perks of freelance life is choosing your own routine, but that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy the same structure and processes as you might in a traditional job.

It’s all about finding a routine that helps you stay happy and productive, whether that’s your morning routine or how you switch off in the evening.

I like to come up with my routine on a day-to-day basis. Typically, as I finish work for the day, I’ll think about what I want to do the following day – and I use the same basic guide to think about what I need from my routine.

In this blog post, I want to share my handy step-by-step guide to building the right freelance routine for you.

You can follow this basic guide to plan your day like me, or you can find a few helpful tips and tricks to set up your long-term freelance schedule going forward.

How to build your freelance routine: A step-by-step guide

There are a few key steps to build the right freelance routine for you:

1. Think about what you want
2. Decide your working hours
3. Set your working times
4. Block out time off
5. Decide where you’re going to work

Let’s take a look at how you can use these steps to build the best freelance routine for you and your work.

1. Think about what you want from your routine

First things first, you need to think about what you want from your freelance routine.

Ask yourself questions like:

• Do you want to improve your work/life balance?
• Do you want to create a productive routine?
• Do you want to find ways to mix up your routine every day?
• Do you need to balance your career with looking after your kids?
• When do your clients need you to be at your desk?

Thinking about what you want to achieve can help you put the steps in place to build the right routine for you.

Whether you offer freelance translation services or you write blog posts like me, no freelance routine will be the same. You need to think about your goals before setting your schedule.

2. Decide the hours you want to work

Next, it’s important to think about the hours you want to work. As a freelancer, you can work when you want – and everyone will have different time management goals.

I know some freelancers who love to work in a traditional 9 to 5 structure. But I also know some remote workers who start work at lunchtime or work in the evening.

I think I’m somewhere in the middle. I like to work a rough 9 to 5 schedule as my boyfriend works in a traditional job, so this gives us the evenings together.

However, it really depends on the day. I’m also more productive in the morning, so I try to do more client work at the start of the day.

There’s no hard-and-fast rule, so it’s important to sit down and actually think about the hours you want to work before you build your ideal routine.

3. Set yourself working times

Now, it’s time to set your working times. Come up with a basic idea about when you’ll be at your desk, and when you’ll be away from it.

For example, I tend to tell my clients that I’m available from 9 to 5 Monday to Friday, and I don’t work at the weekend. This is because the weekend is my time to rest and recharge.

I also set my lunch hour somewhere between 12pm and 2pm every day, as well as a few breaks throughout the afternoon.

Your working times can be flexible, as that’s the joy of freelancing – but it can help to visualise the hours you want to work as set working times. This also creates healthy freelance boundaries. Your clients will know when to expect an answer from you.

4. Block out time off

As part of your freelance schedule, you need to block time off. This might be on a daily level, such as taking a lunch break or giving yourself regular breaks, or it might mean taking a look at the wider picture and booking a much-needed holiday.

I recently spoke to a freelancer who uses an annual leave calendar. I love this idea! If you were working in a traditional job, you would receive a certain number of days off as part of your yearly allowance.

Although freelancing isn’t about sticking to the same structures as a traditional job, it’s great to think about how much time off you need – and how you can avoid burnout.

Looking for more tips? Check out my blog post to build a productive freelance routine in Summer – how to adjust your routine by season!

5. Decide where you want to work

Finally, you need to decide where you want to work. For me, where I work can change from day to day. When I decide on my routine for the day, I think: do I want to be around people for the day or do I need complete silence?

Answering these questions will help you create an effective structure as a freelancer. You might want to work from a coworking space or café – or you might crave a day at home.

Wherever you work, make sure to reduce distractions to get your day off to a good start!

How do you decide your routine as a freelancer? How do you build the right routine for you? Do you like to be flexible with your remote routine?

Tell me all your thoughts in the comments below 🙂

Happy reading x