tHE FREELANCER DIARIES: BUILDING A DAILY ROUTINE
One of the things I’ve appreciated the most since starting as a freelancer is having the freedom to build a daily routine. While cultivating a routine is not exclusive to freelancers, the absence of rigid office hours certainly simplifies the process. I’ve been really enjoying building in some time to work on habits and a daily routine that I know is going to make me feel so much better in my daily life. So today I'm excited to share a glimpse into my daily routine and the habits I've been developing. Towards the end, I'll also recommend some resources that have been instrumental in shaping my journey.
One key lesson I've learned is the value of taking things extremely slow. Unlike my previous approach of rushing into everything, I now focus on gradual progress. So this time around I decided to take it slow and try to not get frustrated with slow progress. For example, I wanted to build a morning routine. Instead of cooking up an entire routine one night and then trying to implement that perfectly every day after, I started with one thing. I wrote a list of all the things that I would eventually want to have in my morning routine and picked one thing to start with. In my case it was doing my skincare. For a certain time period I would just do this one thing and focus on what I got out of that action and if it benefited me like I thought it would. A good period for your brain to form a habit is about 3 weeks but I would usually go per month for thorough integration. If the habit brings you value and the action starts to become automatic, it’s time to add the next thing from your list. Just remember: slow and steady wins the race!
So, what am I working on in my routine? At the moment my routine revolves around three main pillars: getting up earlier, eating healthy and working out. For each of these areas I created a step by step list for getting to my ultimate goal. Each month I will evaluate every area and see if I’m ready to move up a step or if I should maintain the current step for another month. For example, in the beginning of my freelance journey I used to get up 8. I wanted to get up earlier because I know I’m most productive in the mornings and quickly lose my focus after lunch. So the first step I took was getting up at 7:45, just 15 minutes earlier. Because the step is so small it does not feel overwhelming for your brain and is easier to continue doing. After about a month I was fully adjusted to 7:45 and took the next step to 7:30, which is the time I wake up at now. In contribution to this I adjust every 15 minutes earlier in my night time routine to still get enough sleep (aiming for between 7-9 hours). Eventually I want to wake up at 6 Monday to Friday so that I have the time to include working out in my morning routine. But for now, I’m listening to my body and doing another month of 7:30!
Maintaining a balanced diet is something that has always been really difficult for me. I grew up with a mix between a love for food and constant dieting in my family. Consequently, balance in food is something I have never really known and truly have very little knowledge about nutrition. But my dream version of me does and so I’m slowly working towards that. I think this habit is the most difficult one for me which is why I’m currently only on the first step which is ‘eating a healthy breakfast 5 times a week’. The only thing I have to focus on for now is eating a healthy breakfast from Monday to Friday. I’m slowly figuring out a few breakfast meals that are nutritionally balanced and things I like to eat. Next I want to add in eating a piece of fruit every day, 5 days a week. I want to start doing that in January, but any tips on this topic are honestly really welcome!
The last habit I am working on is working out. When I was younger I used to do a lot of sports but as I got older and life got busier that kind of fell away and I really missed it. But finding something I like and getting back in the habit of it has been a struggle. So again, I started very simple with integrating walking for 30 minutes, 3 times a week into my morning routine. After about a month of walking I was ready to face the gym. Besides my walks I started going to the gym twice a week and really enjoyed it. I am now trying to go three times a week but my schedule does not always allow it yet so I am exploring solutions before committing to the next step.
Last but not least, I wanted to share a few resources that have really helped me figure out how habits and routines work, how to change them and how to create new ones.
Sad to Savage – a podcast by Shelby Sacco
Atomic Habits – a book by James Clear
The power of habit – a book by Charles Duhigg
In closing, remember to take it slow and be kind to yourself. Life is challenging, and perfection is elusive. While being critical of areas for improvement, it's crucial to appreciate yourself as you are now. Everything will fall into place just fine.
If this glimpse into my life and freelancer daily routine has sparked inspiration or if you have ideas, examples, or questions, feel free to share them in the comments below. I'd love to hear from you!