How to Structure Your Days as a Creative - #61

December 10, 2022

Welcome to The Loaf - making money & business more approachable for creatives & freelancers

creator crumbs

Everyone's tired of the magic morning routines & illogical productivity "hacks".

Maybe, just maybe, because they don't work..

No journal or cup of tea can replace getting actual tasks done.

Most routines also don't consider those who have kids, or a life that doesn't accommodate 12 hour work days.

From my experience over the past two years, the only thing that matters is finding what works for you and your schedule.

And I've learned a lot about myself and how I work simply by paying attention.

For example, I noticed that I struggle with creative output after a day of work, so now I do most of it first thing in the morning.

And the biggest thing that's kept myself sane and my schedule manageable has been getting at least one hour of focus work in every day.

It may sound negligible, but you'd be surprised and how much you can truly get done in an interrupted hour.

The article walks through more details, but here's how I structure my days to get things done (while having time to enjoy the journey):

Friendly money & business reminders for self-employed creatives

✅ Review your 2022 business numbers

Why? For a business, your numbers are everything. They tell the story of what's happening AND they can give you a preview of what's to come..
Some of the most important numbers to know are: annual revenue, annual expenses, owner's pay, project profitability (freelance work, brand deals, etc)
Knowing these numbers will give you clarity into your business and the confidence to make smart decisions moving forward
For example, after reviewing my freelance numbers last year, I discovered how much more profitable design work was compared to writing, so I shifted my focus & efforts towards design

✅ Audit your time

Why? As a creative & business owner, your time is the most valuable thing you have, so you have to protect it relentlessly
If you feel overwhelmed, set aside a few days to figure out what you're working towards, review the past few weeks of your schedule, and ask yourself variations of the following questions:‍
"What am I working on that I don't enjoy?"
"What would I like to be doing more of?"
"Is there anything I could outsource?"