The 5 Daily Habits Of Successful eLearning Freelancers
The secret to turning eLearning freelancing into a full-time career is self-discipline, focus, and perseverance. It also doesn't hurt to borrow some jewels of wisdom from eLearning freelancers who are highly successful at what they do. More often than not, you'll find that their success hinges on daily habits. As Jim Rohn, the motivational speaker and author once said: "Success is nothing more than a few simple disciplines, practiced every day". Here are 5 items that top notch eLearning freelancing professionals always add to their agendas.
- Rise early and relax.
It's true, there aren't enough hours in the day. It seems like we are always running out of time and cloning ourselves isn't an option, at least not yet. However, if you set your alarm clock to half an hour earlier you might be surprised at how much you can accomplish. This is especially true if you spend this extra time relaxing and regrouping for the day ahead. Eat a good breakfast, take a few minutes to do something you enjoy, and ease yourself into the morning. If you want to take it a step further you can also set aside relaxation "bookends" every day, one when you wake up and when before you go to sleep. Go to bed about half an hour earlier and give your body a breather. Read a good book, do some yoga, or just take your time settling in for the night. Whatever you do, let work go by the wayside for the time being and allow yourself to enjoy a much-needed break. - Create a detailed schedule.
To get the most out of your work day you must have an outline to follow, like a schedule that highlights and manages all of your important eLearning projects. Sit down after your morning relaxation time and create an agenda. Focus on your goals and objectives and branch out from there. For example, you can choose two or three goals that you'd like to concentrate on throughout the day and divide them up into subtasks. At 10 a.m. you will brainstorm ideas for your upcoming eLearning project, then at 11 a.m. you'll start prepping for your meeting tomorrow. Be clear about what you want to achieve during each time period and what tools or resources you'll need for the task. Also, make sure to rank everything in terms of priority so that you take care of the most pressing matters first. It's all about organization and time management. - Set a challenge or goal EVERY day.
Every day should have a theme or focal point. More specifically, a goal, problem, or challenge that you want to overcome. If possible, create a rough outline of how you want the week to go, and assign a particular challenge to each day. For instance, Monday might be the day that you finally sign up for that eLearning conference you've missed every year, while Tuesday is going to be dedicated to building your graphic design skills. Once you set the challenge for yourself, stick to it and don't let distractions stand in your way. Of course, there are going to be times when an emergency arises and you have to postpone your plans. Just be sure to put it on your agenda for the following day and stay focused on the desired outcome. - Self-promotion on a small scale.
You should do at least one thing to promote yourself every day, even if it is simply creating a new post on your social media accounts or making modifications to your online eLearning portfolio. The key is to establish a presence and then maintain it consistently, so that clients know that you are actively pursuing new eLearning projects. This also gives you the opportunity to build your marketing and communication skills, which can be extremely useful if you are inexperienced with the business side of eLearning freelancing. On days that you feel particularly ambitious, you can always self-promote on a grander scale, such as attending a networking conference or sending out eLearning proposals. - Offer guidance and support to others.
One of the most notable things that puts successful eLearning freelancers a cut above the rest is their willingness to help others. They know that offering support, advice, and guidance to other eLearning professionals is worth the time and effort. If they aren't looking at it from an altruistic point of view, they understand that helping those who are less experienced builds relationships. These relationships may one day lead to work. For example, someone who needs assistance now might be involved in a profitable eLearning project in the future. Who will they call upon to collaborate with and offer their expertise? That's right, the eLearning freelancer who supported them in the past. You have to be able to see the domino effect well in advance instead of only looking in the short-term.
Above all else, successful eLearning freelancers give it their all, regardless of what they are doing. Whether you are promoting yourself to a potential client or balancing your books, you must be able to focus on the task at hand and be passionate about your eLearning profession. When business gets tough and you feel like throwing in the towel, remember why you joined the eLearning career in the first place. These are the core values and goals that will fuel you as you move forward. That is what separates top-notch eLearning professionals from the rest.
Are you looking for ways to fine tune your eLearning sales pitch? Read the article Give A Winning eLearning Sales Pitch: 7 Tips For eLearning Freelancers to discover tips that can help you give a winning pitch and stand out from the crowd.
