Working as a freelancer has some great perks. You get to choose your own projects and lounge in your pajamas all day long while you munch on chips all day. Doesn’t that sound like the perfect job? Yes… and no. Being a freelancer means you might be working with clients from different time zones, and this means being active when they are to go over the projects’ details. Sometimes, you have to up in the middle of the night to participate in a call. While it doesn’t always happen, it may take a toll on you over time. However, with the right strategies, you can adhere to a healthy schedule even when dealing with different time zones.
Meal Prep
Working different time zones means your working hours are also odd. What’s considered lunchtime for you may already be dinnertime for one client and breakfast for another. With a different working schedule, it’s easy to forget about meals, especially when there’s currently a lot you have to deal with. Therefore, to solve this solution, prep your meals ahead of time, so that when it’s time for you to eat, you just have to grab something from the fridge. Meal prepping also ensures that you are actually eating healthy meals and not junk food.
Stick to a Sleep Schedule
It may be hard to find the perfect sleep schedule when your clients are on a different time zone but do note that it’s also hard to perform well at work when you’re getting inadequate amounts of sleep every day. Organize your work schedule and figure out what sleep schedule would work best for it. Make sure you actually stick to the schedule, too. The stricter you are with your sleep schedule, the easier it will be for you to stick with the habit.
Go Outside
One downside to working at home with different hours is that you’re stuck at home a lot. You might not be able to experience the outdoors a lot, and this is not good for you in the long run. When time permits, try working in a different setting, whether it be the park or a café. Working away from home can liven up an otherwise monotonous day and can also give off fresh air you wouldn’t normally get when stuck indoors.
Get Organized
Working for different clients means keeping track of project details and time zones a lot. To help you with keep track of deadlines and time zones, make use of organizational tools/apps that are useful to you. You can choose to write it all down on a diary, or if you want to go digital, install a calendar app that can convert time zones. Assign a color for each time zone so you don’t get confused when going through your tasks.