When I went full time freelance, I thought I would have more time to focus on interviews, pitches, and other parts of the writing process. Wrong! Somehow it seems like my time is just as short as before, because I've taken on more projects to fill that time and earn more money (not to mention all of the contracts, invoices, etc. that go along with those new projects).
Now that my income is dependent on my output (instead of automatically getting a portion of my salary every two weeks), it's now even more important that I manage my time carefully. Here are some of the time savers I've come up with:
- Use TiVo to zap out ads or watch favorite TV shows online. I don't have TiVo, so I watch Grey's Anatomy online, which is basically the poor girl's TiVo. Even with the 30 second ads, it's quicker than watching it on TV. Plus I can watch on my time.
- Order prescriptions by mail. For me, this option is cheaper AND easier than running to the drug store. They even have email reminders to protect me from my own forgetfulness.
- Sign up for online banking and/or automatic bill pay. My bank keeps PDFs of statements in my account for a year, so I don't have to deal with piles of paper. I also set up an automatic payment for my health insurance so I can't forget or run out of stamps.
- Use RSS to manage feeds. Most of you probably do this already, but if you don't, you can read about my love for Google Reader in this post.
- Use the cell phone on the go. When I used to call my bank or my insurance company, I would sit around and get impatient when they put me on hold. Now I'm folding laundry or walking home from the gym. And instead of returning text messages as soon as I get them, I'm texting as I heat up my lunch or wait for the subway.
So, what's your secret? How do you save time so you can minimize productivity? I'd love to know!