“Culture is not an initiative. Culture is the enabler of all initiatives”
For many people, working as a freelancer equates –
- Waking up whenever you want
- Working in your bed, under the blanket, with your cozy pyjamas
- No job stress, no cranky boss – only fun, and leisure.
But as freelancers, we know how much of a myth this is. Managing a freelancing business need something more than supervision and skills because you are competing with yourself. A high-performance work culture lets you offer diversity and keep yourself upbeat all the time. It may be small things like a separate room for work, the perfect time management, or the right communication – but to have a performance culture in your freelancing business will definitely take you to the next level. To me, a high-performing work culture is the flawless balance of T-I-M-E, an acronym for –
T – Time Management
I – Investment Plan And Working Strategies
M – Modelling the right behavior
E – Effective communication
Following the right work culture in freelancing is as important as having a niche or building your skills. It is something that helps us stay bound to the work that we are doing, and undoubtedly affects our productivity as a freelancer. If you are a freelancer and want to make the most out of your freelancing business, building a high-performance work culture at home should be one of your biggest priorities, and here are the levers that will get you on the groove.
5 Levers To Building A High-Performance Work Culture In Freelancing
1. Be a Pro In Time Management
As I mentioned earlier, performance culture is inseparably linked with the right time management skills. The first and the most essential lever in building a high-performance work culture as a work-from-home professional is to separate your hours. You can start by managing your daily tasks and assigning separate time slots for each of them. Applications like Any Do and EverNote will make this task easier for you. For example, if you are working for 6 hours every day, make sure you do not allow any household or other things to clog your time. Schedule intermittent breaks where you can attend calls or do some chores, but do not let anything interfere in the 6 hours that you work.
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2. Have The Right Plan
Figure out what culture you want to see in your freelancing business and start exploring and collecting ideas on how to build it. Here is a sample of the areas you need to focus on to ensure that your thoughts are on the right track.
3. Embrace Feedback
Work culture is always enhanced when there is room for effective communication and feedback. Use your client reviews to understand what areas you need to focus on. Let your recruiters know that you are open to suggestions and ask them to share their experience of working with you. For each project that you complete, make a client response sheet and send it to your client for filling in. alternatively, you can also encourage leaving a review on the freelancing platform that you use, for example, Upwork or Freelancer.
4. Walk an extra mile
Go beyond what is expected of you. Besides improving your reputation and maintaining a great client rapport, the little extra efforts that you give will make you feel more accomplished as a professional. For example, keeping the client up to date with your progress, working on making a great cover for the project you are handling or doing an extra bit of research for adding the touch of perfection to it. Such efforts are vital and the trademark for a high-performance work culture.
5. Enjoy autonomy (but don’t forget discipline)
Freelancers don’t need to be micromanaged, neither do they like being checked on all the time. And that is what makes freelancing so liberating for both the client and the recruiter. But while you make the most of your autonomous business, make sure that you prioritize your timelines and client expectations. Consider aspects like –
- Keeping your workspace clean and organized
- Maintaining a journal for your current research and studies
- Checking with clients as often you need to
- Not entertaining any calls on weekends or after hours
- Putting your words into action
Successful freelancers believe in the benefits of behavior modeling in establishing and maintaining a high performing culture. Your behavior as an independent professional will be a daily reminder to your clients about the quality of work, they can expect from you. Building and maintaining a high-performance culture requires dedication day in and out. As a freelancer, you are expected to be clear in your thought process and proactive to engage in active communication whenever you sense an erosion. So, keep your strategies strong and focus on your actions – as the famous saying goes, “An ounce of performance is worth pounds of promises.”
