We’re pretty institutionalised in the UK when it comes to working hours. From aged 4, we’re kind of chained to a desk from 9am-ish. Slowly progressing to longer and longer hours. By the time we hit the world of work, it’s a (somewhat depressing) way of life. And don’t forget bonus weekend working if you’re a high-flyer. Fun times.
I’ve worked for myself since 2013, and until very recently, I’ve always tried to stick to these rigid hours – even as someone needing flexibility around school hours. The 9-5 is kind of emblazoned on my brain. Any deviation results in hardcore guilt and endless shame for not keeping up.
The daft thing is, this is not the best way I work at all. So finally, over the past few months, I’ve been trying to break free of this archaic working habit.
When I worked in a design agency, I would often find myself staring at the screen all day trying to come up with ideas, only to pull everything together at the last minute. This didn’t even change when I worked for myself. Regardless of how long I had on a project, I’d do the same thing. I would set myself loads of nice lovely time, procrastinate my way through many days, screen staring and achieving very little, only to complete the work just before deadline. Nothing had changed.
Now I know me. And I know my brain. I need some procrastination time built in. I need time to let ideas form and visuals percolate. But what I don’t need, I’ve come to realise, is to sit at a desk staring at a screen for this to happen.
This year I committed to a bunch of things that I knew would make my usual working day more inconvenient for work. I do a weekly printmaking class. I signed up to a couple of morning fitness classes. I go swimming. I even partake in the occasional weekday cinema trip. I do the school run too. And work-wise I’ve kicked off this year busier than I’ve been in months.
But surprisingly, with less time to actually fit in the work, I’m less stressed than usual and I’m getting it all done. Of course, I’ve had to adapt this when I need to. My daughter is off school sick today for example, so I’ve re-arranged the project I’m working on for later in the week and switched to work I can do at home. But the awesome thing is, I can easily make that decision without consulting anyone, letting anyone down, and even without impacting my working week that much. Most things will still get done. And I get to keep an eye on my kid instead of forcing her to school feeling like crap and spreading germs all over the show.
I had a massive deadline this week, so I gave myself a mini deadline to help focus my brain. If I got 90% of the presentation finished before 2pm, I could head to the cinema before school pick up. Then finish off the last bit at home after pick up. It worked. The work got done. It got done well. Client is happy. All is good.
The old me would have thought it ridiculous to attempt a cimema visit on a deadline day. The final presentation would have probably been the same regardless, but I would have spent a few extra hours stressing my socks off, doing and re-doing the same things and starting into the screen like an abyss.
My old way would be to schedule a bunch of days to work on a project, but I do much better work, and faster, if I break it into smaller blocks. A few hours to kick off some ideas. Then something else in the afternoon. Develop it more the next day – but not all day. Then do something else. Have a proper weekend off without looking at the project. Then finish it off Monday with a fresh eye. All sorted, job completed with way less faffing than usual. And I fit in fitness, leisure and school sickness. Happy days.
I’m sure I won’t feel so smug every week, these things shift all the time. But we gotta take the wins where we can.
I realise not all jobs can work like this, but freelancing is a rollercoaster ride and you have to take the ups with the downs. Break free from the 9-5 if you can, it’s way funner, and you might even get more done.