You know most people think we’re idiots, right?

I mean, why would we go through all the trouble of starting our own business when we could just get a job?

We could do as we’re told, quit working at 5pm, and watch TV for the rest of the night. Why make it hard for ourselves?

To be honest, they’re right.

It is a stupid thing to do.

Starting your own business requires a ton of hard work. It takes time and dedication to learn all the skills you need to get off the ground.

You have to know how to write. You have to know how to market. You have to know how to sell.

And we don’t have the luxury to stop thinking about our work when the clock hits 5pm. Once you choose this lifestyle, it creeps into your mind and you find yourself thinking about it all the time.

But once it starts working, man does it feel good. Seeing that hard-earned cash roll in makes it all worth it.

But again, it takes time. Lots of time.

To help you speed up the process, I’ve put together a list of tools and resources for you to use to supercharge your freelance blogging. It ranges from tools to get ideas quicker to resources that will give you a kick in the butt.

All of them are free or have a free plan.

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Stuck in that stuffy office, being a freelance blogger was the ultimate dream: working whenever and wherever you want.

But while my old boss made sure I worked 9-5, my new boss (a.k.a. me) seems to have no trouble with late starts and regular Netflix marathons. As great as that sounds, it’s not so good for the bank balance.

Getting your rear in the seat and doing the work can be a real challenge.

Many of us started freelance blogging because we wanted to be our own bosses, but who knew being your own boss was such a demanding job? You need to manage your time, motivate yourself and, occasionally, crack the whip and hold a disciplinary meeting, all before you even get started on the blogging.

Don’t forget about the inevitable disasters that’ll come along. I’ve been to hospital emergency rooms twice in the last fortnight, which meant at least one day of work up in smoke. No doubt you’ve had your fair share of catastrophe; in my experience, freelancing means you’re always either dealing with an emergency or waiting for the next one.

Whether you’re dealing with the lure of procrastination or the stress of unexpected setbacks, if you don’t work you don’t get paid. Your pay is directly related to your productivity.

Now, I’m no productivity guru. I’m not knocking out 10 posts a day or writing 100 words a minute. I watch way too much TV and love sleeping in. But in spite of my mad procrastination skills, I’m consistently able to hit all my deadlines and keep my clients happy.

The aim of this post isn’t to squeeze every ounce of productivity out of the day, but rather to succeed even if you’re a world class procrastinator. Here’s how to make your working time count, whether you’re dealing with a crisis or just want to binge-watch every episode of Parks and Recreation.

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Congrats! You’ve come far as a freelance blogger.

You’ve been featured on reputable publications. Fellow bloggers come to you for advice. You have engaged subscribers on your email list. The blog posts you create attract comments and shares. Clients find you, leaving you more time to do the stuff you enjoy doing as opposed to feeling like you have to market all the time.

The problem? You’ve grown comfortable.

Maybe you haven’t raised your rates in a while. Perhaps you’re still shying away from pitching some of your favorite blogs and brands because even though you know you’re good, impostor syndrome is making a comeback in the middle of your career. The list of things you ought to learn more about keeps growing, and overwhelm is pissing you off.

Relax. We’ve all been there.

The thing about being a freelance blogger is that there’s always something new to try and something else to improve. And that’s fantastic! Your career will never be boring. (Challenging and occasionally frustrating, yes. But boring? Never.)

So where do you begin with leaving your comfort zone? How do you raise your rates, expand your reach, get more awesome bylines, and update your website? Worry not, we’re here for every step of the way.

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Ah, millennials! Ask most people over fifty and they’ll tell you we’re lazy, entitled, and can’t keep a job for the life of us.

I mean, sure, we do five things at any given time and have a slightly *cue eye roll* unhealthy relationship with our phones.

But does this mean we can’t be extremely efficient?

Must we fight our inherent millennial-ness to actually get shit done? Does wanting flexibility, purpose and a bit of fun in your work mean that you can’t be productive? Are we forever condemned to struggle with short attention spans and insatiable appetites for excitement? (Okay, now I’m just being dramatic).

But here’s what I think. Contrary to popular opinion, you don’t have to use your phone less, stop watching TV, or work at a regular 9-5 to start getting shit done. 

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