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. 

“Time is money”… whether you like it or not.

After all, the faster you write, the more money you earn by the hour on per-post or per-project rates.

When I started freelance blogging, it took me a long time to get 500 words done – about one afternoon, I’d say. I realized that, if this was going to be my main income, I’d have to boost my productivity so I could get more writing done in a day.

So, I started googling articles on productivity and drew on fellow freelancer’s experiences to try to find out what would best suit me.

But here’s the thing, though: most productivity methods just didn’t do the trick for me.

For instance: almost every article I read quoted the Pomodoro Technique, which can be great for certain activities but, as a writer, it didn’t do me any good. In fact, some productivity methods just made me anxious, which ended doing more harm than good.

After gathering a few bits and pieces of many different blog posts and testing out a few methods of my own, I came up with six hacks to speed up my writing. In a matter of weeks, I went from writing 500 words in an afternoon to 1000 words in an hour.

It’s finally happened. You’ve landed your dream gig.

You’ll be writing for an existing business blog in your favorite industry. The work is consistent, and the pay is amazing.

Then, when you’re in the middle of discussing potential blog topics with your new client, it happens.

You discover they have no idea who their company’s audience is.

Your stomach drops as you realize this gig isn’t going to be as smooth as you envisioned. Your dream job is quickly turning into a nightmare…

As a fellow freelance blogger, I’ve been there. And the truth is that while there is a way to solve this issue, you need to be cautious. Learn from my experiences in how to build a blog audience for a client who’s been doing it all wrong:

Do you dream of making a living as a freelance blogger in Thailand?

Let’s get this straight off the bat: Thailand is not only the Land of Smiles, but also the Land of Silk and Money. Getting the relevant visa AND a work permit (and making it as hassle-free as possible) will cost you a tidy sum.

This is a pain, particularly for writers who are just starting out.

I’m guilty of not playing safe. Holding a valid business visa but not a work permit, I took my first freelance actions in a grey area.

As time was marching on and the expiry date of my visa coming dangerously close, the prospect of ending up in the notorious Bangkok Hilton felt throat-tightening. It was about time I arranged for a new visa, and this time a work permit as well.

If you’re moving to Thailand or are blogging here already, why take the risk of the grey area becoming black-and-white?

I know an ironclad way to cut through Thailand’s red tape. Hang on, I’ll pass you the scissors in a moment.