You probably don’t think about it when you’re busy working as a freelance writer, but there’s a constant battle between being creative and productive. Some writers need to rein in their creativity in order to complete work on time. Meanwhile, others can create lots of content, but it lacks a certain originality.

In this post, we’ll look at some of the ways you can harness both creativity and productivity to help you stay sane and focused as a writer.

Balancing Creativity With Results

As a freelance writer, you need to be creative and productive. Your creative side will help you generate new ideas and communicate clearly, while your productive side will help you write on demand and meet deadlines.

Unfortunately, the conditions that help your creative side tend to be the opposite of what helps your productivity. More creativity typically leads to less productivity, and vice versa.

Productivity suffers when you need to figure out how to link ideas together, when to refer to a statistic or how to conclude an article. You need to slow down and think more creatively. Yes, your writing pace will slow down, but this is okay; sometimes, you need to spend 30 minutes on a single sentence in order to make sure you communicate your ideas clearly.

Here are some ways to help you balance your creative and productive sides more successfully, so you can improve the quality and quantity of your output.

1. Read a Variety of Content

To fuel your creative side, it’s important to read a wide range of content. Keep a file of all the ideas that inspire you. When you next need some inspiration to boost your productivity, you can refer to this document.

2. Work on Multiple Projects

Some productivity experts recommend working on multiple projects simultaneously. While this doesn’t suit everyone, some writers find it helpful to have another project to turn to when they need a break from an existing one. Taking on different topics will open your eyes, give you a fresh perspective, and can boost your productivity.

3. Shift Gears When You Hit a Dead End

In a similar way, it’s important to take a break when you hit a dead end. You might think that the most productive strategy would be to stick with it until you find the right ideas or words, but this can waste a lot of time. If something isn’t working, let it go; you’ll be more productive in the long run.

4. Switch Between Being Creative and Productive

When you sit down to work, do you have time to explore ideas, or do you need to write as much of your first draft as possible? Knowing your aim – creative or productive – will ensure you focus on one or the other.

If you feel more creative in the morning, use this time for developing content ideas. Then plan your productive periods around these sessions.

5. Optimize Your Environment

To limit distractions, switch off your phone and close the multiple browser tabs on your screen. Take your laptop to the local cafe, or put on your favorite pair of slippers if you’re working from home. Whatever works, adjust your personal environment to maximize productivity.

6. Disrupt Your Routine

Small adjustments to your writing routine can make a big difference to your creativity and productivity. Step away from your computer. Make a sandwich, read a chapter of a book, or listen to music. Creativity is enhanced by new experiences, so it’s healthy to change your routine once in a while.

7. Use Exercise

A recent study published in the Journal of Experimental Psychology found that walking increased creative thinking for 81 percent of participants. Daily walking helped some of the world’s greatest thinkers; Charles Darwin, Friedrich Nietzsche, Charles Dickens, and Ludwig van Beethoven all used long walks to stimulate creative thinking.

8. Set Hourly Goals

Break up your workday into portions of time with specific objectives in mind. For example, in the first hour focus on brainstorming ideas. In the second hour, choose one idea and make an outline. In the third hour, write a first draft, and so on. Knowing when to be creative or productive helps to focus your mind on each specific task.

9. Use the Power of Naps

If you haven’t tried napping in the afternoon, you may want to reconsider it to improve your writing productivity. A NASA study found that a 40-minute nap improved performance of tired pilots and astronauts by 34 percent, and boosted their alertness by 100 percent. A 2006 study of physicians and nurses showed that those who napped for around 25 minutes performed better and completed tasks more quickly.

Closing Thoughts

You can blame a lack of creativity or productivity on distractions around you, but it’s often the choices you make that block progress. If you want to be more creative and productive, you need to know how to maximize both. You can then begin to separate creative tasks from productive tasks so you can improve the results of each.

Sometimes, you just need to prepare yourself to be ready for when creativity strikes, and schedule more productive tasks around these creative periods. Allowing a little chaos into your writing routine can actually make you a better writer.