Position Yourself for Success: The Top 5 Things Freelancers Should Be Doing in 2023
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This new year, there will be a lot of disruption in the freelancing world and the gig economy. We have had the emergence of ChatGPT, an AI that can do practically everything from writing software codes, thesis, and social media content to proffering solutions to everyday issues. Guys, this looks like the next big thing, and a few people will definitely lose their jobs to this. But guess what? We won’t be among them!
Also, we will see many other advancements in how we process payments as Web3 adoption continues at an increased pace.
Due to these happenings, efficiency will definitely improve, and there won’t be time for redundancy. In the middle of these, as a freelancer who wants to scale and be productive in the new year, you need to have a goal and a solid plan on how you intend to achieve your goals in the new year.
In today’s post, I will discuss 5 ways to set realistic goals to help you align with the ever-changing world of freelancing and remote working.
-Start by setting SMART goals:
I know you have heard or seen this for the umpteenth time, but it is always relevant and will forever be relevant. SMART stands for Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-bound.
It means that your goals should be specific and defined clearly. Also, your goals should be measured and tracked, realistic and attainable given your present resources and circumstances, relevant to your future career goals, and have a deadline for completion.
Using myself as an example, one of my goals for 2023 is to add technical SEO analyst to my skill before November. I intend to use the Blue array academy to do this, and I plan to round up in 10 months. This is not a complete SMART GOAL, but if you explore it well, you will see everything in a summarized version. I simply need to expand it, and I will have my SMART GOALS.
-Set both short-term and long-term goals.
It’s essential to have set both short-term goals that you can work towards in the immediate future and long-term goals that will take more time and effort to achieve. This will help you stay focused and motivated and ensure that you’re constantly making progress toward your overall career objectives.
I hope you take your goal-setting seriously in the new year. Professionally, I intend to master deeply on-page SEO trends like link building, alt and tags alignment, advanced keyword distribution, and others. I should be done in the first quarter of the year.
Of course, this short goal won’t affect my long-term goal of becoming a tech SEO analyst in November. Instead, it will make it easier for me.
-Be flexible and adaptable.
As a freelancer or remote worker, you must be receptive to change and willing to adapt your goals as needed. This might mean adjusting your plans in response to new opportunities or challenges that arise, or revisiting and adjusting your goals if you find that you’re not making the progress you had hoped for.
For example, in the intro of this newsletter, I explained how AIs are trying to change how we work as writers. My current boss at work already suggested that I learn how some AI works and incorporate them into writing my content.
So this may affect my short-term goal as I will have to respond to this challenge. It can also serve as an opportunity for me as it means less time in writing, freeing more space for me to explore other things and earn more on the side.
All this is because I am flexible and adaptable to changes. There are some who will lose their jobs to AIs as I said. If I stop writing today because of AI, I can easily transition into a content strategy handling scheduling the type of content AIs write, edit them, and also create strategies on distribution.
Get to work, my friend!
-Seek out support and resources.
Feel free to reach out to others for help or guidance as you work towards your goals. This might mean joining a professional organization or networking group, seeking a mentor or coach, or finding online resources or communities to provide support and advice. There are many communities around you, and if you ever need help in that, you can always reach out to me, and I will link you up.
-Keep track of your progress and celebrate your achievements.
It’s essential to regularly review your progress and celebrate your achievements, no matter how small they may seem.
This will help you stay motivated and focused and give you a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction as you work towards your goals.
Don’t wait till you get to the finish line. As you complete a module, make yourself happy. When I started as an intern, the website I worked on was close to page 100 on Google SERP. After 30 days, We moved to the top 30 after writing and posting consistently on the website.
When I heard this, I took myself out and treated myself to a nice meal. It is a way of saying thank you to myself for staying energized and also to prepare for more work.
So there you have it. I am rooting for you, champ! In 2023, we all must be intentional with everything we do to be productive. And it starts with the kind of goal we set and the plans we make to achieve them. As a freelancer and remote worker, if you follow up with these tips, your 2023 will be better than the last year.
TEA:
I am starting a video content series to help more people get started with freelancing, remote working, and marketing.
Every Thursday, the content of my newsletter will be recorded and uploaded to Tiktok and Facebook for people who also want to watch the teachings. Kindly share my TikTok link with your friends so they can follow and engage.
I wish you a productive new week.
Let’s get to work!
Peng_writer.
