My Freelance “Spring Cleaning” Routine

Spring is finally here! 🌸

It's the perfect time to revitalize your freelance writing biz. Spring isn't just about tidying up our physical spaces; it's also an opportunity to declutter our minds, reevaluate our goals, and breathe new life into our creative pursuits.

LinkedIn Refresh

I re-optimize my LinkedIn every week if I’m actively looking for clients. If I’m just networking, I refresh it every 3 months or so. Here’s how.

1. Update headline
1. Add keywords your clients might use to find you like, "content writer" or "copywriter" or "freelance writer"
2. Include your industry/niche
3. Mess around with it! You never know what’ll perform best until you try
2. Update your Featured Section to show your latest portfolio pieces / bylines OR links to your services and discovery call calendar – add custom graphics for each one like this:

3. Schedule some posts (try to aim for 1-2 a week) – need ideas? 👇
1. Share your availability
2. Show your expertise in a helpful way,
3. Share your work and the results of that work
4. Share your bylines
5. Share your portfolio updates
4. Refresh your banner &/or photo (optional)
5. Update your “About” - check out the Get Clients Guide for templates

Schedule

Set your schedule to serve you all year (or at least for the next quarter!). I'm trying to be more proactive this year with scheduling my time off (instead of waiting til I'm burnt out and being disappointed by my days off). I even got a Big Ass Calendar, and that's helping so much!

Set boundaries with yourself as a business owner – otherwise, you’ll get too consumed by work and end up feeling like you never truly get a break. Schedule your breaks and treat these days as “billable hours” because these rest/strategy days are vital to the health of your business (and your creativity).

Here are some days you might want to block off:

• One half-day each week dedicated to creative work OR admin/CEO work specifically for me (not for work!)
• At least one weekend each month to take off completely (meaning no computer or phone work either)
• Trips, staycations, family time
• Days before and after holidays
• The first Monday of each month as a strategy-focused day to set up that month and tie up any loose ends of the previous month’s to-do list.

Clean-Up

We gotta tidy up something… it’s spring cleaning, after all! Here are some ideas:

• Clean up your computer, I back up my whole computer on two external hard drives (two full copies, you never know when a hard drive will die) and then use Clean my Mac. I also clean my screen and keyboard 🧼
• Tidy your office/workspace
• Organize something that’s been frustrating you
• Re-organize your digital life like your Google Drive, Email, Desktop screenshots, downloads folder, Project Management tool, update your client roster, clean off your desktop (anyone else have a million screen shots on there?), etc.

Pricing Guide

Now’s a great time to update your pricing guide! Don’t forget to re-calculate your rates too. 🤑

Website / Portfolio

If you have a website or portfolio, it’s time to give it a refresh!

• Update your About Page with your latest stats, niche, and life changes
• Update your portfolio with case studies for your new clients
• Add new client logos to your services page or portfolio