Last month, I said January felt like it was 100 years long. This month, I feel like February flew by in the blink of an eye.
Seriously, I still can't believe it's March already!
But I'm glad it is because that means we're that much closer to warmer weather. Minnesota has seen quite a bit of snow over the last month or so, and I'm about ready for spring. One thing I'm looking forward to is sitting on my patio with a cup of coffee reading—or working, depending on the day! 🤷🏻
Until then, I'll have to manage with fuzzy socks, a heating pad, and the fireplace.
Anyways, February was such a busy month! As someone who felt like my goal of working from home as a full-time freelancer was just beyond my reach, I can't even begin to explain how grateful I am to be so busy! There are some days when I feel overwhelmed but then I remember how hard I worked to get this far and I really wouldn't have it any other way.
Here's a look back at February and a peek at what I'm hoping to accomplish in March.
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February Goal Review
February was a whirlwind. I didn't expect the month to be quite as busy as it was and while I am so happy freelance writing business is going well, there has been a learning curve when it comes to balancing everything I want to do with my growing workload. I managed to accomplish most of the smaller tasks on my list in February, but the bigger ones proved to be a little more difficult.
Top Priority
Launching my new website ❌ – I'm ALMOST done with it, I swear! I made a lot of progress at the beginning of the month but it went downhill from there. It WILL get done this month, though!
Monthly Action Items
- Create an editorial/content calendar for March ✅
- Pixistock Branding Course ❌
Weekly Action Items
- Publish at least 1 new blog post each week ✅
- Input new interviews in WordPress and schedule to post on appointed days ✅
- Make 2 new pins for old blog posts ✅
Daily Action Items
- Approve and reply to blog comments ✅
- Daily gratitude list ✅
- Read from a personal development/nonfiction/business book ❌
Blog Post I Published in February
My new interview series, Creatives in the Spotlight, is off to such a great start! So far, I've shared interviews with three amazing creatives who have shared their journey and tips for success. The best part? I've got many more lined up! One I'm really looking forward to sharing is with Anna Osgoodby and Mallory Musante of Bold and Pop. So, stay tuned!
Along with the interviews, I also published quite a few new posts.
- Best of January 2019
- An Interview with Michelle Murphy: Lawyer to Small Businesses & Creatives
- The Secret to a Successful Side Hustle
- 5 Tips to Create a Professional & Feminine Website
- 5 Mistakes Freelance Writes Make in Their First Year
- An Interview With Teacher & Calligrapher: Rebecca Fletcher
- How to Turn Your Blog into a Money-Making Side Hustle
Free Tools I've Been Loving
Grammarly – Grammarly still continues to be one of my top tools. It saves me so much time with editing and I really love the built-in thesaurus feature! If you haven't checked it out yet, you definitely should! Grammarly sends progress emails each week and shows things like how many words you wrote for the week and where you rank in different areas compared to other Grammarly users. Since I started using it, I've noticed steady improvements in my writing, which is backed up by my weekly progress reports. It's worth the investment!
My favorite Blog Posts from February
- How to Create a Client Welcome Packet (Ashlyn Writes)
- The Anatomy of an Email Newsletter (Aleia Walker)
- How to Open Your Blog Up for Guest Bloggers + Find Bloggers to Guest Post (Twins Mommy)
- How to Make Smart Business Investments as a Freelance Writer (Creative Revolt)
Books I Loved in February
- A Curse So Dark & Lonely by Brigid Kemmerer
- The Wicked King by Holly Black
- One of Us is Lying by Karen M. McManus
- Last Woman Standing by Amy Gentry
Interested in getting a FREE book? Use my link to sign up for a Book of the Month membership and you'll receive a free new release hardcover book of your choice! I always look forward to the first of the month when the new selections are released for Book of the Month. Check it out here.
Magic Moment of February
I've been fairly lucky so far in my freelance writing career because I've acquired a lot of my clients through referrals from previous/current clients rather than having to send a lot of pitches. Still, it always feels great when a client sends a friend to me and that's exactly what happened in February! Because of a great referral, I landed a contract with a new client. Client referrals are awesome because they're proof that I'm providing great service and finished work for my clients. That's one thing that helps me get through those moments when I feel like I'm getting hit with a case of imposter syndrome.
March Goals
Luckily, I'm starting to learn how to forecast my month in terms of workload, and I know March is going to be very similar to February. So, I'm not going to try to take on too much extra stuff at once. Here's what I've got planned for March and how I've structured my Powersheets planner for March.
Top Priority
This is probably an obvious choice, but my top priority in March is launching my new website. My goal is to have it up and running by March 31st!
Monthly Action Items
- Read 10 books
- Collect testimonials from current clients
- Create a content calendar for Facebook pages (House to Home & K. Jenison Writes)
Weekly Action Items
- Publish at least 1 new blog post each week
- Input new interviews in WordPress and schedule to post on appointed days
- Invite 2 people to participate in Creatives in the Spotlight series
Daily Action Items
- Approve and reply to blog comments
- Daily gratitude list
- Read from a personal development/nonfiction/business book
Alright, I think that’s everything. Be sure to check out my previous roundups to see the other freebies and goodies I’ve recommended in the past!
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