Imitate before you create

Trends and experts exist for a reason: they work. The wheel doesn’t need reinventing, and neither does your line of work. Hundreds of thousands of freelancers have walked in your shoes and have paved a way. Walk on that path, embrace it and you’ll make your life significantly easier.
Take a look at the best in your field and steal as much as you can: develop the same habits, use the same techniques, shortcuts, setups, principles – heck, even the color shirts they wear. Fact is: success leaves clues. They aren’t hidden; you just need to look for them and integrate the findings into your own workflow