13 Proven Ways To Lower Freelance Project Time Management Stress

Freelance work can be its reward: you get to work on your schedule, from the comfort of your home (or a coffee shop). But it can also be stressful especially when it comes to project time management.

Deadlines can creep up on you when you least expect it, and juggling multiple projects simultaneously can feel overwhelming if you don’t have the right tools at your disposal.

The stress of freelance project time management is one of the most common reasons freelancers go back to traditional full-time jobs. So how do you deal with stress like this? Here are 13 proven ways that I’ve found successful over my years as a part-time freelancer:

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Takeaways
1. Prioritize tasks based on importance and urgency.
2. Break down projects into smaller, manageable tasks.
3. Set realistic deadlines and create a schedule.
4. Avoid multitasking and focus on one task at a time.
5. Delegate non-core or time-consuming tasks.
6. Use productivity tools and apps to streamline workflow.
7. Take regular breaks to recharge and avoid burnout.
8. Practice effective communication with clients and collaborators.
9. Set boundaries and manage client expectations.
10. Develop effective time estimation skills.
11. Learn to say no to additional work when necessary.
12. Implement effective time tracking methods.
13. Continuously evaluate and adjust your time management strategies.

Table of Contents

1. Be Honest

As a freelancer, you often feel pulled between being honest with yourself and your client. You want to be as transparent as possible, but sometimes it’s hard to know what exactly they want to hear. The best way I’ve found is just being honest about the situation:

First and foremost, you should be honest with yourself. Are you going to get this done on time? If not, address it now rather than later when there are more consequences involved (like losing money).

Then there’s honesty with your client and here comes another hard lesson: clients don’t always have all of their facts straight either!

It’s important for both sides in any project or transaction where money is involved (which is pretty much all transactions) that both parties are informed about what needs doing and why it needs doing at certain times during the process.

This can sometimes lead to a back-and-forth between parties until everyone agrees on what should happen next but that doesn’t mean there won’t still be issues along the way or disagreements over who does what first/second/third etcetera…

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2. Be Realistic

There’s a reason that cliché exists: it works. You can’t expect to complete the impossible, or even just difficult things without setting realistic goals for yourself.

If you have five weeks to complete a task but only spend two of those weeks working on it and then realize at the end that you won’t be able to finish in time (because something happened), then your project will fail.

Don’t set yourself up for failure by being unrealistic about what’s possible in terms of deadlines and workloads.

3. Create A Plan

You can’t manage time effectively without a plan. You need to know what tasks have to be done and when they need to be completed.

A good time management system helps you:

Be more productive by knowing the next steps in your workflow. This will enable you to keep on top of everything and focus on what needs your attention at any given moment.

Be more efficient by prioritizing tasks according to their importance and urgency, which will save time in the long run; it will also help ensure that no important deadlines are missed along the way.

Have more confidence because you are aware of what has been achieved so far, as well as when each task is due for completion.

Gives you an idea of how far ahead/behind schedule things currently stand compared with where they should ideally be once all upcoming deadlines have passed successfully without any major hiccups occurring due to too many unexpected setbacks cropping up unexpectedly.

Along the way towards reaching those final stages which might otherwise have resulted from unforeseen circumstances arising unexpectedly had things gone wrong during certain stages prior thereto (e…

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4. Set Milestones

Milestones are important because they help you to keep track of your progress. They can also be useful if you are working on a team, as they can help your teammates to see what they need to do next to complete their part of the project.

The more people involved in a project, the more likely it is that one person’s work will depend on another person’s work. Milestones help you and your team members know where everyone is at with their tasks so that nothing gets overlooked or forgotten about during the process.

You should set milestones for both yourself and your clients so that everyone knows what is expected from them by when and how long each stage will take.

By setting these expectations up front, everyone knows exactly what needs to be done before moving on to the next stage of development (or delivery).

This helps prevent last-minute panic or stress over whether or not all tasks have been completed correctly before handing over work for review by an external party such as an employer or client

5. Create Deadlines

You know the importance of deadlines. They help you stay on track, focused, and motivated. It is important to create deadlines for yourself, your clients, and the project itself. Setting a deadline for yourself will enable you to meet any other deadlines that are set by your client or project.

Setting a deadline will ensure that all aspects of the project are completed on time so that they can be delivered to your client when they need them most.

Deadlines also allow you to stay organized and on schedule because there is no room for procrastination or slacking off when a real deadline has been set in place

6. Create A Schedule That Works… For You

One of the most important things you can do to lower your freelance project time management stress is to create a schedule that works…for you. A schedule that works for you will be stickable in the long run.

It doesn’t matter what kind of schedule it is a strict one, a loose one with lots of wiggle room, or whatever else as long as it works for you!

Your freelance project time management stress will be reduced when:

Your Schedule Is Reasonably Strict Enough To Keep You On Track But Not Too Rigid That It Causes Frustration Or Tedium To The Point Where You Want To Give Up Before Finishing
Your Schedule Takes Into Account Your Own Needs And Work Ethic To Prevent Frustration From Overworking Yourself Of Being Underpaid For The Amount Of Work You Put In

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7. Know Where You Can Cut Corners

Know what you can and cannot do. This might sound obvious, but it’s an important step in time management. Do you know how long things will take? Can you delegate a task to someone else? Would outsourcing be faster than doing it yourself?

Is there something that can be cut from your project that may seem like a big deal, but isn’t necessary for its completion (like a logo designer who wants $500 for their services)?

Do you have other freelancers on speed dial who would do the same thing for free or cheaper if given the chance!

8. Have A Backup Plan

If you have a backup plan in place, the last thing you’ll be worrying about is how to finish your freelance project on time. But don’t just have a backup plan; make sure it’s realistic and simple to implement.

For instance, if you’re working with an agency that provides training materials as part of their service offering.

Then having a backup plan that involves asking them for help may not be as effective or easy to implement as one that involves buying your copy of whatever resource they’re using so that you can use it yourself at home (while still allowing them access if necessary).

Finally and this is important the client needs to know about your backup plan in advance so they can make informed decisions about which direction they want their project to go (or even whether or not they want one at all).

9. Find A Quiet Place To Work Except When You Don’t Need It To Be Quiet

You should also find a place that has the right amount of noise.
(If you’re in an open office and taking your lunch break, it’s perfectly OK to find somewhere quieter.)
The same thing applies to the temperature you can make it too hot or too cold.

Finally, your environment should be comfortable. Your back should not be hurting from sitting in a chair that isn’t ergonomic enough for you. You shouldn’t feel like you’re being attacked by the air conditioning when you sit down for work; instead, it should be soothing and relaxing.

10. Don’t Feel Guilty About Taking Breaks

This is a big one. When you’re stressed out and overwhelmed, it’s easy to feel guilty about taking breaks from work to clear your head and get some perspective.

But taking a break isn’t the same thing as slacking off or not doing the work at all! It’s important to know that you have every right in the world to take a break when you need one, even if it means temporarily stepping away from your client’s project.

So don’t feel guilty about taking time off when necessary; only stop being so hard on yourself once you’ve gotten back into gear again!

Nervous about your first freelancing gig? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. Check out our guide on how to ace your first freelancing gig for valuable tips and strategies to make a positive impression and succeed in your inaugural project.

11. Stick To The Schedule

It’s important to stick to your schedule. If you don’t, you are likely to feel overwhelmed, like you’re not making progress, procrastinate and have trouble staying focused.

The best way to avoid these things is by sticking with your time management plan and following your schedule religiously! Here’s how:

Block Out Deadlines On Your Calendar

Deadlines for each project should be set in stone for them not only to be met but exceeded.

When it comes time for a deadline approaching or past, add or remove some of their tasks from the list accordingly so that nothing gets left out or pushed back too late (which can happen when freelancers wait until the last minute).

12. Look At The Big Picture At Least Once A Day, Better Twice A Day

Look at the big picture at least once a day. You’re working on a large project, and it feels like there are so many small things that need to be done before you can move ahead.

It’s easy to get caught up in one particular task or set of tasks, which only serves to make your stress levels rise because you feel like nothing is making any progress.

However, if you take time once a day (or even better twice) just to step back and look at what your larger goals are for this project as well as the general progress that has been made over the past couple of days (or week), then it will help put things into perspective for you.

13. Ask For Help If You Need It And Communicate Clearly With Your Client A

You’re a freelancer, which means that you work for yourself. You don’t have an office or a boss to assign tasks to. You need to be self-sufficient and able to manage your own time, clients, and projects. But sometimes it might feel like there are too many things happening at once.

That’s why I created this guide to help you make sure you stay on top of things while maintaining your sanity in the process.

Here are some ways that will help:

Always keep your client in the loop about deadlines and progress updates; don’t let anything slip through the cracks! Your client should know what stage of production their project is currently at so they can make changes if needed (and tell everyone else what those changes are).

It’s also important for them not only because it gives them peace of mind but also because it shows respect for their time as clients who pay good money for services rendered by professionals like us developers/designers/etcetera…

Planning can be challenging for freelancers who dislike traditional approaches. If you’re one of them, our guide on time management for freelancers who hate to plan offers alternative techniques and insights to help you effectively manage your time and projects.

Conclusion

In the end, time management stress has one real solution: time management. The most effective goal for freelancers is to always be working on something that brings them closer to their goals.

For some people, that means starting the day with a project they love and ending it with the one they don’t. For others, it involves scheduling out their weeks so that every day has at least something enjoyable or relaxing in store for them.

Whatever your methods might be, remember that no freelance project is worth sacrificing your sanity over! After all, you’re doing this for yourself and your future clients will appreciate a professional who does not have time management stress issues as well.

FAQs

What are some common time management challenges faced by freelancers?

Freelancers often struggle with juggling multiple projects, setting priorities, and maintaining a work-life balance.

How can I improve my time management skills as a freelancer?

To enhance your time management skills, consider setting clear goals, creating schedules or routines, using productivity tools, and practicing effective delegation.

Are there any specific time management techniques for freelancers?

Yes, there are various time management techniques that can benefit freelancers, such as the Pomodoro Technique, time blocking, and implementing task batching.

How can effective time management contribute to freelancer success?

Effective time management allows freelancers to meet deadlines, deliver high-quality work, maintain client satisfaction, and create more opportunities for growth and success.

What are some recommended productivity tools for freelancers?

Popular productivity tools for freelancers include project management software like Trello or Asana, time tracking tools like Clockify or Toggl, and task management apps like Todoist or Any.do.

Costantine Edward

Costantine Edward is a digital marketing expert, freelance writer, and entrepreneur who helps people attain financial freedom. I’ve been working in marketing since I was 18 years old and have managed to build a successful career doing what I love.