So, you’re a freelancer. Congratulations! You get to do what you love and make your own hours. But let’s be honest: the ability to make your own hours is also one of the main reasons freelancers struggle with time management.
We’ve all been there in the middle of a project, we take a break to watch an episode of our favorite TV show and suddenly it’s two hours later and we’re behind schedule. Freelancing requires willpower and self-discipline (and coffee) if you’re going to succeed.
With that in mind, here are some tips for better time management as a freelancer so you can stay on top of your work and still have some free time left over for all those Netflix binges
| Takeaways |
|---|
| 1. Mastering time management is crucial for freelance success. |
| 2. Boost confidence in freelancing to excel in the gig economy. |
| 3. Implement quick and easy ways to increase freelance income. |
| 4. Prepare effectively for the Upwork Readiness Test. |
| 5. Stay updated on the evolving landscape of freelancing. |
| 6. Learn from the success stories of young freelancers. |
| 7. Embrace changes in the digital workforce and adapt accordingly. |
| 8. Prioritize work-life balance to avoid burnout. |
| 9. Optimize productivity and meet deadlines as a freelancer. |
| 10. Utilize effective time management techniques to overcome challenges. |
Split Projects Into Tasks
It is essential to break down large projects into smaller, manageable tasks.
Your tasks should be small enough that you can complete them in a short time. This will help you measure your progress and prevent you from getting overwhelmed by the enormity of a project.
Tasks should also be achievable and repeatable; this will help ensure that your freelance time management is effective and efficient in the long term.
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Focus On The Greatest Immediate Needs
It’s easy to get distracted by future projects and lingering tasks but to be productive and make progress in any area of your life especially work you have to focus on what’s right in front of you.
In other words, don’t worry about the future or about what has happened before; instead, focus on what will help you achieve your goals now.
The same goes for time management: if there’s something important and urgent that needs doing now (such as responding to an email), do it immediately. Then move on to other things that require attention from this moment onward until all immediate demands have been met.
Create Daily To-Do Lists
Use a calendar. The best way to get things done is to schedule them. If you have a lot going on, start by setting up what we call a “daily tasks” calendar: a simple list of things that need doing each day, with each task assigned its day.
That way you can see at a glance what needs doing and when it’s due.
Create lists of tasks. If your job is more complex, create separate lists for different types of projects or assignments this will help you prioritize those items appropriately during the week or month ahead and make sure everything gets done on time! For example:
Create separate task lists based on client deadlines these are probably going to be urgent so they should be worked on first; then move on to other projects once they’re complete
Create another set of tasks based on their estimated level of difficulty or importance; work through these sequentially until all are completed
Don’t Be A Perfectionist
Perfectionism is a trap that can lead to procrastination and inaction. It’s often the reason why people don’t start their blogs, or why they never send out their resumes.
Perfectionism leads you to believe that you have to get everything right before you even begin the task at hand. That’s simply not true! Don’t let perfectionism stop you from taking action!
The key here is focusing on the end goal, not on how long it takes to complete tasks along the way or whether or not everything turns out exactly as planned.
If your goal is merely to complete an assignment for school, then do so without getting bogged down in details like grammar and spelling mistakes (or whatever else).
On top of that, remember that there will always be room for improvement in any project so don’t be afraid if one thing doesn’t go exactly according to plan!
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Build In Time For Distractions
One of the biggest mistakes that freelancers make when it comes to time management is not allowing for distractions.
We all know them: emails, phone calls, text messages, and other people’s demands on your time. I’m not going to lie; this can be hard if you’re trying to focus on getting a project done.
But if you don’t allow yourself some time for interruptions and let’s face it, they are inevitable you’ll eventually get frustrated and resentful because you have so much work stacked up while other people waste their time on social media or gossiping with colleagues over lunch.
So how do we deal? By building in an “interruption” buffer into our schedules! For example: If I’ve got two hours of work planned for one day (that’s a pretty long stretch).
Then I’ll plan three hours into my schedule just so that I can handle any unexpected detours or emergencies that come up throughout the day without worrying about missing out on valuable billable hours before clocking out at 5 p.m.
Set A Timer To Get Things Done Faster
Set a timer for the amount of time you need to complete your priority task.
A simple way to get things done faster is by setting a timer for your priority task. This will help you focus on one thing at a time and not be distracted by other tasks that are not as important.
If you’re using an app on your phone, just set the timer and let it go until it goes off. If you don’t have access to an app, try using the timer on your computer or even a kitchen timer!
Prioritize Your Tasks So You Know What Needs To Be Done First
The first step in prioritizing your tasks is to figure out what needs to be done. Then, think about the importance of each task. The most important tasks should always get done first.
Then, think about how urgent they are. Urgent tasks need to happen right away or they’ll cause problems for you and others around you (or worse!).
Next, look at how much you like doing each task and do those that you enjoy more first.
Because they’ll likely motivate you more than others would if left until later in your day/week/month/year/life as well as reduce stress levels by making them easier to complete compared with other things on our list!
Finally, look at what kind of money comes along with doing each job before deciding which ones should be tackled first;
Maybe one pays better than another but takes longer so we’d recommend getting started on that one instead because it’s worth having less cash than comfortability when working long hours like this every day.
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Break Up Large Projects Into Smaller, More Manageable Chunks
When you’re working on a large project, it’s easy to get overwhelmed by the number of steps involved. If you look at it from a distance, everything seems like an insurmountable mountain that stretches on and on forever.
The more you think about it, the harder it becomes to imagine how all those little steps fit together into one cohesive whole.
If this sounds familiar, then try breaking up your project into smaller tasks one- or two-day projects that will help get all those small pieces done. You can then put them back together again when they’re complete!
Delegate Menial Tasks
A lot of people think that delegating menial tasks is a bad idea, but it’s one of the best ways to get more done. You can delegate small and simple tasks that you know someone else can complete just as well as you can.
This will free up your time for bigger projects and allow you to work on things that require a higher level of skill and experience.
Delegating can also help you build relationships with other people who are interested in working with freelancers like yourself. If they do a good job, they might be able to help out on future projects or even join your team permanently!
Make The Most Of Your Spare Time
When you’re working as a freelancer, there’s not much else to do but work. And if you’re anything like me, having free time means being able to enjoy some of life’s pleasures: reading a book, watching Netflix, and eating ice cream…all at the same time!
However, there are also ways that you can use this extra time more productively. Here are some ideas for making the most out of your downtime:
- Use your lunch break to get something done.
- Use your commute home from work (or wherever) as an opportunity to get something done.
- Use your coffee break-in between tasks as an opportunity to get something done.
- If nothing is pressing on the agenda, try using these breaks as opportunities to do what needs to get done before it becomes urgent.
Some people prefer working alone; others need rejuvenation after long hours at their desks. There are a few different options here depending on how energized or exhausted one feels after completing a task list full of items requiring creativity or focus.
If possible, try taking advantage of some non-work time activities such as watching TV shows (if they aren’t too engaging), and reading books (if they aren’t too distracting).
Listening to podcasts about topics unrelated to work/life balance issues (if those interests aren’t already filled by other podcasts).
Take Advantage Of Those Little Bits Of Time That Can Often Arise Throughout The Day, And Use Them Productively
The trick is to take advantage of those little bits of time that can often arise throughout the day, and use them productively. Rather than wasting them on social media or aimlessly browsing the web, make yourself a cup of tea, grab your laptop and get down to work.
Here are some ideas for how you can use your spare time:
Schedule in regular breaks – You should never be spending all day behind a screen without taking any breaks at all! Taking regular breaks will help prevent eye strain and also give you a chance to relax and recharge before getting back into work mode again.
During these breaks, maybe do something physical for 10 minutes – go for a walk around the office building (or outside if it’s nice).
Stretch out stiff muscles or just sit still with your eyes closed for five minutes while breathing deeply through your nose and slowly exhale through pursed lips (get instructions here).
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Write Thank You Notes While You’re On Hold. You’ll Feel Great When You Send Them Off!
There are a few things you can do while waiting on hold that will make the time pass faster.
Write a thank-you note to your clients and/or prospects. Expressing gratitude makes you feel great, and it’s always nice to receive something from your freelancer in reply (even if it’s just an email).
Plus, if you’re writing notes for potential clients or prospects, including some personal information about yourself (like a favorite quote) makes it clear that there’s more than just business between you two.
Write an article for your blog or website. If writing isn’t your thing, consider recording a podcast or video instead. This can be especially useful if you want to start building up a portfolio of work samples for prospective clients so they can see what kind of work their money is paying for!
Stick To A Schedule
Now that you’ve identified the areas of your day where you’re wasting time and not getting things done, it’s time to implement some strategies to help you stick to a schedule.
There are several ways you can do this:
Schedule appointments in your calendar so that if someone is expecting an email from you by 5 pm, they’ll know by 4:50 pm.
If there’s something that needs to be done on a specific day, add it to your calendar for that day (and repeat it every week).
This way, instead of having work creep into other days’ schedules which happens when we’re not organized it stays where it belongs: in its day-specific slot in the schedule.
Create separate email accounts for each client, so that there’s no confusion about whether an email was sent from their account or yours (and make sure all emails go directly through their address).
This way, clients won’t needlessly worry about missing important messages from other people in their inboxes; if they check once per day and see nothing new under “From Your Name,” they’ll know everything has been taken care of already!
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Conclusion
We hope this article has helped get you started with your freelance time management. We know it can be difficult to manage your schedule, but it can be done! You just need to start small and build on your achievements over time.
Time management is an essential skill for freelancers, and we wish you the best of luck in mastering it.
- Project Submission
Your project is not complete until you have submitted the following:
- Your finished Jupyter Notebook, containing all code and analysis
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Further Reading
Time Management Tips: How to Make the Most of Your Productive Hours: Discover effective time management strategies to optimize your productive hours and achieve better work-life balance.
Time Management Tips for Freelancers: Boost Productivity and Meet Deadlines: Freelancers, improve productivity and meet deadlines with these time management tips tailored to your unique work style.
Freelancer’s Guide to Time Management: Mastering Your Schedule for Success: Enhance your freelance success by mastering time management. This guide offers valuable insights and practical tips to help you take control of your schedule.
FAQs
How can I improve my time management skills as a freelancer?
Improving time management skills as a freelancer involves setting clear goals, prioritizing tasks, using productivity tools, and creating a structured schedule to optimize productivity.
What are some effective techniques to avoid procrastination?
To avoid procrastination, try techniques like the Pomodoro Technique, setting specific deadlines, breaking tasks into smaller steps, and eliminating distractions during work hours.
How can I handle multiple freelance projects without feeling overwhelmed?
Handling multiple freelance projects effectively involves creating a project tracking system, setting realistic timelines, communicating with clients regularly, and learning to delegate tasks when possible.
How do I find the right balance between work and personal life as a freelancer?
Finding the right work-life balance as a freelancer requires setting boundaries, scheduling dedicated personal time, and learning to say no to excessive workload when necessary.
What are some tips for overcoming time management challenges when working from home?
Overcoming time management challenges while working from home can be achieved by creating a designated workspace, sticking to a routine, setting clear work hours, and minimizing distractions in the home environment.
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.