To get the most out of your life as a freelancer, you need to learn how to manage your time effectively when freelancing. While everyone is different and will employ a variety of techniques to keep on top of their ongoing projects, it\u2019s vital that you get organized and use your time efficiently.<\/p>\n
When you\u2019re working on the clock and being paid by a company, you\u2019re not overly concerned with how productive you are. But when you charge an hourly rate for your services, it\u2019s so important that you use your time appropriately so you can earn your target income every day, week, and month.<\/p>\n
But how do you manage your time effectively? Are there any time management tips that freelancers<\/a> can utilize? In this post, we introduce you to six simple ways you can improve your time management skills as a freelancer to ensure<\/a> you strike an ideal balance between work and the other aspects of your life.<\/p>\n There\u2019s a common misconception circulating that freelancers<\/a> just work whenever they like and don\u2019t follow a set pattern. While this is true to an extent, the first step to effectively managing your time as a freelancer<\/a> is deciding when you\u2019re going to work.<\/p>\n Whether you want to follow a conventional 9-5, five-day-a-week pattern is totally up to you. Maybe you want to schedule your work around the school runs, or perhaps you only want to work in the evenings as you attend college lectures during the day.<\/p>\n It really doesn\u2019t matter what your work schedule is, just as long as you have one. You can change it week to week, depending on your availability and other plans, or you can stick to it religiously. Whatever you decide, just make sure you follow a schedule, or you will find time easily runs away from you, and it will be difficult to motivate yourself to complete your projects.<\/p>\n It\u2019s unsustainable for anyone to work every single day. You need time away from your desk to be with your family and friends and to explore the world in any way that you choose. One of the best things about life as a freelancer<\/a> is that you can choose your working hours and plan the rest of your life accordingly.<\/p>\n There\u2019s no right or wrong amount of time to take off every week, but you need to make sure you take some downtime to recharge your batteries. When you\u2019re planning your weekly schedule, keep an appropriate amount of time free, so you can put your feet up and watch Netflix or head out to play football with your buddies.<\/p>\n While you might tell yourself that you could be earning money in your downtime if you don\u2019t afford yourself any time to enjoy the money that you earn, what\u2019s the point of earning it in the first place?!<\/p>\n Although you don\u2019t have a boss that will shout at you if you log on to your computer a couple of hours later than you planned, you still need to keep track of the amount of time you actually work<\/a>. Why? Because it\u2019s vital when it comes to planning your hourly rate and charging your clients.<\/p>\n Consider using a tool like\u00a0Clockify<\/a>, where you can log the amount of time you spend on your various projects every day. Using a simple timer, the app allows you to clock in and out and track your billable hours.<\/p>\n When you reflect on the hours that you\u2019ve worked, you can then think about what is appropriate to charge your future clients for your time. This is the best way to work towards your desired hourly rate and to earn the money that you need to live comfortably.<\/p>\n In the early days of your career as a freelancer<\/a>, you might feel like saying yes to every single request. Even if you\u2019re working at full capacity or don\u2019t need to take on any new clients<\/a> at the time, it can be so hard to say no and refuse work.<\/p>\n But, as you will come to learn, saying no is extremely important when it comes to time management<\/a>. Not only will you have to turn down projects that you can\u2019t feasibly take on, but you will also have to say no to certain requests from clients that fall outside of your offer.<\/p>\n You need to be assertive and assured of the scope of your services and turn down any requests that are made that will cause you to work above and beyond what has been paid for by your client.<\/p>\n This goes hand-in-hand with the previous point. It\u2019s your responsibility as a freelancer<\/a> to accurately articulate what is [and in some cases, what isn\u2019t] included in the scope of your services.<\/p>\n For instance, if you\u2019re a writer, make sure you clearly state how many words are included in your writing package. Also, if your client expects you to undertake keyword research to help their post rank, be sure to inform them that you charge extra for this service, as it takes time to find the appropriate keywords.<\/p>\n Don\u2019t be worried about being clear with your clients about what is included in your offer. If you\u2019re upfront and clear from the start, you won\u2019t face any unexpected questions or requests later when they review your delivery.<\/p>\n Most freelancers work<\/a> on multiple projects simultaneously for a variety of clients. As such, it can get confusing when developing your work schedule, particularly in regard to setting project priorities to ensure you meet your upcoming deadlines.<\/p>\n To help you manage your time, think about utilizing a project planning tool like\u00a0Trello<\/a>, so you can upload all of your ongoing projects and coordinate your upcoming deadlines.<\/p>\n The user-friendly interface ensures that you can easily track your projects and plan your week in advance. If you\u2019re particularly creative, you could even design your own project planning tool and update it manually every week.<\/p>\n To build a successful career as a freelancer<\/a>, you will need to learn how to manage your time effectively. If you don\u2019t stay on top of your projects, you run the risk of missing deadlines and upsetting your clients, which is a position that no freelancer<\/a> wants to find themselves in.<\/p>\nWork to a schedule.\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Give yourself time off.\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Track your hours.\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Learn the power of saying no.\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Articulate the scope of your service when invoicing for your time.\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Use a project planning tool.\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Closing thoughts.\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n