5 Tips For Freelancers To Better Manage Time And Tasks

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Being a freelancer means you do not have a reporting authority but a client who lets you work and deliver at your own pace. But since freelancers are their own boss and answerable to no one, it can sometimes result in slacking, laziness, and leaving work until the last minute.

Sure, freelancers have the freedom to choose the type of work they want to do, which is why they represent 35% of the global workforce. But at the same time, it requires them to learn effective time management.

If you’re a successful freelancer, you will likely have many commitments with a variety of clients. In addition, you might be scouting for more work. Unfortunately, this means too many deadlines. 

If you waste time or get overwhelmed with work, it will impact your revenue. Hence, task management and keeping track of time is the best service you can do to yourself as a freelancer. 

Why Is Task Management Important For Freelancers? 

As a freelancer, you’re consistently juggling multiple tasks at the same time. So, rather than focusing solely on the skills you provide, you also have to manage your projects and clients. 

For instance, if you’re a graphic designer, you will not only be required to create visual content. You will have to manage tasks such as those related to finance and marketing. In fact, designers spend more than 7 hours per week looking for new work. Additionally, you will have to undertake all logistical tasks, such as documenting your work and tracking your leads and profits. 

For this reason, effective task management is essential for improving focus and efficiency. 

5 Tips For Effective Time and Task Management

Making a detailed schedule and sticking to it will go a long way. In addition, make small changes in your lifestyle to maintain a routine that is easy for you to follow.

If you want to be more disciplined in the way you approach work, here are five tips that will help you manage tasks and time effectively: 

Track All Tasks

Keeping your tasks on track will boost efficiency. Although you can manually track tasks, it’s better to use a task management tool if you have many projects to work on. 

A task management tool will keep all your work in one place. In addition, it will arrange tasks according to priority and send you automatic reminders. 

Furthermore, you can incorporate to-do lists within the software. Also, it makes it easy to arrange work in categories and track the time you spend on each task. In turn, it will facilitate adequate future planning and agile project management. 

Set Reminders 

It’s possible to miss deadlines even if you’ve created a set schedule. So when you have a lot going on, it’s a good idea to set reminders. 

This way, you will know which tasks you need to complete on a particular day. Similarly, early reminders ensure quick action. 

For this reason, you can use a task management tool, which sends out automatic reminders. Or, you can set reminders on your phone.

Break Complex Projects Into Simple Tasks 

When you have landed a project, break it down into small, manageable pieces that you can easily work through. Doing this will prevent you from getting overwhelmed, which will reduce stress and help you focus better. 

By dividing every project into sections, you can assign separate deadlines to each section. Additionally, it will give you a better indication of what works and what doesn’t, as well as how much time each task takes.  

This way, you can make informed judgments about the time you generally require for similar projects and plans accordingly.

Create To-Do Lists 

When you have a lot to do, it’s possible to miss out on a deadline or forget specific client instructions. But you can overcome this problem by making to-do lists. 

These simple lists will give you a sense of direction and purpose. In addition, they will enhance performance by reducing build-up anxiety. 

Moreover, you can create these lists digitally or manually. The former can be accessed from any device regardless of where you are. Also, digital lists allow you to color-code and mix media so that you can jot down tasks according to priority.  

Or you can use a bullet journal that will help you unplug from technology and have a clear focus. Either way, a to-do list will keep you on top of work.

Make A Schedule

Use a calendar to schedule tasks according to when they are due. But a timetable does not have to be restricted to your tasks. 

Instead, make a robust schedule for yourself. Since you’re in control of your routine, start assigning deadlines and work timings to yourself. Then, stick to them. 

Not only will this permit you to balance various projects, but it will also increase your productivity. Since you know the timings you’re likely to be most active, create your schedule around that. 

The number of hours you work per day depends on the clients and projects you have. But make sure you have an outline of how your day will go before you get started.

Wrapping Up 

Effective task management requires discipline and setting a routine. And these skills are especially important for freelancers who have to manage multiple tasks at one time. 

To prevent yourself from getting overwhelmed, utilize task management tools, create a schedule, follow to-do lists and set regular reminders. Doing so will boost your productivity and expedite consistent profits. 

 

发布于 5 八月, 2021

JTRipton

Veteran Business/Technology/Lifestyle Writer

I'm JT Ripton, as the headline says, I'm a veteran business, tech and lifestyle writer. I write/have written for several publications like Entrepreneur.com, BusinessInsider.com, TheGuardian.com, GoDaddy.com, ReadWrite.com and dozens more.

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