Time Management Tips for Freelancers

If you've left a full-time job for freelancing, you may feel as if you have all the time in the world but without proper time management techniques, that time will turn into wasted time and no one makes any money wasting time.

Make A Schedule and Stick to It

Now that you are your own boss, you may think the last thing you want to do is follow a schedule, but you'll be much more productive if you have some sort of regular schedule. You can still decide the hours and the days that you want to work but do try to stick to regular working hours. This will not only benefit your work but it will be beneficial to you and your family as well. In addition, if friends and acquaintances know that you are working certain hours, they will be less inclined to disturb you during working hours. Sometimes, when people work at home, it is difficult for the people around them to really believe they are working just because they are at home. It will be up to you to set the standard from the beginning. Treat your freelancing business like a business and others will follow suit.

Family Time Means Family Time

It's kind of unrealistic to expect someone freelancing from their home to completely separate their work from their family life but do make it a point to let go of work during family time. When the whole family gathers to watch a movie, refrain from having your laptop occupy your lap. Grab a kid instead! Many freelancers find that they work more hours when they work for themselves, especially in the beginning when they are getting established. While no one will fault you for working hard, you can prevent family resentment by being one hundred percent present during family time. After all, why are you working so hard? If you have a family, it is probably for them so remember that they need you in other ways too.

Begin and Finish Assignments Early

Once you've been assigned a project, get started on it immediately. Clients are funny about deadlines; they expect you to meet them and no excuse in the world is good enough when you don't. Plan for the unexpected so that you aren't scrambling to finish an important project and forced to turn in work that isn't your best. Get ready for it because the kids will get sick, you'll get sick, and yes, you will lose your Internet connection at the most inopportune times. If you're not racing the clock, these occurrences won't have to turn into emergencies and pile extra stress upon you and everyone around you.

Get Organized

There is no one way to get organized; countless systems abound and what works for one freelancer may not work for another. Whether you use calendars, lists, date-books, bulletin boards, your computer, or all of the above, get in the habit of getting and staying organized. You may have to go through some trial and error before you find the system that works best for you but just make sure that system isn't comprised of scraps of paper and napkins.