Time Management Tips for Frazzled Freelancers

Time Management Tips for Frazzled FreelancersTime Management Tips for Frazzled FreelancersAs a freelancer, do you ever feel like there arent enough hours in the day for the things that matter? Its a common complaint. But the problem may leid be how much time you have. Check out these time management tips from an experienced independent creative pro.Many freelance colleagues tell me that they simply cant find the time to do everything theyd like to get done professionally and personally. I understand where theyre coming from because Ive frequently felt the same way during my years of freelancing. Yet more often than not Ive found the number of hours in a day is less important than how you choose to use them.Here are a few common complaints I hear from my fellow freelancers, along with some time management tips to help you better control the clock. While none of these strategies will actually give you more minutes, youll feel like you have extra time if you implement them.I have too mu ch work for a personal life.As freelance challenges go, this is one of the best problems to have. You may even find that your fellow freelancers dont have much sympathy for you, but its still a legitimate concern. This is usually a sign that its time to set firmer boundaries and expectations - possibly with clients, but more likely with yourself.You wouldnt want a corporate boss to drain your free time dry, so dont do it when you are the boss either. I feel like the point of freelancing is to have more flexibility, not to work more hours. For example, I departure and end my workday earlier than most people to match my wifes teaching schedule so we can enjoy more time together. If you struggle with this, try scheduling personal time as a daily appointment, and give it the same respect as your office hours.GOING FREELANCE? WE CAN HELPI dont have time to promote my geschftsleben.I think this idea is a bit crazy because it leads to having no work to do. But its such a common gripe amon gst freelancers. Again, the fix is to schedule time for absatzwirtschaft yourself each week and treat it like a high-paying project.More often the real reason is less I dont have time for this and more I just really dont want to do this. I got over this hurdle by finding a few freelancer friends who felt the same way. We check in once a month or so to keep ourselves accountable. I also think its perfectly fine to outsource some of your marketing tasks to another freelancer. One of my most successful collaborations was a trade deal with a local graphic designer He helped me rebrand my website in exchange for my assistance in getting his email newsletter up and running.Some freelancers think they shouldnt do anything that isnt billable work during office hours. This is usually a holdover mentality from a 9-to-5 job, but that doesnt make it logical. Someone in your old company was doing business development, even if it wasnt you.I lose time deciding what to do next.This is an easy one. Keep a single list of everything you need to do, organized by priority. I currently do this with a free app called Wunderlist, but you can use whatever system works for you. Whenever youre unsure of what to do, grab your hot list and start working on the next item.Id like to take time off, but the work has to get doneYes, but work also has a funny way of expanding or contracting to fill the available time. For example, I made a commitment to work-life balance on day one of my freelance career. Except for very rare exceptions, my day ends by a specific time, I dont answer my business phone outside of office hours, and I dont work on weekends. If this sounds like a fantasy world, I urge you to try it for a month and see if your efficiency improves. You might be surprised how much sooner your creative projects get done.Tom N. Tumbusch writes copy that creates action for creative professionals and green businesses.