Productivity
10 Easy Ways to Get It Right

While there is no shortage of tools and apps available to freelance time management, the reality is that tools alone won’t work.
If you want to get ahead as a freelancer, you need to know how to manage your time wisely.
Common Freelance Time Management Issues
Time management for freelancers involves setting realistic goals, prioritizing tasks, and avoiding procrastination.
Difficulty in prioritizing tasks
Time management for freelancers is not a trivial question because as a rule, freelancers have multiple projects and deadlines to manage simultaneously, which can make it difficult to prioritize tasks effectively.🤔📝🔑
4 Ways How to Manage Deadlines in Project Teams
Managing deadlines in project teams is crucial for ensuring successful project completion. Discover 4 effective strategies to efficiently manage deadlines and keep your team on track.
Procrastination
Without a boss or manager to oversee their work, freelancers may struggle with procrastination. This can lead to difficulty starting and finishing tasks on time.🤔🕰️💤
Clear And Unbiased Facts About Procrastination (Without All the Hype)
To succeed in overcoming procrastination, it is essential to fully understand what it is.
Poor time estimation
Freelancers may underestimate the time required to complete a task, leading to missed deadlines or rushed work. ⏳🤷♂️💭
Overcommitment
In an effort to secure more work, freelancers may take on more projects than they can handle, leading to burnout and missed deadlines.🤝🔜🤕
Distractions
Working from home or other non-traditional workspaces can lead to distractions from family members, pets, or household chores. 📱📺🎮
Difficulty in setting boundaries
Without a traditional work schedule, freelancers may struggle with setting clear boundaries between work time and personal time. 🤷♀️🚧🕰️
Lack of structure
Freelancers may find it challenging to establish a daily routine or structure, leading to poor time management. 🛑📅📝
Inadequate tools and systems
Without access to the right tools and systems for time management, such as project management software or calendars, freelancers may struggle to stay organized and on track. 🛠️👎🔧
Try This✍️If you are struggling with how to effectively organize your tasks, events, calls, and meetings, install the TMetric browser plugin to enable Google Calendar time tracking, and make sure you don’t miss any activities and polish your time management skills at the same time.
Inability to say no
Freelancers may struggle with turning down work, leading to over-commitment and poor time management. 🙅♂️🚫🗣️
Fatigue and burnout
Without proper time management, freelancers may experience fatigue and burnout, leading to decreased productivity and missed deadlines.😴🔥💼
According to Harvard Business Review, time management is the process of decision-making that functions for:
-
- structuring
-
- protecting
-
- adjusting an individual’s time to changing environmental conditions.
It involves 3A key skills ⭐⭐⭐
-
- Awareness (the skill of thinking realistically about time by understanding that it is a limited resource)
-
- Arrangement (designing and organizing goals, plans, schedules, and tasks to effectively use time)
-
- Adaptation (the skill of monitoring the use of time while performing activities, including adjusting to interruptions or changing priorities).
To achieve time management goals, freelancers can try to build a customized system based on these skills around the unconventional, yet easy-to-follow tips listed below.
Freelance Time Management Tips
To help you stay on track and maximize your productivity, we’ve gathered the top 10 freelance time management tips that will enable you to prioritize tasks, minimize distractions, and achieve a better work-life balance, all while growing your business and increasing your earning potential.
1. Use Monotasking to Maximize Productivity
Multitasking is a hoax that we’ve all fallen for. Does it seem hard to believe?Research shows that it reduces productivity and amplifies stress.
Edward M. Hallowell, a renowned psychiatrist, calls it a ‘mythical activity’ where we deceive ourselves into thinking we can do multiple tasks at once.
Instead, give monotasking a shot – it’s where the magic happens. Put all your attention on a single task until it’s accomplished. 🧑💻
Zoom in🔎: By following this simple tip, you are guaranteed to stay in the zone and achieve remarkable outcomes in a shorter time.
When attempting to apply yourself to too many tasks at a time, you are running a risk of draining your energy prematurely. The brain can only process one request at a time, so make sure to prioritize and give your full attention to each task as you work on it.
By concentrating on a single task and giving it your undivided attention, not only are you more likely to achieve a top-notch outcome, but you’ll also feel a greater sense of fulfillment while doing it.
Get Practical: TMetric task tracking feature can be a valuable tool for managing individual tasks. By focusing on one task at a time and tracking your time spent on it, you can ensure more accurate billable hours. This prevents the risk of overestimating or underestimating your time and helps you maintain a clear and organized workflow.
2. Practice Time Blocking
Time blocking involves breaking down your day into smaller chunks of time and assigning each chunk a specific task or activity.
For example, you might block out two hours in the morning for client work, followed by an hour for administrative tasks, and another hour for marketing.
When planning time blocking, it is essential:
-
- to be realistic when setting project goals and allocating time slots
-
- to be generous with allocating time for breaks and unexpected interruptions.
Once you have created your time blocking schedule, you can use it as a guide to managing your day more effectively.
Zoom in🔎: This can help you avoid distractions and stay focused on your tasks, improve your productivity, and reduce stress.
With practice, you can develop the skill of time blocking and make it a habit that will serve you well in promoting your career as a freelancer.
This approach is based on the idea that by planning and allocating time for each task, you can manage your day more efficiently and be more productive.
3. Try the 80/20 rule
The 80/20 rule, also known as the Pareto Principle, suggests that 80% of your results come from 20% of your efforts.
The Most Effective Time Management Techniques (according to 5 AI chatbots)
We asked 5 well-reputed chatbots to enlighten me on the top 5 time management techniques they can recommend as the most effective.
As a freelancer, it is crucial that you prioritize your tasks effectively to ensure the success and profitability of your business. This involves identifying the tasks that generate the most revenue or have the most significant impact on your business and focusing your attention on them.
To determine which tasks are the most valuable, you should evaluate their impact on your business goals and objectives.
You should also consider factors such as the amount of time and resources required to complete each task and the potential return on investment.
Once you have identified the most valuable tasks, it is essential to accord them due priority.
Zoom in🔎: Effective prioritization not only helps you achieve your business goals but also helps you manage your workload and avoid burnout.
By focusing your attention on the most valuable tasks, you can optimize your productivity and maximize your profitability as a freelancer.
4. Use Ergonomic Equipment
Studies have shown that being seated for extended periods can decrease blood flow and cause stiffness in the muscles and joints, leading to discomfort and pain.
Additionally, sitting for long hours can cause poor posture and result in chronic pain in the neck, shoulders, and back.
Aside from a standing desk, other options include adjustable chairs, footrests, and keyboard trays. These items can be customized to your body type and work requirements, providing maximum comfort and support while you work.
Zoom in🔎: Creating a comfortable workspace with turned-off notifications and non-lyrical music can help you avoid distractions and focus all your energy on completing tasks efficiently and effectively.
By taking care of your physical health, you can improve your productivity and overall well-being.
In summary, investing in ergonomic furniture can help create a ‘flow-friendly’ environment where you stay energized and engaged throughout the day.
-
Professional Development2 months ago
Drawing up your strategy
-
Personal Growth2 months ago
Succeeding as a ‘parentpreneur’: Top tips
-
Videos2 months ago
Great Leaders INSPIRE Others To Do Great Things
-
Productivity2 months ago
How to Increase Remote Work Productivity
-
Productivity2 months ago
Tips for Boosting Work Productivity
-
Productivity2 months ago
5 Ways to Increase Your Personal Assistant’s Productivity
-
Leadership1 month ago
How to Tackle Big Challenges
-
Leadership1 month ago
Cutting Through the Clutter of Internal Communications