4 Time Management Tips for Freelancers

Freelancing growth is on the rise, and within the next decade, it’s predicted that 50% of millennials will be freelancing. Estimates suggest that 36% of the US workforce, or about 57.3 million people, are freelancing.

There is a lot of opportunity to build up a portfolio and even freelance on the side to make extra money.

And a lot of these freelancing opportunities turn into a person starting up their own business. It’s all about freedom, but there’s one issue that plagues most freelancers: time management. You’re your own boss, and there’s no one standing over your shoulder telling you to get started working or to work faster to reach a deadline.

Freelancers should be working to maximize their profits by managing time properly.

How can freelancers better manage their time?

1. Set a Daily Schedule

If you don’t have a schedule, you’ll be in the middle of chaos eventually. You need to sit down and set your daily schedule now. A lot of people recommend preparing the night before, but it’s really up to you and your line of work.

A great way to do this is to write down:

• Start times
• End times

It’s that simple. You need to dedicate time to your freelancing, and if you have a daily schedule, it’ll be easier to work through your daily checklist.

2. Create Checklists for Tasks

You know what time you’re starting and ending each day, but that’s just part of the time management process. Every night, you need to sit down and create a checklist of the most important tasks that you’ll accomplish the next day.

Put all of your essential items first so that you know that you’ve complete the most important tasks of the day.

Your checklist should also include a few items which are not time-sensitive and can be put off to the following day if needed.

3. Take Time for Yourself

Money is pouring in, your schedule is filled and you keep working day and night. Eventually, you realize that it’s been a month or two since you had your last night off. You need to take time to relax or you’ll eventually burn out.

Always schedule in some time for yourself – that’s the fun of working for yourself anyway.

4. Outsource the Tasks That You Can Outsource

A major issue with freelancers is that they want to do everything on their own. You will take on a lot of roles initially, but it’s important that you have a plan to outsource these roles over time. For example, you may decide that you want to outsource your accounting.

You may also want to outsource your marketing and social media, too.

When you choose to outsource, you’re choosing to free up your time so that you can focus on more critical tasks. As your list of clients begins to swell, you’ll need to outsource some tasks to continue to grow your business.

Freelancers should follow one additional word of advice: keep business hours for business. Stop scrolling through Instagram or texting your friends back. Shut off notifications if needed so that you can devote all of your attention to your work.