Do you have everything under control in your freelance business?
As a freelancer, you are your own boss, and that means staying organized is essential.
Organization will help you to increase productivity, stay on top of new opportunities, and most importantly, save your most valuable asset – time.
If your workflows are in need of a refresh, or you need to restructure your schedule, these 5 organization tips are the best ways to stay organized as a freelancer.
Table of Contents
1. Structure Your Schedule
Before getting started with scheduling your time, try time tracking first, so you can see where your time is going. For a week, track everything you do, including meal times and leisure time, as this will help you with your planning.
For work-life balance purposes, set working hours for yourself and try to stick to them as much as possible — this will help both you and your clients.
Then, organize your workflow by either utilizing calendar blocking or structuring your to-do list in a way that works for you.
2. Manage Your Workload
Try not to give yourself too much to do in a day, or it will become hard to stay organized and keep track of your tasks. Focus on 2-4 needle-moving tasks that need to get done every day, and anything else you do on top of that is a bonus.
During your working hours, plan time for 3 main things — client work, admin tasks, and lead generation for new work opportunities.
3. Organize Your Files
Choose a file management system that works for you, whether it’s good old-fashioned paper-based filing like these next day presentation folders, or online cloud storage systems.
Have a look at a few options and discover what you prefer. The most important thing is that the system you choose is something you feel comfortable maintaining and being consistent with.
Always keep a record of everything in your freelance business. You’d be surprised what may come in handy to look back on in the future.
4. Clear Your Mind
To organize your business, you also have to organize your mind. This is essential for a healthy freelancing life.
Make time for yourself in your daily schedule, and be sure to take frequent breaks throughout the day. The Pomodoro technique is great for this.
To keep your mind clear, always write everything down as soon as it comes into your head. Sometimes these ideas are the best ones.
5. Use Project Management Software
Project management platforms allow you to track your tasks and projects, create workflows, and manage files and deadlines efficiently.
Organizational tools like Trello, Asana, and Toggl all have free plans available and are full of useful benefits. Take the time to understand the features of each one before becoming invested.
Stay Organized Long-Term
To stay organized over time, you need to develop structures, workflows, and file management systems for your freelance business.
Preferred organization strategy is an individual thing. There are so many productivity tools and techniques out there, that it may take some time and trial and error to find what works best for you.
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