In the World of Freelancing, Time Really is Money
Whether willing time to speed up or begging it to stall, we tend to have a roller coaster relationship with time. Although creating your schedule is undoubtedly one of the benefits of being a freelancer, this also makes productivity incredibly challenging. Without the constraints of getting work accomplished within the limitations of an eight-hour work day, passionate freelancers have 24 hours and the ability to decide what gets completed and what doesn’t.
Time Optimization vs. Time Management
Maintaining a work schedule seems like an obvious tool for effective time management. Freelancers must approach work schedules and time management differently than traditional employees. Instead of managing time, freelancers are responsible for managing themselves. It’s easy to take advantage of the flexibility and start to make a habit of procrastination. The best way to ensure you are optimizing your time is by creating a work schedule and sticking to it.
It’s important to keep in mind that while you may be free from structured work day hours, your clients most likely aren't. If connecting with you is turning into an inconvenience for clients, you risk being able to compete in the market. Figuring out how you can personally make the most out of a work day may take time. It’s not easy to find a work/life balance, especially when implementing those parameters at home. While freelancers may feel added pressure to be constantly in work-mode, this can lead to burnout and diminished productivity.
Be honest with yourself
As workers, we don’t particularly excel at predicting how long it will take to accomplish a project. History has repeatedly shown us just how common it is to under-estimate the project timelines. It took a patron threatening to withhold funds for Leonardo da Vinci to finally complete The Last Supper and the completion of the iconic Sydney Opera House in 1973 was ten years past the original deadline.
According to Dr. Donald E. Wetmore, creator of the Productivity Institute, it takes the average person twice as long to complete a task than they originally thought it would take. We frequently fail to consider potential obstacles when predicting how long a project will take to complete. Diligently track the amount of time it takes to complete various tasks. Once you have an accurate sense of the time certain projects take, use that information to under promise and over deliver. You should never sacrifice the quality of work to fulfill unrealistic client demands. Being honest with yourself and knowing when to say no is just as critical to your success as padding your portfolio.
While time is infinite, energy is not
A relaxed, lackadaisical approach to work is a luxury freelancers cannot afford. According to Flip Brown, founder of Business Culture Consultants, managing your energy is essential to getting the most out of your time. The difference concerns our energy levels and enthusiasm for our work rather than the amount of time we have, he says.
Most people know what times of the day they have the most energy. Whether you are more productive in the morning or you have sudden bursts of creativity in the late afternoon, take advantage of these times by doing tasks that require the most concentration and focus. One of the advantages of being a freelancer is that you can better ensure you are taking breaks to recharge throughout the day. Brown says that 90 minutes is about the length of time our brains can focus and process information. Knowing this, plan short breaks to either go outside or spend 10 minutes doing something that doesn’t require a screen.
Minimize interruptions
Self-discipline does not come naturally for everyone. When you are the designer of your work setting and schedule, you are forced to hold yourself accountable to avoid distractions and stay focused. Dr. Wetmore estimates that the average person gets one interruption every eight minutes, which translates to seven times per hour or 50–60 per day. And, while freelancers don’t have co-workers to add to distractions, working from home brings a different set of productivity issues. Some might struggle with over-using to-do lists and becoming distracted with thinking about future tasks, while others might have the opposite problem when trying to get focused.
Many people listen to music or static to block outside distractions, while others prefer earplugs to block out noise completely. An effective way to minimize digital distractions is to only keep open browser windows and applications that you need for the project at hand (tools like OneTab are great for keeping track of browser tabs in groups that you can easily reference later). Similarly, enabling airplane mode on your phone while you’re working will help block out distracting notifications from calls, texts, online chat, and social media. It’s also helpful to give family and friends a heads up about your freelancing schedule so they can adjust their communications accordingly.
Leverage Productivity Tools
It can be difficult to see the benefits of freelancing if you have conflicting deadlines and tight turnarounds. Don’t let poor time management get in the way of achieving your ultimate goals or providing your best quality work. We are seeing entire sciences devoted to improving work efficiency and creating tools that can accommodate freelancers. Applications like AND CO, Solo, Harvest or Basecamp, can help freelancers streamline work and keep accurate track of projects.
Our workforce is shifting more toward remote employees and alternative offices, which in turn provides freelancers with plenty of tools and resources to leverage success.
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