5 Time Management Tips for Freelancers Who Love to Procrastinate

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There’s a place in my work schedule as a freelancer that’s somewhere between ‘OMG I’m ripping my hair out of my head busy, why did I take on this much work?’ And then there’s ‘Work is kinda slow, why don’t I write social media posts, redesign some graphics, read Slack threads for “industry research” and see what my high school friends are up to on Facebook—holy moly, how did five hours go by?’

Like many creatives, I thrive in the former situation.

When I talked to people about running a freelance business from home five years ago, a lot of the comments I received were something along the lines of, “That’s so cool!” And then they’d say, “I could never be disciplined enough to work from home.”

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Then... the pandemic happened. Many office workers are still doing remote work or a hybrid work schedule and so yes, (hopefully) they figured out a way to conquer self-discipline and be productive so they could do their work.

I think time management and self-discipline are skills that support one another and need to be practiced. You don’t do a great job on time management one week and then check off that you’ve “mastered it.”

Personally, I manage my time better when I’m busy. If I don’t have as much work to turn in, I’m tempted to avoid working on an assignment until closer to the deadline.

When it comes to sitting your butt down in a chair and writing, it’s still hard for me at times. There’s a reason there are so many quotes about procrastination and writing.?

Luckily, I've figured out a few time management strategies in nearly two decades of freelancing that help when I'm struggling to manage my schedule.

Here are Time Management Tips for Freelancers, Creatives, and Entrepreneurs

These are some time management tips that have worked for me.

1.????Start the project right away.

I know how tough this can be. Hear me out. When you get an assignment, start research on it within a day or so. This can help you discover whether you need more clarification on the assignment from your editor or manager. Make sure you have an idea of what needs to be covered in the article and where you’ll find that information. I find that doing about 30 minutes of research on the assignment within a day or so of getting it sets me up for success. That way, if I get assigned other work, I know whether I have the bandwidth to take it on right away. Having some research or work done on an assignment takes away that nagging, slightly-stressed feeling I tend to have before I work on something new.

2.???Set up interviews as soon as possible.

Some of the e-commerce assignments I’m writing for a client right now involve doing a few interviews and then applying that expert feedback to research for a round-up of the best products in a certain category. With a two-week assignment turnaround, I need to identify the experts, get on their schedules for an interview, complete the interview, have it transcribed, and then set aside time to do my research and writing. After writing articles that involved experts for over 15 years, I found that getting on an expert’s calendar for a call as soon as possible has always made my life easier. (Because yes, they will occasionally forget or cancel.)

3.???Find an accountability buddy.

I recently signed up for the virtual coworking platform?Workfrom?after doing a trial session?last year. It's a remote coworking space where a host sets the mood with music and a relaxing background that feels like you're in a cafe. You introduce yourself to the other remote workers in the "room" and do two 25-minute sessions with a scheduled break or two 50-minute sessions. (I’m using one right now while I write this post.) Each remote worker shares their "goal" for the session in a chat box and checks it off when they are done. I've found that an accountability tool like this is helpful when I need to plow through writing projects and keep my butt in the chair. It also can help me shape my day around a session or two when I know I'll be doing "deep work." ?You might find that sharing a social media post of what you’re working on that day or texting a friend what you need to get done works for you.

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4.???Write down tomorrow’s must-dos at night.

I always list the assignments and freelance tasks I have to do the next work day at the end of this work day. I know that mornings are my?most productive?and focused freelance hours of the day, but I also recognized that while I’m caffeinating with a mug of coffee and settling in front of my laptop, I’m a bit sleepy and out of it.

When I write down the things I absolutely?must?get done the next day at the top of my list at night—usually listing three priorities—I know what I should focus on. I also keep a list on my phone in my Notes tool in case I remember other things I need to get done as the evening goes on. It’s one of this list of 35-plus best apps for writers that I recommend.

5.???Give yourself a day or two leeway before your deadline.

Life happens. You’ll get sick. The kids will get sick. The dog needs to go to the vet for emergency care. Your laptop will break. (Yes, all of these things have happened to me while I’ve been on deadline.) It’s not a fun situation. You’re already stressed with the personal challenges going on and then a looming deadline is going to add to that. If you can give yourself an extra day or two before your copy is due to complete your draft for a “fake deadline,” you’ll be better for it. Chances are, if you take another look at your copy and tweak it, your draft will be better, too.

If you need help writing faster, check out this blog post.

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