Have you ever prayed for extra hours in a day as you feel 24 hours are less to complete your tasks at hand? If you are facing this problem then this calls for carefully scrutiny of your time to understand where your time is flying by. Time Management is said to be the most important element that speaks for your professional behaviour and helps maintain the balance between personal and professional life.
Hard work is undoubtedly the key to success but then it is always said that the one who values time is sure to succeed in life. Not only at the workplace instead at home too it is very important to follow a schedule and manage time efficiently. With each passing day, the number of people quitting their jobs and joining the queue of freelancers is increasing. Choosing freelancing as a career sounds tempting to everyone but then it comes with its own negative aspects which one needs to focus on and ask if they will be able to work the right way.
From making a an effective business plan, knowing about good habits that freelancer designers should inculcate to obvious mistakes freelance web designers make, and ways how not to disappoint your clients; we have been coming up with the tips to help you all the best possible way. I being a freelancer well understand how difficult it is to follow a particular schedule, manage your time productively. But then, if there is a problem there is a solution too.
In office, you know you are bound to give particular hours at your desk as there are your senior officials keeping a check on you but working as a freelancer asks you to schedule your time and stick to that. Well, if you are finding it difficult to manage your time well and your efficiency along with your personal life and professional life are being hampered then this article is for you.
1. Make a To-Do List
Ensure that you are organized. This can be done by writing down the to-do list. Making your to-do list doesn’t mean you have to include everything you are going to do but then the most important tasks. When you have done a particular task, put a cross to know how many tasks are left to be done for the day.
2. Plan for the Next Day
This is some what similar to making a to-do list but then anything that seeks your attention can strike you any moment. Planning your day asks for careful attention. Before you going to bed plan what you will be doing the next day; how many hours would you spare on a particular task and other things. Plan your work in order of most important to least important tasks.
3. Set Priorities
One needs to set priorities in almost every sphere of life; be it a personal life or the professional one. When you sit down to write your plans for next day or plan your day, you will have to ensure that you know which are the priority tasks. Choose the task that needs to be done first and is the most important of all the tasks and do it.
4. Handle your Projects One at a Time
You might be working on different projects and meeting the deadlines can make you restless. You need to learn to do one project at a time that ensures you don’t spend extra hours completing it. If you get distracted and leave one project in the middle to pick the other one and work on it, you are sure to end up completing none. Learn to handle one project at a time.
5. Set Deadline And Ensure You Stick to it
While starting a particular project you know not exact but approximate time it will take to be complete. When you begin a particular task ensure you set a deadline for yourself. Keep a control of your time. Be realistic when you set a deadline and make every effort to complete it by that time. This will keep you motivated and you will not end up feeling bad about sparing unnecessary hours on a particular task.
6. Avoid Distractions
With the ever-increasing craze of smartphones and other gadgets, it is easy to get distracted. With email popups, WhatsApp notifications, Facebook pings and other things, you are sure to get distracted. When sitting to work, simply focus on your work.
Avoid every possible distraction by having a strong control on yourself. If you see your cellphone and get tempted to check it often, keep it in another room. Tell your family and friends about your working hours so that they know when you are busy and when you will be free to talk.
7. Avoid Multi-Tasking
If you think multi tasking will make you complete your projects soon then you are highly mistaken. Multi-tasking actually is kind of distraction. You are not able to handle even a single thing properly if you go for multi-tasking. Simply say no to multi-tasking. Remember our article entitled What Freelance Designers Should Learn from Dogs in which there was a point similar to this one.
8. Stick to Schedule
Make a schedule and stick to that. Having consistency in your work will help you manage your time effectively. Besides you will be able to take out time for yourself like hitting a gym, aerobics classes, meeting your friends and have leisure time. Make sure your plan includes some hours for yourself , friends and family members.
9. Break Down Big Projects into Parts
If you sit down thinking you will complete any large project in one go, it like expecting little too much from yourself. Breaking down big project into small portions and seeking immediate goals is achievable and wise idea.
10. Take a Break
Taking break increases productivity. This however doesn’t mean you go out for long hours leaving your work in between. Instead take out some minutes for breaks as these refresh you. Sipping tea/coffee can be relaxing, a small chit chat with a family member (not too long mind it), playing with your pet if you have any can help boost your productivity.
If you are the one who has a particular schedule and manages time well, you are free to share your views with us and leave a comment below incase you wish to give some suggestion to help all those who are struggling hard to manage their time well.