How to Get It All Done: Time Management Tips from a Remote Freelancer

Contents:

• You want to earn as much as possible - you take on a ton of orders
• Something always happens that prevents you from working
• When you work from home, everyday life doesn't go away
• You constantly defend yourself in response to "you're at home anyway"
• What I've learned in seven years of freelancing

Remote work seems appealing: you can relax, sleep, or go for a walk with friends whenever you want, without having to coordinate with your boss. However, problems arise when you least expect it. Family demands attention, children create a mess, and several clients send urgent edits at the same time. When working from home, it's important to learn to find a balance between your personal life and professional responsibilities to avoid stress and cope effectively.

In today's fast-paced world, it can sometimes be difficult to keep up with everything and stay calm. However, I manage to cope with this task. Over the years, I have developed an effective time management strategy, which I want to share. In this text, I will discuss in detail the problems I face and the methods for solving them. These tips will help you optimize your time and increase productivity in your everyday life.

You want to earn as much as possible - you take on a ton of orders

Sometimes it seems like taking on more orders than you can handle is an obvious mistake, but the reality is often different. A new client enthusiastically inspires me with the idea of ​​​​high profits, and I end up accepting numerous projects. As a result, I have to cope with 7-10 tasks in a single day, spending 12-13 hours at the computer without significant breaks. The next day, I feel tired and ineffective, and this stress accumulates, creating a vicious circle. Proper planning and time management can help avoid burnout and improve the quality of your work.

Recently, I came to the realization that a large number of orders is not the optimal solution. It is much more effective to focus on fewer projects, devoting more attention to them and developing them efficiently. This also allows you to find time for rest and recovery. It's impossible to earn all the money in the world, and it's important to value the quality of your work and your personal time.

To achieve the optimal number of orders, you need to consider several key factors. First, it's important to analyze your target audience and understand their needs. This will allow you to create an attractive offer that meets customer expectations. Second, it's worth optimizing your website for search engines to improve visibility and attract more potential customers. Use keywords related to your product or service to increase your chances of successful search engine rankings.

Furthermore, active use of social media will help expand your reach and attract new customers. Regularly engaging with your audience and publishing relevant content will help build trust and loyalty. Don't forget the importance of excellent customer service, as satisfied customers are more likely to return for repeat orders and recommend you to others.

Managing reviews and feedback also plays a significant role in building your business's reputation. Pay attention to analyzing the comments you receive to improve your products and services. To summarize, optimizing the number of orders requires a comprehensive approach that includes marketing strategies, improving service quality, and ongoing customer engagement.

• I plan my schedule so that at least 2-3 hours a day are free from work and household chores—it's better to spend this time relaxing;
• I learn to say no to people: turning down another potential client won't ruin the world, and even a nuclear explosion won't happen anywhere;
• I try to choose "easy" projects that take less time.

"Easy" projects are characterized by a quick approval process that takes only a couple of weeks. Such projects involve one or two people, not three or four, which helps avoid numerous edits and inconsistencies that arise from different points of view. This reduces decision-making time and improves the quality of the final product.

It's not easy to turn down a profitable project, especially when you have plans for renovations, new appliances, or tuition. However, it's possible to reduce the number of projects and focus on the high quality of the remaining ones. This will not only improve your results but also justify higher fees based on the quality offered. I adhere to this approach in my practice.

Something always happens that prevents you from working

Each of us faces unexpected situations. You wake up early in the morning with optimism, sit down to work, and suddenly something unexpected happens. This could be, for example, the urgent hospitalization of a child with suspected appendicitis or an unexpected problem with utility payments. In such moments, resolving these issues takes at least half a day. For mothers, such force majeure situations are not uncommon, and they can significantly complicate daily tasks. Situations can be varied, and when schedules are scheduled down to the minute, any problem that arises can derail all plans. This leads to stress, the need to push deadlines, and working late nights to complete all tasks. I've found that it's best to set deadlines with some leeway. This approach allows me to avoid unnecessary pressure and improve the quality of my work.

• For each article, I set a deadline two to three days after the date I plan to complete it;
• I structure my schedule so that I spend the first half of the day on required materials and leave the second half free for urgent tasks or unexpected edits;
• If there are no urgent tasks in the afternoon and nothing comes up, I write the following materials according to the schedule.

I use planners to manage deadlines and tasks, as remembering all the details can be difficult. In planners, I set my own deadlines for tasks, different from those I communicate to clients. This allows me to organize my time more efficiently, see which tasks need to be completed first, and find free windows for urgent matters. This approach significantly increases productivity and helps avoid stress associated with a lack of time.

Thanks to this schedule, I always meet deadlines, even if unforeseen circumstances arise. Clients understand that articles may be slightly late, and I can set aside a few days to resolve any issues that arise. This allows me to maintain a high level of content quality and meet client needs.

When you work from home, household chores still happen.

Freelancing doesn't mean reducing household chores; on the contrary, they can pile up with double force. Therefore, I always take them into account when planning my work schedule. This allows me to spend my evenings in a calm environment, instead of rushing between laundry and cooking. Proper time management helps me avoid stress and focus on work and rest.

I'm lucky because I allocate a minimal amount of time in my schedule for household chores. This was made possible thanks to my assistant - my husband. He vacuums in the evenings, accompanies the children to the doctor, and can cook simple meals like scrambled eggs or dumplings. We organize our life like this:

• On weekdays, my husband does almost all the housework. I only take the children to kindergarten and school, wash the dishes, and help with bathing the children in the evening. I also cook sometimes when I have a relatively quiet day without urgent orders and procrastination. My husband cleans, does housework, and looks after the children.
• On weekends, I "rest." Since I work on weekdays, I leave housework for Saturday and Sunday. I do a general cleaning, cook for two or three days in advance, go shopping, and so on.

I sometimes do housework on weekdays. I set deadlines with a buffer, which allows me to easily move tasks to the next day if urgent matters arise.

Constantly defensive in response to "you're at home anyway"

Freelancing is a full-time job, and loved ones understand this, especially when the income exceeds a salary in an office, factory, or store. However, you often hear the phrase: "You're at home anyway, it's not difficult for you." This point of view ignores the difficulties and self-discipline required to successfully freelance.

An example would be a situation where a man does repairs and a woman works. He comes up to me and says, “Let’s go to the store, I need to buy some plumbing parts.”

Plumbing is an important part of our lives, and I'm willing to help with its installation. However, the constant requests four or five times a day are starting to get annoying. As soon as I find time to work on my laptop and get immersed in an article, I'm interrupted again.

If you're facing a similar situation, encourage your loved ones to imagine you're at work and learn to cope with problems on your own. In everyday life, no one asks their boss for permission to feed the kids or dust. This approach will help develop independence and responsibility in your loved ones and free you up to tackle work-related tasks.

In fact, the phrase "imagine I'm at the office" doesn't always work with my husband. As a result, I've developed an alternative approach—healthy indifference. This method involves trying not to dwell on trivialities and not letting external circumstances affect my mood and productivity. Freed from unnecessary worry, I focus on what's truly important and avoid unnecessary stress. This approach allows me to maintain a balance between work and personal life and effectively cope with any tasks.

• I ask you to let me know in advance about any plans, such as a trip to the store or out of town, so I can create a convenient schedule. If he doesn't tell me in advance, I don't do anything.
• If my husband comes to me with a problem that can be easily solved without my participation, I ignore it. More precisely, I calmly explain that I'm working and won't do anything.
• If my husband doesn't do something we agreed on, I just continue working. I don't do it for him: he can vacuum tomorrow, and the children can have yogurt and cookies for dinner once a month, instead of freshly cooked food.

An optimal distribution of household chores is the key to harmony in the family. I try not to insist on my husband's help if he is busy with important matters, and I do some tasks around the house myself if time permits. If there is not enough time, I don't worry, because household chores can be postponed. It is also important that my husband is always ready to help if I inform him in advance about a difficult workday. Effective communication and understanding in the distribution of responsibilities contribute to a comfortable atmosphere and mutual support in the family.

What I've learned in seven years of freelancing

This is my personal experience, and it may not apply to everyone. It's not always possible to achieve results right away—at the beginning, everything didn't go as planned. Over time, I learned to effectively organize my schedule. If I had taken a time management course at the very beginning, I would have avoided sleepless nights and long work hours. Therefore, if you have the opportunity to master time management from the very beginning, take advantage of it. This will help avoid unnecessary mistakes and save your resources.