There’s no shame in being a professional procrastinator. We all have a million things to do every day, and its human nature to drag your feet at certain tasks. However, one of the most important parts of being a successful freelancer is the ability to get work done within a short deadline. And, well, the worst impression you can give a potential client or buyer is that you don’t take their work seriously; that you don’t consider it your highest priority. Nothing annoys a potential buyer more than having to pester someone for work they’ve already paid for, and taking too long to submit your assignments can result in bad reviews. We’ve already discussed how bad reviews are more damaging to your career than anything else, but what we haven’t talked about is how to manage time well.

Managing your time can be imperative to your freelance career, but how exactly should you do it? Well, we’ve got all the answers for you right here, compiled into an easy to read list. Make sure to read all of this, and also our other blogs related to freelancing. So, without any further ado, let’s get into it.

Tips to manage time better

1. Make an itemized list of your tasks

If you have a hundred things to do today, then you really have a hundred and one, because if you don’t write down what you need to do, chances are you’ll forget ninety nine. This is really important to understand as a Specialist, because the more successful you get, the less people will allow minor slip-ups in your work. It’s a really under-valued practice to note down what you need to do, and really takes a load off your mind in trying to remember what you need to do. Plus, when you know exactly how much work you have left, you can strategies and multi task, which allows you to double your productivity.

2. Sort tasks by similarity

The assembly line was a massive breakthrough in human history as it led to an increase of more than ten times the productivity per worker. The secret behind it all? When you spend long stretches of time doing the same type of task, you can get into a flow that is less mentally exerting than consciously having to switch between types of work all the time. This is the same technique you need to apply in your freelancing.

Let’s say my friend Ali has to edit 5 videos, design 4 thumbnails and also write 8 articles. If Ali spends his day editing one video, then writing half an article, and then making 3 thumbnails, then he isn’t optimizing his productivity. He might not have any issue in finishing his work, but there is a better way to use his time. If he first finishes his articles, then his thumbnails and last his videos, then he might find he spends less time on each.

3. Set time to work, and take breaks in between

A lot of time is wasted in fixing mistakes, and while obviously mistakes are inevitable, the frequency of mistakes rises when you’re exhausted or close to tiring out. It makes sense, because you’re less focused on work when you’re drained, so what can we do? Well, the best thing to do is to allot time slots to work, where you’re laser focused on your tasks. A reasonable time slot sounds like an hour or so. Then, after that period, take a small break, to unwind and clear the mind of stress. Stay hydrated, eat well and contact some friends to blow off steam. Spend maybe twenty minutes to half an hour like this, allowing your batteries to fully recharge. After this, get back into your work, feeling much more fulfilled and able to devote more mental energy on your tasks.

If you follow these simple tricks, you’ll find you’re able to do much, much better at finishing work on time and also better at managing a balance between work and personal life. It is definitely worth the time to try out each tip and see how you benefit from them. If you liked these, and would like some more special advice, check out our blog, where we post stories like this on the daily. Until then, stay Savvy!