Being a freelancer means both, managing your own time schedule and having a bigger workload than being an employee. Here are a few tips on how to manage your workload efficiently.

1. FREELANCER TIPS
Coping with your workload as a
freelancer - 4 Tips!
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10.01.2014
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2. New to freelancing?
Those new to freelancing often tend to think that working as your
own boss means having much more free time than you had as an
employee. This couldn’t be less true – yes, you have the freedom to
tailor a time schedule suited to your specific needs, but as a
freelancer you obviously have a lot more responsibility as well. The
feeling that everything depends on oneself leads to putting a lot of
hours in and often struggling with your workload.
In fact, a recent survey over at www.freelancermap.com shows that
the majority of freelancers work more hours than they previously did
as employees. To be a successful freelancer, you need to be able to
cope with your workload and find that perfect balance between
working too little and far too much.

3. 1) Learn to say no
Learning to refuse projects is not the first thing that pops into
the mind of most people when considering the skillset needed to
be a great freelancer. However, knowing how and when to say
no is vital for coping with your workload. When given the
opportunity, you should always try to pick a project that you feel
excited about. Taking mediocre projects just because you need
the money is bound to happen now and then, but overworking
can hurt your career badly. Turning in sloppy work because you
had too little time on your hands is definitely not going to do you
any favors either. So be realistic about how much work you can
actually do and stick to that amount.

4. 2) Set priorities
When working on multiple projects setting your priorities
correctly can mean all the difference in the world. The most
urgent tasks are the ones that are due earliest. In order to not
rush things right before the deadline, always prioritize projects
that have to be completed first. The second most important
aspect is going to be the task’s size. Large projects are
intimidating and it’s easy to fall into the trap of postponing
them. Breaking them down into a list of smaller tasks and
possibly assigning each task an estimated value will do wonders
for coping with your workload.

5. 3) Communicate your schedule
Sooner or later most of you are going to face that client who
seems to think that you can work 10 hours a day, 7 days a week
just for him. When faced with an overwhelming workload the
worst thing you can do is just grit your teeth and go through
with it. Again, rushing your work and producing low-quality
results will never be worth it in the long run. So take the
reasonable path instead and communicate with your clients.
Explain to them that you work on other projects or that you
can’t realistically manage what they want from you in the given
time. But don’t stop there, make a counterproposal. Show your
potential clients that you want to work for them by offering a
reduction of the workload or a deadline extension.

6. 4) Avoid distractions
Last, but not least it’s those two words you hear most often but are
always easier said than done – avoid distractions. Especially when
working from home, time-consuming dangers lurk around every
corner. There are plenty of ways to keep you from procrastinating,
but there will always be something you can spend your time on
other than work. Ultimately, the best way to avoid putting off your
work and getting distracted is to simply really like what you do.
Think about why you got into freelancing in the first place and keep
your eyes on the goal. Pick great, interesting projects which can
take your business further and keep you motivated. Being in love
with your work is really the greatest way to avoid distractions and
cope with your workload.

7. Further freelancer tips available on http://www.freelancermap.com/channel/19-news.html
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