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GOOD FREELANCER; A GREAT JUGGLER!
People tend to assume
that being a freelancer means you are on a continuous joy ride; on the contrary
I would say if you are a good freelancer you will definitely become a great
juggler. Nice option right; should you wish to switch careers. Free lancers are
not devoid of responsibilities; it is true they enjoy ‘freedom’ that comes with
the deal but nevertheless it does not rip them of their obligations. If you are
a freelancer or thinking of becoming one do not forget that you will have to
create a harmonious balanced life comprising of diverse elements.
If you are a normal ‘person’
not that I am suggesting, Freelancers are the E.T. Version of modern day
business world. In fact my point is simple; freelancers have their personal
lives, domestic obligations, and their work load of different tasks plus if
they are also doing a regular job then ‘heavens may aid them’. Multitude of
tasks requires effective time management and shuffling or what you may juggle
all the personal and professional commitments with efficiency. Let me simplify
things a little for you; for your sake I will assume that you are a freelancer
specialized in content writing, married with a family and a couple of ‘cute’
kids plus socially active and doing a regular teaching job at a college. So how
do you intend to manage all these activities efficiently?
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| Good Freelancer |
The answers can be two;
you will either fail miserably to fulfill all these tasks or you can
effectively manage them all by improving your own time management skills. These
tasks can be conveniently done by a little ‘clever juggling’; I am giving you 5
tips in the hope that they will help you to become a great juggler; oops I
meant to succeed as a freelancer:
1-Before
going to bed each night prepare a task list or ‘things to do’ list in which be
sure to mention all the needful things required to be done.
2-
Each task should be assigned a priority level according to their relative
importance like high, moderate, low and the least. Keep the list with you at
all times and review it periodically to check your own progress.
3-You
should prepare a timetable for those things that are required to be done daily
on a regular basis. For example if you deliver a lecture at a university from
10 to 1 every morning then try to let it known to all of your clients so that
they are aware of your other commitments.
4-
For a freelancer every minute is important and if you can perform two tasks at
the same time that will be great. You may think I am going ‘bananas’; on the
contrary I am actually giving you a simple idea. If you are taking a train to
reach destination X; carry your laptop or smart phone with you and keep working
on an assignment given to you by your client.
5-Maintain
communication with all people concerned; your clients, family and even friends.
Let them know about your progress vi's-Ã -voice their requests or tasks so that
a ‘bond’ may exist.
Those are some really great tips. I do agree with preparing a to do list. That's for everyone actually. These are some great tips for the Freelancer. :)
ReplyDeleteThis is a great post! I find that people sometimes underestimate the amount of work that we put into being freelancers. Add to that a full-time career, which many of us also have in addition to freelancing, and it is a tremendous amount of work. You are right, it takes talent to juggle all of these responsibilities and stay ahead of the learning curve.
ReplyDeleteYou are good at what you do.. Me, I just want to have fun blogging. If I would become a freelancer, it would be like a job, Right? You have made some great points here for those that do want to become a freelancer.
ReplyDeleteFantastic tips - I honestly don't juggle well and all my plans got to pot but I shall definitely give it a try :) x
ReplyDeleteI use to be a freelancer too, these are great tips. Thanks for posting!
ReplyDeleteI've done some freelance work also and yes, it is very important to be organized! Thanks for the tips.
ReplyDeletegreat tps hun love number 3 i totally should take note of that one xx
ReplyDeleteI especially love #3. It will save you from having to sift through voicemails and emails, which add an extra step to the process.
ReplyDeleteGreat tips! I am thinking of going into freelance writing at some point and this information comes in handy.
ReplyDeleteGreat tips Akhil . I have been a freelancer for quite long and I know how crazy it could be sometimes . School , home & domestic obligations are an on-off.
ReplyDeleteNoor @ Noor's Place
Great tips! I was doing some work for my company on a contractual basis before I left my job and I can sorta see how things can get out of hand quickly with freelancing too. You do need to set time and priority on each task you have to complete. It's a balancing act, especially when you're a new mom trying to work from home on the side :) thanks for the tips!
ReplyDeleteThese are some great tips. I am bad about juggling my time. I get trapped talking to some friends on facebook. I enjoy talking to them, but then, next thing I know, my time is gone!
ReplyDeleteThat are amazing tips! Freelancing can get crazy and overwhelming, so it is good to have people like you helping :)
ReplyDeleteI'm a freelancer so thanks for sharing all these tips! My planner helps me a lot.
ReplyDeleteAs a freelancer, you do need to take advantage of every free moment. Multitasking is my best friend. lol
ReplyDeleteLove the tips! I try to keep a to do list for everything lol
ReplyDeleteGreat tips! We like to do the to do list for everything we do. It helps us to stay organized. It helps in any situation.
ReplyDeleteI could definitely use some good time management. Seems like I never have enough time to do the things that are on my to-do list. Thank you for the tips.
ReplyDeleteI am horrid at time management, any help is so appreciated!
ReplyDeleteI am horrid at time management, so any help is so appreciated!
ReplyDeleteI do believe you have to be good at multi-tasking to be a good freelancer. Time management is essential too.
ReplyDeleteI absolutely agree it is important to juggle different tasks when you are a free lancer. I find myself working while I wait at the doctor's office, or when my son is at an activity. Organization is key and I am all for lists.
ReplyDeletegreat tips. communication definitely is key. thanks for the list
ReplyDeleteWhat a great and helpful tips! Time management is very important, if you know how to do it, you will be in a right track.
ReplyDeleteGreat point that freelancing requires good multitasking skills. Another consideration for those interested in trying it is that although freelancing offers greater flexibility, it also often entails greater risk. You won't necessarily get a regular paycheck, finances and opportunities will ebb and flow. That type of uncertainty doesn't work well for some personality types.
ReplyDelete