A Step in Time Saves Nine

Busy managers have a lot in common with busy freelancers, so it’s only natural that time-saving tips for managers would also work for you.

During an average workday, a manager’s work load consists of numerous important as well as  unimportant items. Much of a manager’s time involves sending and receiving information, mostly through speaking with workers under his or her charge. During the long hours managers work, they’re busy doing a lot of mostly fragmented things with a variety of people. So important for a manager to manage their time wisely so they don’t go mad. Does this sound like your typical work day. If so, here are some time-saving tips that will increase your productivity and help you to retain your sanity.

    1. Work at as clean a desk as possible. There’s nothing worse than trying to find that one paper that you need to complete a project. Move projects, important correspondence, and such off your desk each week on schedule.

    2. Handle routine paperwork, such as correspondence, only once.  While this is difficult to achieve without help, make an effort.
   
    3. Create a To Do List. Depending on how busy you are, you might create one for the week or perhaps one every few days. Cross off items you complete as soon as you finish them.

    4. Employ the A-B-C priority system. Once you have made your To Do List, place an “A” next to items of top importance, a “B” next to those less important but that still need to be done, and a “C” next to those with the least importance.  You may find that the ones with a “C” next to them may complete themselves automatically or may not need doing at all.

    5. Also ask yourself, “Am I making the best use of my time right now?” If the answer is no, then take immediate steps to remedy the situation.

    6. Give yourself a reward upon completion of a job. Go for a walk or stop at your local coffee shop for a cup of joe and a sweet treat.

    7. Plan five minutes of review time into your daily schedule. Look at what happened yesterday, what will happen today, and what you need to do tomorrow. The more you plan out your day or week, the more you’ll accomplish.

    8. If you’re especially busy, delegate low-priority jobs to others.  Perhaps hire a high school or college student to do preliminary research, set up interviews, order supplies, or filing.

    9. Force yourself to make decisions. Always take some sort of action on an important job to keep it moving forward. Delays result from simply avoiding decisions.

    10. At the end of each day, take 15 minutes to plan tomorrow. Knowing what you need to do helps to keep things organized should an unexpected emergency develop.

Remember, as your freelance business increases, so do the stresses of everyday work and life. Staying organized will help you to better cope with the ups and downs of this business.

Do You Have a Hat Rack in Your Office?

Do you have a hat rack in your office? That may seem like an odd question, but as a freelance writer, you’ll need one on which to hang the many hats you’ll have to wear in your business. Coincidentally, there’s a new commercial on T.V. which shows a small business owner entering his office. Everyone working there looks like him because they are. The focus of the commercial is to show how small business owners, like yourself, have to wear many hats to make their businesses successful.

If you thought as a freelancer you were only going to write, think again. The jobs you’ll have to do will range from creator to writer, editor, researcher, interviewer, secretary, salesperson, P.R. exec, bookkeeper, bill collector, general manager, and janitor. If you’re producing ebooks, then add publisher, cover designer, and promoter. Whew! I bet you’re bushed just reading that list.

With such a list of business responsibilities, you’ll have little room for an unprofessional attitude. Unfortunately, many writers often say they don’t have a head for business matters. But you better get one because the success of your freelance business depends on it.

The biggest problem facing you will be finding the time to do all those tasks. While you won’t have to do them all every day, you should create a weekly schedule, so that you don’t overlook any of them, for all of them are important.

To begin, lay out a schedule for the entire week, including Saturday and Sunday, on a spreadsheet. Indicate the time you get up in the morning and the time you go to bed at night. Just because you work for yourself doesn’t mean that you have to work constantly. If you worked for someone else, you’d have hours. Decide if you want to work a normal business day. If so, what time will you arrive at your office and what time will you leave? Most people work from 9 A.M. to 5 P.M., so start with that. You can always go “in” early or “leave” late, depending on your work load. Oh, and don’t forget to allow time to eat lunch and perhaps have a short afternoon break.

Next, make a list of all the tasks you need to do for your business each week, allowing time to work on projects. Type in these tasks and work time on your schedule. If you run out of time for say getting ideas or paying bills or filing, you can always do these in the evenings or on weekends. You might want to also schedule some reading time because you’re going to have to do lots of that. And don’t forget your janitorial duties. It won’t take long for your office to look like a tornado swept through it—try to keep up with cleaning and sorting as best you can.

The idea is to get all your jobs done in the time you have. Don’t be a slave to your schedule, but let it guide you through the week. After a while, you’ll automatically know when it’s time to do which task. And don’t forget to dust off your virtual hat rack once in a while.