As a freelancer, we can choose what projects to take and when and how to do it. This explains why we can work on as many or as few projects as we want.
However, working on multiple freelance projects entails systems and processes. Otherwise, you are spreading yourself too thin.
If you want to work on various projects without sacrificing your productivity and sanity, here are five tips you should follow:
Get Organized
It might seem obvious, but many freelancers often overlook organization, but being organized allows you to develop a system that lets you handle a bunch of work.
You can opt to create a calendar system or use a project management app like Plutio. That way, you can organize your tasks per project and track your progress.
Getting organized is also essential if you are working with a team. Without a proper tool, you might find delegating and following up tasks to be cumbersome.
Nonetheless, look for a tool and develop systems that will work well for you. That way, you can work on multiple freelance projects like a champ.
Review Your Daily Tasks
There is a reason getting organized is imperative for a freelancer. That's because it allows you to review your daily tasks.
Why is it important? Because freelancers are prone to distractions and getting preoccupied with non-work-related stuff.
When you review your tasks at the beginning of the day, you would know which to-do you should focus on today and which you can postpone tomorrow. Another benefit is that you can figure which tasks you work on simultaneously, also known as task batching.
Do Task Batching
You may have heard someone say that it is not okay to multi-task. However, it does not mean that you can only work on one project at a time.
Instead, opt to work on similar tasks at a time.
For instance, morning is when you spend time reading and responding to email and social media messages. After that, you will spend an hour or two planning your clients' social media feed.
From there, you will work on the graphics and copies that go with it. That way, you can end the day by sending the graphics and copies for approval.
Set Realistic Deadlines
Of course, one of the excellent ways you can work on many freelance projects is to dedicate enough time to finish them. Hence, you must set realistic deadlines.
While there is no specific formula for setting a realistic deadline, you should consider the other projects you are working on.
If you are swamped with projects, it does not make sense to accept new freelance clients. But if you have someone to delegate the tasks, perhaps you can consider it. However, ensure that your team will not be swamped, either.
Otherwise, you will be risking missed deadlines or lackluster output.
Know What to Prioritize
Speaking of deadlines, you must know which projects you should prioritize.
Obviously, you should focus on projects that have the closest deadline. But if you do not have any looming deadline, opt to direct your energy on the most impactful tasks.
Using a previous example, consider the following:
- Planning next month's social media calendar
- Finishing next week's social media graphics and copies.
Both are time-consuming. However, spending a couple of hours per day to design social media graphics and write captions will allow you to move forward.
After all, it is much easier to plan your social media calendar if you already have the approved marketing content.
Not All Freelance Projects are Created Equal
There is something to be proud of about serving a handful of freelance clients.
However, not all projects are created equal. Some are more profitable than the rest. Hence, you should keep an eye on such opportunities.
For instance, project A pays $500 and will only take you five hours to complete. Project B, on the other hand, pays the same but requires 14 hours to complete.
Obviously, you should go for project A. Doing so allows you to free up some time to accept better-paying projects. It's okay to take a 14-hour project, as long as it can pay you more than $35 per hour.
Thus, the secret to effectively working on multiple freelance projects is to be clever at grabbing the right opportunities.
