There are a lot of challenges that come with freelance work, whether in web development or any other industry. And as we alluded to in an article on ‘The Struggles of a Freelance Web Developer’ one of the most critical is time management. Simply put, a freelance worker does not have the benefit of structure imposed by management or leadership. And while that can be good for creativity, it can in some cases lead to struggles with time management.

For that reason, we thought we might offer a few tips that freelance web developers can use to better stay on top of their time, and get the most out of their arrangements.

1. Establish a Regular Schedule

The single most important tip for staying on top of time management as a freelancer is to establish a regular schedule. Freelance workers across all industries value their flexibility and autonomy, and typically do have the freedom to work when they want. But taking this idea too far often results in wasted time, late hours, and in some cases even strained relationships with clients. In other words, it leads to poor time management and subsequent consequences. By establishing a regular schedule and holding yourself to it as best you can, you’ll essentially establish freelance “working hours,” which act as self-imposed restraints within which to manage your work time.

2. Learn to Work “Smarter”

Another issue a lot of freelancers fall into regarding time management is working excessive hours. When working on a development project from home, it’s easy enough to either go overboard (working longer hours than you should in a day) or stretch work out (being less productive in a given hour than you should be). These are tricky issues to address, but really it just comes down to making your work hours count. A Verizon Connect piece on working “smart” (as opposed to just “hard”) went as far as to suggest that going overboard on work hours is often a waste of time. Focus on maximizing productivity during the hours when you’re supposed to be working on projects, and you may find you get as much done in 40 or 50 hours as you would in 60 or 70 with less focus.

3. Take Time Off

Freelancers also tend to struggle to take real time off. In fact, according to a CNBC article on U.S. freelancers, 92% say that they “can’t take a nonworking vacation.” While they may take vacations, that is, they usually feel the need to continue working during time away (largely because they don’t have paid time off). If this rings true to you, it’s important to recognize that it can negatively impact your time management and work performance. We all need real time off now and then, and refusing to allow yourself breaks will ultimately lead to stress, fatigue, and burnout — which in turn make your working time less productive. Finding a way to budget time and money for actual time off is therefore crucial to maintaining reasonable and productive working hours.

4. Organize a Home Workspace

One of the main perks of freelance work — particularly in web development, where you typically need nothing more than your laptop to be doing your job — is that you can work from anywhere. That might mean your living room couch, a neighborhood coffee shop, or even a dedicated co-working space in town. These are all fine options if you feel you can truly be productive in these spaces, but many freelancers ultimately find that they can stay on top of their hours more effectively if they set up home workspace. This simulates an office environment in ways, and helps you to wall off your “home life” from your “work life.” Plus, as Inc. explained on behalf of the self-employed, you may be able to get a tax break for the portion of your home dedicated to work!

5. Set the Rules

Finally, you should also strive to set your own rules with your clients. While you are in a sense working for them, and it’s important to deliver strong results in accordance with expectations, it is also crucial to remember that you are effectively your own business. Letting clients make unreasonable demands, or dictate your working hours, is typically a bad habit to get into. You are in control of communications and timing, and ensuring that this remains the case helps you to maintain your schedule and manage your time effectively.

Time management is often one of the toughest things for a freelance worker to master. Keep these tips in mind however, and take a diligent approach to organizing your time, and you may just find that freelancing finally feels like the flexible, independent lifestyle you imagined it to be.

Specially penned for createdbycocoon.com by Buffy Jane