It would appear that there are a lot of freelancers in the globe that are late with their tasks. In addition, it is true that life occurs, and it is sometimes inevitable to miss a deadline.
However, if you are aware that the bar is low, you will have an easier time becoming noticeable.When it comes to managing projects or managing time, there are a few things you can do to better prepare yourself to meet client deadlines, regardless of whether you struggle with project management or time management.
1. Establish a time boundary for yourself.
When I’m writing for clients, I assign myself a deadline of 11:59 pm on the due date.Do I want to be writing late into the night? Absolutely not. But if something occurs during the day and I get off course, I know I have some evening time open and can still fulfill the deadline (even though I know the customer won’t see it until the next morning).
For example, if one of my kids is suddenly sick and is home from school, I know I won’t get as much done that day. Sure, I could ask the customer for additional time. But if I get in the habit of asking for additional time, then it will start to happen more often. I’ll fall into the class of “unreliable” freelancers. I only want to ask for additional time if it’s urgently needed (like I’m ill).
Plus, if I beg for extra time, it has a cascading consequence. It can put out the following deliverable or cause a crunch for the remainder of the week.
As long as I press “send” before 11:59 pm, I’ve met the deadline.
I’ve even gone to sleep at 8:00 pm, slept for an hour, then set an alarm to finish. Does that seem absurd? Maybe. But it works with my brain: I’m not missing the deadline.
2. Block off time on your schedule
I’m a major fan of time-blocking. I know I only have a few hours of “good” writing time every day, so I need to use them properly.I will add blocks of time on my calendar labeled “writing block.” I’ll have one writing block in the morning and one in the afternoon. I don’t allow clients to plan meetings during certain periods.
With the time marked off and optimized for your optimum work hours, you’re less likely to miss a deadline. You realize that the block is work time — not perusing social media time or having lunches.
3. Work forward
Admittedly, I struggle with this one. My brain functions around deadlines, so the thought of working ahead of a deadline is challenging.But if you can, work ahead for the week. That way if something goes amiss, you’ve got some built-in extra time. At worst, you’ll finish things early and have some spare time.
If you work ahead, you should not deliver the job to your clients ahead of time. This creates a negative precedent that you can get the task done in less time. Clients may come back to you in the future and beg for a shorter delivery timeframe.
Use “Schedule Send” in your email or make a reminder for yourself to send the work on the day it’s due.
4. Build in some “buffer” time
Most of the time, I only work four days a week. The last day is spent food shopping, attending to yoga class, and some administrative parts of my business. I might send bills or arrange my social media material. But not client work.But this also means that I have some more time every week. If something occurs and I fall off track, I have one additional day. I could work on that fifth day, if I needed to.
I also never allow meetings on that sixth day. I want it to be a peaceful day, with as little effort as possible.
5. Set some parameters surrounding seeking extra time
Make a list of the reasons you would ask for extra time: a sickness, a death in the family, etc.A few weeks ago, my kid fractured his arm. I spent hours at the doctor with him, receiving a cast.
Could I have done my 11:59pm trick and delivered the job later that evening? Of course. But I was emotionally weary from the day. I emailed my customer, and he was quite understanding.
Mental health is obviously vital, so if you need a day, take it.
But also highlight the reasons you shouldn’t seek for further time. Poor planning or poor project management aren’t valid excuses.
In my profession, sometimes a customer may come back and ask for adjustments on something I’d supplied earlier. I can’t allow that request interfere with my present deadlines. I have to bake in some time to answer modifications, if needed.
One missed deadline might lead to another
Here’s the thing: if you allow yourself to ask for more time, and the customer says yes, it becomes too simple to ask for more time in the future.
And just because a customer says “yes” doesn’t imply they’re alright with the missed deadline. Maybe they’re simply courteous, but in the backs of their thoughts, you’ve put yourself into that bucket of “unreliable” freelancers.
Even if you have a legitimate cause to ask for extra time, you need to consider the business implications. Asking for extra time from an established customer is considerably different from asking for more time from a new client. The existing client knows you and trusts your work. The new client will quickly become cautious.
After all, your clients have deadlines also. If you turn in anything late, you can be generating complications on their end.
One of the most challenging components of being a freelancer is the ability to effectively manage your time. However, it is of utmost importance. On the basis of your deliveries alone, you will not be able to keep customers. In addition to this, you need to establish a reputation for being able to communicate effectively, being open and honest about your time, and honoring the deadlines that you and your clients have agreed upon.