Be a Successful Freelancer by Getting Organized

Doing freelance work is a big shift from working in the corporate world. As I've worked as an online freelancer (writing and online marketing) for the last couple of months, I've realized some important things that have helped my business grow. One of those crucial issues is improving the organization of my business.

In the corporate world, the corporation organizes much of your work. Your boss tells you when to come to work and when to leave. He gives you projects to do and if he's a quality supervisor, you will also get the proper training you need to do your work. In most corporate jobs, after a couple of days or weeks, you could do you work on autopilot.

However, if you're an online freelancer, you are your own boss. You have decide when you will work, what hours of the day you will work, and which days will be your off days. You have to figure out how to complete client projects and which tools and skills to use on each project. You have to communicate with clients and make sure you're clear on your responsibilities. Also, you have to acquire the needed training to do your projects well.

My early days as a freelancer was an exciting but stressful time. I didn't realize how many plates I had to juggle. I was an accountant in the corporate world. I didn't have to worry about things like invoicing, marketing, personal branding, or finding new clients. I simply went to work and fulfilled the responsibilities assigned to me. However, as a freelancer, I've had to setup up processes and systems for billing my clients. I've had to create a filing system to keep track of multiple clients and projects. This filing system helps me meet deadlines. Also, because I want to have success in the long term, I've created a marketing and personal branding plan for my business.

All these issues required me to become more organized. Before I organized my business, I was working inefficiently. I had notes scattered all over my desk. My e-mail inbox was overflowing. I had to use the search function on my laptop because I couldn't remember where I saved a file. And I experienced stress because I would forget important information. I was trying to remember too many things in my head.

There are many methods to organize your freelance business. David Allen's Getting Things Done has helped me greatly. The principles in Getting Things Done can work for you - whether you use a laptop, PDA, or even a notebook to organize your business.

I can't recommend highly enough the benefits of getting organized. If you're a freelancer and need to organize your business, take a couple of hours off and read Getting Things Done. As you implement its principles, you'll get more and more organized. Then, you'll experience less stress. And with that clearer mindset, you'll produce better work.