4 Time Management Tools I Use as a Freelancer
These days, I’ve got both long-term and short-term deadlines, as well as day-to-day tasks, to juggle. Here’s a peek at some of the tools I…
These days, I’ve got both long-term and short-term deadlines, as well as day-to-day tasks, to juggle. Here’s a peek at some of the tools I use to stay organize and (attempt to) manage my time from week to week.
1. Pinned Notes
This one might seem really simple, but it’s honestly been so, so useful. I use the Notes apps on my Mac and have learned to pin notes for the information I keep using again and again. The trick, for me, is to keep the pinned notes to 5 or less, so that they really stand out from the rest.
I use pinned notes to make it easier for me to find:
My bio, which I write in both first and third person since certain applications/contributor pages need different formats
A template for reaching out to people to interview for articles or for pitching editors (i.e. the first sentence in any pitch in which I introduce myself briefly)
Notes that I might need on the article I’m currently working on (if I am working on a few at a time, this is usually the article that’s due the soonest)
2. Calendly
I’m still learning how to use this one as efficiently as possible, but it’s been great when it comes to scheduling phone calls throughout the week. Basically, you can use Calendly to set what hours you are available during a given time period. Then, you can easily email a link of that calendar to anyone you want to schedule a meeting time with. They can then see your open time slots and pick the one that’s best for them.
I use it for:
Scheduling interviews with people/sources for articles
Scheduling consultation calls
Catching up with colleagues
Double-checking my scheduled calls, and seeing what my bandwidth looks like for a given week
You can use the basic version for free, with a few other tiers if you want those extra perks.
3. Screen Time Limit
I have an iPhone and I also happen to be one of those people who hates seeing unread notifications. I use TikTok. I use Instagram. I like playing word games. Needless to say, I use my phone A LOT. I’m always trying to curb my use, but it’s not easy. I started using Screen Time limits so I could settle down more easily before bed.
And there’s another big reason I do it, too: I have the Gmail app on my phone and it’s just TOO EASY to open it up and check. What if an editor emails me late at night? What if that Submittable notification came through when I’m not noticing? What if someone on a different time zone gets back to me about scheduling an interview?
I set my screen limit timer to start at 9pm so that I can’t check my email and worry about those questions. That helps me with time management because:
If I stay up late, I sleep in longer, which gives me less time to do yoga or read or just zone out before launching into the work day.
If I do see a pending email and I can’t get to it, it’s harder for me to fall asleep.
I set a morning time limit, too, so that I can’t easily check my email (even though I need to work on this habit).
You can figure out how to set screen time limits for iPhone here and Android here.
4. Notion
I have an “in progress” page in my Notion that helps me break down what I’m currently working on. I use a monthly view and to-do bullets so that I can track what’s high on the priority list. The “in progress” pages help me track:
Which articles I need to do another round of edits on
What interviews I still need to schedule
What articles will be do in the next month or so
Deadlines for applying to opportunities
I also can be a little more realistic about my capacity. If there’s an evergreen project or idea on my current month’s in-progress list and I can tell I won’t get to it, I can easily move it to next month.
What are your favorite tools to use for time management?