Opinion

Juggling Time

As I write this story, I’m a week past my deadline. As an occasional freelancer, I must admit that my own time-management skills leave much to be desired. But (at the risk of sounding whiny) it’s hard to juggle a "regular" job, keep my house clean, take care of two attention-hungry kittens and have a social life while trying to study magazines and send out query letters in hopes of one day freelancing full-time.

While it sometimes seems impossible, there are freelancers who make it work. But it takes a lot of planning, self-discipline and the right tools.

The perk of freelancing is, of course, the flexibility it offers. Barbara Stewart left a longtime "regular" job more than two years ago because it no longer offered the flexibility she desired. She now works part-time as a freelance writer, editor and French translator.

"Freelance tends to be more feast or famine than I’d like . . . but mine isn’t the only income in the family and it does at least contribute—and I’m more available for family things," says Stewart. "The great thing about it is I can work around all my other commitments. I don’t need to be at a given work place all day, so I can do a lot of what I want and need to do whenever I want to schedule it."

The down side to that flexibility is that some (myself included) are prone to dawdling and general goofing off when they should be working.

"You have to learn to focus and concentrate your energy for several hours at a time so you can get a lot done in a scheduled period of time," suggests writer DeAnn Rossetti. "I also think having everything in front of you, and being organized, helps tremendously in terms of using your time wisely."

Stewart agrees, and also suggests keeping a daily to-do list that’s updated every evening for the next day.

With families and spouses and lives and houses, how do they do it and make money at it? Stewart is married with two teenagers, but manages to squeeze some work in between family responsibilities. "When my days are full, I do a lot of work at night when the kids are doing homework, while dinner is simmering, or whatever," she says.

For Rossetti, a freelancer for 15 years, it’s a matter of setting aside specific time for everything: Everything has to be scheduled. You have to schedule time for friends, and time for your hubby and still make time to play with your child," says Rossetti, the mother of a 2-year-old. "I have found, too, that some late nights and early mornings, when everyone is asleep, can provide uninterrupted time to write. It also helps that my husband is supportive."

Supportive families aside, there are a few essential tools every freelancer needs to effectively manage their time and stay sane.

Because most of a freelancer’s time is spent managing paperwork (queries, clips, manuscripts, etc.) a strong filing cabinet or a personalized filing system on your home computer is invaluable. Create a real or electronic folder (or both) for queries that have been sent, one for contracts, article ideas, completed ready-to-send manuscripts and published clips.

"I spend at least 4 hours a week just getting things in order," said Rossetti, "and if I am busy, I can spend a whole day just getting things straightened out so that I can work."

Another great organizing tool is at WritersMarkets.com. The site, the electronic version of the book, has a handy Submission Tracker that keeps track of queries, manuscripts and payment schedules. The $30 annual fee is a small price to pay for them to do the organizing for you. It also regularly updates its market listings. The book version is usually stale by the time it hits the shelves and the updates are helpful in saving time and energy sending queries to publications that may no longer exist.

"I prefer going right to the publication and looking it over, sending a query to the editor and taking it from there," says Rossetti. "Also, keeping a list of where you’ve sent queries so you can follow up with a call or a postcard is helpful."

Another time saver is having someone look over your work. Having a second pair of eyes, a friend, husband or significant other to proof and/or edit your work can save you time and headaches and will help avoid those embarrassing typos that can happen with tired eyes.

And speaking of being tired, another good investment is a sturdy pair of walking shoes. The best way to cure frazzled nerves after staring at a computer screen all morning is to get out of the house. Go for a walk and refresh yourself.

"Part of my routine is walking every day with a friend who also freelances from home and lives nearby," says Stewart. "We coordinate every day around each other’s schedules and almost always manage to fit in that walk (and talk/social time) ranging from just 10 or 15 minutes to a more usual 45 to 60 minutes, sometimes longer if we have enough time. It keeps us both sane!"

Writersmarkets.com: In addition to up-to-date market listings for thousands of publications, the site, an electronic version of the book, has a Submission Tracker online to help you keep track of queries, submissions, and payment schedules.

Allfreelance.com: Offers links to articles on how to manage time, run your home office and more.

Guru.com: Has articles and advice on how to handle time management and other lifestyle concerns for independent workers.

Betweenfriends.org: Articles on time management, organizational tips and resources for the mom/business owner.

Kavita Makhijani is the Lifestyle Editor at the Mercer Island Reporter. If she could get her act together, she'd be a full-time freelance writer.