How to Organize Freelance Projects

Multiple freelance projects can be stressful and require extra work hours to meet deadlines. Strong organizational skills help you get projects accomplished at a comfortable pace and meet your financial goals. Dick Lohr, the author of "Taking Control of Your Time and Your Life," recommends time management and goal setting techniques to organize work. Structured work habits allow you to meet multiple deadlines, have time to produce quality work and still have a social life. Your goals can help you prioritize projects for efficiency. You can use the same methods to organize both your workload and individual projects.

Instructions

1 Interview each client to find out his expectations, instructions, any necessary supplies, assignment facts, contact information, and the project deadline. Write down your notes in a notebook so that you have a paper copy of all project details. Place the notes for each project in a manila file folder and label each folder to keep projects separated.

2 Develop a file system for your freelance projects by using a file cabinet. Label hanging folders with project names; file alphabetically for ease of access. Store manila project folders detailing individual assignments in the hanging folders.

3 Write down the dates of all project deadlines and meetings in both a desk calendar and a day planner. Circle dates and make short notes on the desk calendar for quick reminders. Compose detailed notes in the day planner for important reminders. Place the desk calendar in a visible place for a constant reminder of project timelines. Consult your day planner daily to keep track of activities.

4 Make notes on each of your projects in a notebook as you work on them to keep track of progress. Include action items and details on project needs.

5 Compose a list of all projects by priority on paper. Determine priority based on the deadline, client need and time investment required to complete the work.

6 Make individual checklists of all activities and supplies needed to complete each project. Write a summary of client expectations and your objective for each project to keep you focused on goals.

7 Create a schedule for daily, weekly and monthly activities required by the projects. Refer to the priority list and project checklists to develop the schedules. Devise a plan for completing each project in the context of your entire workload as you make your schedules. Keep a copy of the schedules in your day planner for convenient reference.

8 Divide your day into sets of hours that are dedicated to one assignment before switching to another so that you are not mentally divided between multiple projects.

9 Update clients through weekly or twice-monthly progress report, depending on preference, to make sure you meet customer expectations.

10 Put away each set of project folders as you finish working on them throughout the course of your workday. To prevent confusion or lost paperwork, do not mix multiple project folders on your desk...

Tips & Warnings

Use digital tools and software to organize your project schedules and activities. Contact clients through email and social networking to increase the speed and efficiency of the project updates.