More and more people are drawn to the idea of freelancing. And for a good reason, freelancing gigs have never been easier to find, and the freedom it offers any standard employment situation can not match you.
However, freelancing isn’t all sunshine and roses, and it requires hard work, effort, and the right tools for the job to make it a successful freelancer.
Every successful freelancer will tell you the number one tool they use is a Freelancer Project Manager, but to the uninitiated, you might ask what exactly is it and is it really worth it. The short answer is yes.
A project management system is an application that allows freelancers to keep every aspect of their work in one place. A necessity as you take on more and more clients with differing project specifications.
Continue reading the article below, where we get into finer detail about the benefits of this beautiful software. Afterward, if you’re interested, you can sign up for the Freelancer Project Management on Hectic™ and get started on your freelancing career on the right foot.
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What is a Freelance Project Management System
The upside of being your own boss is no one can tell you what to do. You have the power regarding your work, but with great responsibility comes great responsibility. This brings us to the downside.
You are in charge of everything, from getting in touch with clients, handling contracts, finances, keeping a diverse schedule, and finally completing the project.
A freelance project management system is an application that allows freelancers to handle all their tasks in one place and integrate them together seamlessly. The better the project management system, the more tasks it can handle.
This is why freelancers take their time and research the best available freelancer project management tools in the market, and it affects every aspect of your work life.
Now that we understand what it is, let us examine some benefits a project management system offers freelancers.
It Keeps All Your Tasks In One Place
The most visible and essential benefit a freelance project management system can have for your freelance career is to keep all relevant information in one place.
If you are a new freelancer, be prepared to be amazed at how quickly the many applications and tools you use for your business add up. Calendars, accounting tools, invoice management, time tracking, drafts, and contracting tools are just some of the necessary tasks a freelancer will add to his repertoire as his business grows.
A good project management tool can provide all of these services in one place, so you no longer have to switch between applications to complete a project.
And best of all, applications are an all-in-one service. They integrate seamlessly: no more missing tasks and critical deadlines between different tools. New freelancers tend to go with independent tools when starting out. More than likely because they are free.
However, they almost never integrate with each other, and that is where important information can get lost in translation. Suddenly, you are missing deadlines, forgetting to account for hours worked, or even charging your clients incorrectly—the fastest way to lose a client forever. Don’t let this happen to you and invest in a project management system.
Allows for Full Project Integration
The further along you are in your freelance career, the more ambitious projects and jobs you will get. This brings a lot of complications because the more ambitious projects tend to have many more moving parts.
A sound project management system will allow you to manage all moving parts and streamline your work process.
Being able to use different apps with the reassurance that they will work seamlessly together inside your freelance project management system is a huge relief that you won’t realize you’ll need till it is gone.
Change Your Interface to Match Your Workstyle
The exciting thing about freelancing is that your next project will be different than last. Your project management system will allow you to tweak your dashboard to best optimize your current workflow.
The beauty of freelance work lies in the creative freedom to work how you see fit. A well-functioning project management system should only assist you in that goal.
Never Be Late on a Deadline Again
A customizable calendar is a priority for any beginning freelancer. A good calendar not only allows you to set deadlines for tasks, but you can divide them into sub-tasks so that you can better monitor your progress and inform your clients about the current timeline of the project.
With a project management system, your calendar can be properly integrated into every aspect of your project.
As we have discussed, the more ambitious your projects will become, the further along in your freelance career. These projects will have multiple deadlines and subtasks that your client will expect you to meet. A poorly integrated calendar can lead to missed deadlines and ultimately lost clients.
Additionally, a well-functioning calendar will keep accurate track of your work hours, so you know exactly what to charge your clients and will have proof of your work history. This can be used to value your time accurately and make reasonable deadlines when it comes to the next project.
You Can Invite Customers
The lousy truth about freelancers negotiations with clients is that the client often does not understand the realities and daily minutiae.
With a project management system clients can easily check the status of the project and ingratiate themselves with the steps required in the process. This allows you both to come together and set realistic expectations for the deadlines for their project.
There Is No Reason You Shouldn’t be Using a Project Manager
Hopefully, this article answers the question from the headline. Yes, freelancer project management systems are absolutely worth it. There is a reason they are a standard tool for every successful freelancer.
Freelancing offers unparalleled employment freedom. You can work the hours you want, choose the clients you would like, and work from anywhere in the world. The only caveat is you have to handle all the little details. A project management system can make that part a lot easier.
