Some people claim that 24 hours is not enough for them to finish all their tasks for the day. Indeed, most of us are running after time trying to befriend it. Time is very vital for us. Time management is said to be the most important element of professionalism which includes balancing and managing both professional and personal life well. Ironically, time management is also the biggest problems of graphic designers. Freelance designers have various projects that come just anytime, so you need to be good at time management. Since you are working on your own, you have to handle everything on your own. This is vital in order to finish all your projects before your client’s deadline. Every task requires a lot of time especially that you have to work on it always with the best of your ability.
Effective time management requires a lot of discipline. In Stephen Covey’s 7 Habits of Highly Effective People , he cited a Time Management Matrix which could be a guide for everyone.
- Quadrant I: Quadrant of Necessity. Urgent and important matters. Crises, pressing problems, deadline-driven projects.These are things we have and we have to do.
- Quadrant II: Quadrant of Quality and Personal Leadership. Non-urgent but important matters. Relationship building, planning, recognising new opportunities, improvements to your workplace, exercise, recreation. These are things that needs to be done but we don’t do it because it is not urgent.
- Quadrant III: Quadrant of Deception. Urgent but not important things like phone calls, email, interruptions, popular matters, some meetings. Obviously, these things are not important and most people are deceived into doing these.
- Quadrant IV: Quadrant of Waste. Non-urgent and non-important matters. This includes trivia, spam, time wasters, distractions, non-productive activities.Totally a waste of time if you do these things.
For maximum results, tasks in Quadrant I should be done first, then Quadrant II, III and then IV. Covey suggests to avoid spending time in Quadrant IV and to spend more time in Quadrant II activities. Planning rightly and getting things done earlier will help you avoid problems in your life. Aside from the guide given to us by Covey, we also have here some time management techniques for you.
1.Plan everyday by making a to-do list.
Be organized by making a list of the tasks you will do for the day. Make sure to include only the important ones. You have to follow your list or else, it won’t serve its purpose.Do not just keep a daily plan. Make it monthy and weekly,too. This will help you determine if you have spent time for both your personal and professional life.
2.Set priorities.
With a lot of things to do in a day, make sure to set priorities. Choose which one needs to be done first and is the most important of all the tasks. This way, you could focus on the most relevant work before going to the rest of your activities.
3.Work on a major project one at a time.
Do not drown yourself with work. If you have two or three major projects, work at it one at a time to make sure that you will have the best output. Work on the ones that will due first and always give your best into it. If you work at many projects at the same time, the result won’t be as good as you want it to be.
4.Work first on the projects you hate.
Sometimes, there are tasks or projects that we dislike doing. Instead of skipping it for a couple of times, force yourself to finish it first so you won’t be worried and bothered about it when it’s already done. After doing what you hate, you can now spend more time working on projects that you love.
5.Do away activities where you waste time.
Stop yourself from talking a long time on the phone, checking emails, or using social media sites like Facebook and Twitter. It will eat up most of your time without you noticing it. Close these sites while working. You check them when you take a break. But remember to spend a very little time on this and go back to work at once.
6.Break down large projects.
If you are given a large project wherein you have to do a lot of things like designing a logo, a website, a business card and many others, break down the tasks. Talk to your client to set different deadlines for each item. Make a list of all the tasks and discuss it with your client as to which one would he wants to be done first. .
7.Find the right time for everything.
You would know when the right time to work and not to work is. If you have better ideas in the morning, then work in the morning. Choose the right time where you are most productive.
8.Multi-task with a limit.
Do things at the same time. But make sure you do not dove-tail a lot that you could no longer have a quality output. Multi-tasking could help you save a lot of time only if you do it in a manner that you can still give your best even if you do different things at the same time. So make sure you are doing an effective multi-tasking.
9.Set your own deadlines.
One way to make sure that you won’t go beyond the deadline your clients are giving you is to set your own deadline ahead than their due date. This will help you not to rush things when your client asks for the project already. Also this will give you ample time to correct mistakes and look into all the details of the project.
10.Enjoy your time.
Have fun while working. Enjoy making designs. Put your heart into what you are doing so you could achieve a good output. Projects which are made with a smiling heart look better than those done with a pout in the face.
11.Avoid Distractions.
It is up to you on how you will do away distractions while working. Mere phone calls and noise can distract your focus and might shoo away your creativity. So, to avoid losing your artistic ideas, avoid distractions and learn to discipline yourself.
12.Have a sense of urgency.
Even if the deadline is still weeks away, you still have to work at it at once. Do not procrastinate. Finish everything that you can while waiting for other projects. Always be busy with work. You can relax after all the work. Relaxing feels much better when you do not have to worry about work anymore.
13.Balance professional and personal life.
Even if you would like to develop a good professional life, you still need to give time to your personal life for both aspects go together. Do not live like nothing matters but your career only. Allot time for relationships and personal development. Spend time with important people in your life and never forget yourself and your health. Living a balanced life is the key to find happiness.
14.Maintain your hardware and software.
Always do hardware checks to maintain your computer. It would be a waste of time if your computer stops responding every once in a while. Also, protect your computer from viruses, spyware and malware for it can damage your files. Always update your hardware and software coz newer ones may help you speed up your work.
15.Use a time management tool.
There are lots of applications in the internet which can help one save time. Check out 35 Time Management Resources for Designers. For sure you’ll find them useful.
16.Prevent work disasters.
To make sure that everything you have worked hard for will not merely get lost in a wink of an eye, keep some back up files on your external drive. I know some of you have experienced this before, and I’m pretty sure no designer wants this to happen to them. Have a weekly backup so you could continue working with a peace of mind.
17.Take breaks.
Do not overwork yourself. Take a coffee break for 10-15 minutes. It won’t do you any good if you will work for straight 8-10 hours. That is unhealthy. So, once in a while, stand up, stretch, have a few bites, get some fresh air then go back to work. But don’t be taking a lot of breaks, that won’t make you productive.
18.Reward yourself when you get things done.
When you are working, consider yourself like a little kid who would be pleased to receive an ice cream or a candy when he answers your questions correctly or when he gets things done properly. Reward yourself. Pamper yourself once in a while.
Being a freelance designer is a tedious work so you need focus and planning. Everything actually depends on how you approach circumstances and how you manage time on your own. We’ll, it is indeed easier said than done! But with proper self discipline and motivation to work, you’ll be able to successfully and effectively manage your time. Remember that no one can ever turn back the hands of time, so make use of it wisely and productively!
Source: http://luthfi.us
3 comments:
There are a lot of designers out there and the competition is high in the current job market. Time management is one of the most essential skill should require for designers. A designer who has good time management skills can consistently deliver projects on time.
Effective time management requires the ability to multitask and delegate. Multitasking allows the designer to complete multiple task at one time. To develop effective time management skills, I would suggest to use Replicon time recording software - http://www.replicon.com/olp/online-time-recording-software.aspx
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