According to a study entitled “Freelance Forward: 2023” conducted by Upwork, the online marketplace that connects businesses with independent contractors and freelancers, in 2023 64 million Americans, or 38% of the U.S. workforce, performed freelance work. That stat represents a more than 6% increase – or 4 million workers – over 2022 numbers. And it is expected that number will most likely continue to rise as professionals are re-defining their careers and seeking to prioritize work-life balance.

While being a freelancer or independent contractor sounds enticing, there are some pitfalls, one of the most significant is remaining organized and creating a manageable workflow when balancing more than one client. Keeping track of all you have to do, for whom, and by when can be akin to juggling chainsaws IF you do not put some time and intentionality into mapping out your freelance path. Here are some tips for managing your freelance workday so that you lose the stress and do not lose your mind.

1. Define your client profile

Who is your ideal client? What services do they require and what services do you want to provide? In the beginning of your freelance journey, you may be tempted to take any and all work that comes your way. That is not necessarily a bad thing. You may not be sure what work you actually want to do as a freelancer, so testing out different menus of service can help you narrow your focus. Plus, if you are worried about paying the bills, it cannot hurt to take on everything until you can build the business doing only the things you want to do.

As make time to narrow your scope, though, take a look at the entire potential client pool and determine with whom you would prefer to work. Is it large corporations that get the blood flowing, or would you prefer to work with nonprofits, or start-ups, or other solo practitioners? Create the ideal client profile and then begin to cultivate the relationships and networks necessary to attract more of them until your entire practice is nothing but people with whom you want to work.

2. Identify your capacity

Again, in the beginning you will most likely jump in with both feet and take on everything that comes your way. Unfortunately, that can lead you to having more work than you can handle. Sure, the money is good, but now you are getting only three hours of sleep a night and your bloodshot eyes are starting to scare your friends.

It may take some time to get a feel for how much you can and cannot handle, so give yourself some grace while you are figuring it out. And when you do figure out what your max capacity is, do not hesitate to say “no” to new work if it will push you too hard or will not help you accomplish your goals of being a successful – and happy – freelancer.

3. Create a scope of work for each client

It is important to talk with your client, and then confirm in writing (preferably in a formal and signed independent contractor agreement) what you will and will not do within the relationship. Both parties should know what to expect from the other, and it should be clear, with no ambiguity.

A client could say to you, “We need you to help with our newsletter.” To you that means you will be part of a team, writing a few pieces, doing some editing, helping bring it to completion. To the client that could mean design it, write it, edit it, and market it by yourself. The scope of work for each of those is quite different, and entering your agreement with such vague parameters is a recipe for disappointment on both sides. It is always best to clearly define and agree to the expectations for both you and your client before you even begin, and there are numerous templates on the Internet that will help you create a work agreement that works for you.

4. Use a master calendar and color code clients

I have multiple clients. Three of them have given me my own email addresses and calendar accounts with their organizations. Every day, I am monitoring those three inboxes and calendars as well as my own email address and calendar that I use for other clients. I learned early on to color code each client, make sure all of my emails are accessible from a single app on my phone, and that the different calendars all sync to one central calendar, each appointment color-coded by client. With everything automatically downloading to the master calendar, I need only look in one place for my schedule, and the color coding gives me immediate information on which appointment goes with which client. My calendar looks like a prism, but it works.

Even if you do not have to deal with multiple emails and calendars, it is a good idea to be able to differentiate at a glance between clients as well as between your professional and your personal appointments. It helps quiet the chaos.

5. Create an organized workspace

Albert Einstein is credited with saying, “If a cluttered desk is a sign of a cluttered mind, of what, then, is an empty desk a sign of?”

The definition of “organized workspace” here is going to be loose. Each person has preferences on how they like their desk to be set up. Some folks have all their files hanging neatly in a row, with beautifully labeled tabs that would warm the hearts of librarians the world over. Other folks need everything within reach and sight, with piles upon piles stacked high. Many of us are somewhere in between.

The point of an organized workspace is not to fit someone else’s mold but rather to fit you, your style, and your needs. You must identify how you like to work, what makes you most productive, and then go with that.

How do you know what works for you? It is pretty simple. If you feel that you know where everything is and you are not losing track of tasks or deadlines, you are probably pretty organized. Conversely, if every day feels like a game of Jumanji and you fear that if you get lost one more time trying to navigate your desk you may never be found – well, that is not working for you.

The key to an organized workspace is setting it up so you know where everything is, you do not feel stressed sitting there, it aids your productivity and does not hinder it, and it is free of distractions that may take you away from getting your tasks done.

6. Consider using productivity tools

I have always been a list-maker. Paper and pen. That is how I got things done.

Well, that was before I embarked on my freelance journey, secured several clients, and was juggling an extremely busy and complex schedule. I figured out pretty quickly I needed to get serious.

You can still use paper and pen if it works for you. When that stopped working for me, I started using the “task” feature on my calendar, but I quickly outgrew it. I could not assign tasks and projects to clients and sorting and categorizing was problematic. I recently started using a more robust project management tool that allows me to color code and differentiate between clients. (Apparently, I love color-coding.) So far this is working fairly well, and I feel I am managing things better. Plus, it has a phone app so I can always see – and add to – my tasks at any time.

I am also using a time tracking app that is always running in the background. I go to it several times a day and categorize each block of time by project and client, which just takes a minute. It makes billing so much easier when I can refer to one place for a list of what I did when, and I do not have to try to recreate my hour-by-hour work performance from memory.

Some of those more sophisticated tools do charge subscription fees – from very reasonable to “not ready to spend that much yet.” Though, several of those have free versions of their platforms that will not have as many features as the paid versions but will give you a taste. My time tracking app has a free version which I use, and it is working just fine for me. If the system you are considering does not have a free version, most of the project and time management apps I investigated (and I investigated a lot of them) offer free trials so you can try before you buy.

Bottom line, like your workspace, do what works for you. Old school to high-tech – your options are many. Whatever you do, use a tool that is easy for you to learn and makes you feel less stressed. If you want to throw your computer across the room every time you try to enter a task or download a report, that is not the tool for you.

7. Outsource when you can

If you have so much work that you cannot keep up, maybe it is time to ask for help. While this step can involve a cash outlay on your part, it does not have to be cost-prohibitive. Can you find an intern who needs a few hours a week and some experience? Can you outsource some of the repetitive tasks to free yourself up for your bread-and-butter work?

Sometimes, you will have agreements with clients that say you cannot outsource any of your work for them, and you should always respect that. They may be giving you access to proprietary information that should be kept confidential. In cases like these, outsource the tasks that have nothing to do with your clients – social media posting, bookkeeping, appointment making, envelope stuffing, Internet research, etc. When you free yourself from the backroom operations of running your freelance business, you open up time in your schedule to secure new business. After all, time is money, and you can earn more money (and pay for the outsourcing) if you have more time.

8. Communicate effectively with clients

The heart of every relationship – whether personal or professional – lies within the communication that happens among individuals. Wars have been fought over mere misunderstandings.

So, make sure you are communicating clearly and concisely with your clients. Give them regular updates. Ask appropriate questions. Provide feedback to let them know you heard and understood them.

Be careful, though, in your communication not to hit them with a barrage. If you are sending an email every time you have a thought, they may stop reading them.

I like to send summaries to my clients when I have reached a stopping point and need more information from them. Each summary shares what has been done, what needs to be done, and what I need from them (or questions I need answered) before I can proceed. This seems to work well because it gives them a checklist all in one place (rather than making them hunt through multiple emails), and it documents for me what I have done and why I am unable to move forward (a good CYA).

9. Begin and end each day with a review

This is easy. Start each day by reviewing your task list and your calendar for the day, and end by looking at what you need to accomplish tomorrow (and with whom you need to meet). Often my day gets off track and I have to deviate from the list. But you would be surprised how many mornings I have looked at my calendar and realized that I would have completely forgotten about a meeting or a deadline if I had not done my morning review.

10. Practice self-care

If you are juggling a lot in your work life AND trying to balance it with your personal life, you know just how tiring that can be. Make sure to build some time into each day to take care of YOU. That might mean taking a walk, doing some yoga, taking a nap, talking to a friend for a few minutes, making sure you get all of your doctor appointments scheduled, reading a book for fun, or just sitting in a chair and listening to great music. If you burn out you will be no good to anyone.

The freelance journey brings many rewards, as well as several challenges – like balancing a diverse client portfolio. You will find that it takes a little practice and some trial-and-error until you find a system that works best for you. As you are testing possible solutions, remember that you are not trying to fit into someone else’s work style. This system has to work for you and no one else. As long as you are feeling less stress and you are accomplishing all you seek to accomplish, that is all that matters. You need to remember to take care of yourself so that you can take care of your clients.