As a freelancer, my daily schedule has a lot of flexibility built into it. I think of myself as an “on-call” designer. It’s certainly an advantage for clients who need after-hours work to meet deadlines, and it allows me to take breaks in the middle of the day for family responsibilities. Working flexible hours has its perks, but some days feel like I’m being pulled in a million directions. Staying organized is a key skill for keeping up with clients’ demands.
I use two organizational tools: my email inbox and my daily project list. Each day, I make a list of the “must-do” items for that day. I prioritize all requests by first-come, first-serve, and by urgency. I try to handle quick revisions earlier in the day, to give clients time for same-day approval. For incoming requests, I add them to the day’s list only if they’re urgent, or if the client is ready for print files. Otherwise, I flag them for the next day. If I’m in the midst of an urgent project, I do not answer my phone. Ignoring communication is difficult, but necessary for staying on task.
Some days work out more smoothly than others, but I always make a point to finish my daily list before calling it a night. With this method, I can usually keep my turnaround time at 1-2 business days. Plus, anytime I’m pulled away and come back to my desk, I can easily focus on what’s next.
Planning Website Content
We all want an awesome website, one that sings our praises and showcases our skills. It only takes a few minutes of browsing to drool over snazzy competitor sites and inspire yourself to register a domain name of your own. But how do you transform that into a compelling website? If you feel overwhelmed about where to start, take some time to plan it out.
1. Review similar sites
Yes, drool over those snazzy sites! And while you’re there, take notes on what you like about them, what works and what you’d like your site to do differently.
2. Make a list
List the main navigation buttons you’d like to include. Try to keep it between 5-7. More than that becomes overwhelming to your viewers.
3. Check it twice
Look through your navigation list for redundancies or similarities, and see if you can combine any topics into subcategories.
4. Outline time
Now go through each main navigation title and outline the content for those sections: introductory text, bullet points, sublevel links, photos, and other desired functionality. Gather any additional content you have, and organize it by navigation topics.
Whether you’re creating your own website, or working with a designer, planning the content from the beginning leads to a much smoother development process.
1. Review similar sites
Yes, drool over those snazzy sites! And while you’re there, take notes on what you like about them, what works and what you’d like your site to do differently.
2. Make a list
List the main navigation buttons you’d like to include. Try to keep it between 5-7. More than that becomes overwhelming to your viewers.
3. Check it twice
Look through your navigation list for redundancies or similarities, and see if you can combine any topics into subcategories.
4. Outline time
Now go through each main navigation title and outline the content for those sections: introductory text, bullet points, sublevel links, photos, and other desired functionality. Gather any additional content you have, and organize it by navigation topics.
Whether you’re creating your own website, or working with a designer, planning the content from the beginning leads to a much smoother development process.
Small Business Shout Out!
As a self-employed person, I like to support small businesses! Many of my clients are local, small businesses as well. I’d like to highlight some of them here, thanking them for their vision and dedication to success:
E. S. Systems, Inc.
Software development, web design and hosting, data solutions
Blue Iguana Car Wash
New car wash at Sunshine & Glenstone, opening soon!
Nelson Sportswear
Screenprinting and embroidery
Boost Models
Staffing and models for special events and photo shoots
If you have an idea for starting a small business, I strongly encourage you to believe in yourself and make it happen! Develop a plan and follow it, even if it takes small steps and a long time. Pursuing your dreams is challenging, but extremely fulfilling!
E. S. Systems, Inc.
Software development, web design and hosting, data solutions
Blue Iguana Car Wash
New car wash at Sunshine & Glenstone, opening soon!
Nelson Sportswear
Screenprinting and embroidery
Boost Models
Staffing and models for special events and photo shoots
If you have an idea for starting a small business, I strongly encourage you to believe in yourself and make it happen! Develop a plan and follow it, even if it takes small steps and a long time. Pursuing your dreams is challenging, but extremely fulfilling!
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