How are your time management skills as a freelancer? If you’re struggling, you’ll be glad to know there are time management tools available to help freelance writers turn chaos into organizational prowess.
Without structure, days vanish in a haze of emails, social media, research, and task switching. This is a drain, delaying assignment delivery and potentially risking income!
Between client projects, deadlines, marketing and a never-ending to-do list, staying on top of the day to day may feel impossible. But it’s not! Keep reading to discover 15 strategies and tools to transform the daily grind into a productive, sustainable freelance workflow.
Time management tools and others, such as project management tools and social media management tools, help content creators balance juggling multiple clients with real life.
During a Freelance Writers Den discussion, members described struggles fitting in marketing while meeting deadlines, handling family duties and protecting self-care. Packed schedules often push marketing aside, causing freelancers to spend valuable time on repetitive tasks instead of growth strategies.
The Den group recommended project management features, collaboration tools and time tracking to organize manageable tasks, support team projects and deliver detailed reports.
Below, we’ve listed our favorites to help you measure progress and block our distractions so you can make more money writing.
Calendly
Calendly is a scheduling and time management tool that helps people manage scheduling meetings without the hassle of going back and forth in email. This productivity tool lets users share their availability, allowing clients and collaborators to book meetings during open time slots.
Calendly is a superb time management tool because it helps reduce time spent setting up meetings, helping writers focus on money-making activities. The intuitive interface and calendar integration of this solution improve team collaboration and task progress.
With features like setting reminders and managing multiple schedules, Calendly helps freelancers stay organized and on schedule across different time zones and projects. Available on mobile devices and desktops, it’s a valuable management tool for streamlining communication and keeping project progress on track.
Google Calendar
Google Calendar is a powerful time management tool that helps writers schedule interviews, set reminders and organize daily tasks with ease. This popular calendar app syncs with mobile devices and communication tools like Slack, providing timely notifications to keep writers on track.
With features like time blocking and color-coded events, Google Calendar helps prioritize important tasks to boost productivity. Integration with tools like Calendly further streamlines scheduling and team collaboration.
Google Calendar’s intuitive interface makes it easy to track progress on projects and stay focused on deadlines. It helps freelance writers and small teams manage their time entry and daily tasks effectively, ensuring valuable time is used efficiently across multiple projects.
Toggl Track
Toggl Track is a simple time tracking app that helps freelance writers and small teams log time spent on daily tasks and projects. With just a click of the play button, users can start tracking time on specific tasks and organize projects by client for streamlined and accurate project time tracking.
Toggl’s intuitive interface supports billable hours tracking and detailed timesheets, helping writers and project managers see how much time is spent on brainstorming, drafting and editing. The app’s reminders and time log features help avoid bad habits like forgetting to track time, improving time management and tracking task progress.
Integration with other productivity tools enhances team collaboration and project progress. Toggl’s detailed reports give in-depth insight into time spent, supporting better planning and tracking of important tasks.
SmartSuite
SmartSuite is a top time management tool for freelance writers and content teams. This all-in-one project management tool offers task management, project time tracking and time tracking software to help measure progress and manage daily tasks easily. The simple interface supports manageable tasks, Kanban boards and priority levels, helping writers organize their to-do list and stay focused.
SmartSuite’s native time tracking app automatically records time spent on billable hours and creates detailed timesheets and time logs, making it simple to separate billable from non-billable work. Team collaboration improves with built-in communication tools like group chats, task comments and @mentions, boosting team productivity.
Key features for project management include project phases, milestones, file attachments and version control, all supported by detailed reports and project progress dashboards. With unlimited users and mobile device support, SmartSuite helps small teams streamline workflows, block distracting websites and automate repetitive tasks—a user-friendly management tool for better employee time and task entry.
Trello
Trello is a versatile project management tool that helps freelance writers and small teams manage editorial workflows using Kanban boards. This time management tool organizes daily tasks visually with boards, lists, and cards, making it easy to monitor progress and focus on the most important tasks.
Trello’s beginner-friendly interface supports task management with customizable fields, to-do lists and priority levels. Writers can create manageable tasks, set reminders and use time tracking tools through Power-ups—integrations that improve project time tracking and automate repetitive tasks.
Collaboration tools enable real-time communication, note-taking and easy file attachments, boosting team productivity and supporting project progress. Trello connects with other apps such as Google Docs, Slack and Evernote to streamline workflows across desktop and mobile devices.
Trello’s flexible project management features include calendar, timeline and dashboard views, helping writers stay focused and block distracting websites.
Asana
Asana is a strong project management tool designed for medium to large editorial teams. This time management software combines task management, time tracking, and collaboration tools to keep project progress on track.
Writers and managers can use customizable templates to collect client info, detailed task lists with dependencies and time blocking to manage time spent on daily tasks. Asana’s project management features include work portfolios that organize multiple projects, showing a detailed view of content status, deadlines and milestones.
Team collaboration improves with task assignments, comments and integrations with popular apps like Slack, Dropbox and Google Calendar. Automatic tracking of billable hours and detailed reports help teams manage resources and avoid bad habits like losing track of repetitive tasks.
Asana’s intuitive interface works best for teams needing full control over task progress and employee time entry.
ClickUp
ClickUp is a flexible project management tool for large editorial teams that need a customizable interface to manage complex projects. This time management software combines task management, time tracking tools and collaboration features to boost team productivity and streamline workflows.
Writers can track project progress with Gantt charts, Kanban boards and calendar views. Custom fields, dependencies and task comments help manage important daily tasks and priority levels. ClickUp’s whiteboards provide a virtual space to plan workflows and map task progress.
Built-in time tracking apps support automatic tracking, time entry and detailed timesheets, making it easy to separate billable hours and track time spent on each task. With mobile device support and integrations with favorite productivity tools, teams can stay focused and manage employee time from anywhere.
ClickUp supports unlimited users and offers detailed reports, making it a user-friendly project management tool for automating repetitive tasks and keeping the bigger picture in view.
Todoist
Todoist is a straightforward task management tool perfect for freelance writers and small teams looking to organize daily tasks and improve productivity. The intuitive interface lets users create manageable tasks, set priority levels and build detailed to-do lists to track progress and focus on the most important tasks.
Features like due dates, reminders and task comments help avoid bad habits such as procrastination and multitasking. Integration with popular apps like Google Calendar, Gmail and Slack supports smooth communication and collaboration tools within team projects.
Available on mobile devices, desktops and web, Todoist supports time blocking and task scheduling, making time management easier. While it lacks additional features for project management, Todoist’s simplicity and extra productivity tools make it a favorite app for personal use and small teams.
Clockify
Clockify is a comprehensive time tracker that combines project management and team collaboration tools. It offers unlimited users, making it perfect for freelancers and small teams managing multiple client projects.
With Clockify, writers can track time spent on each project and task, organize daily tasks, and maintain detailed timesheets. The platform’s project time tracking and task management features help measure progress and billable hours accurately.
Clockify provides detailed reports and analytics that show how valuable time is allocated across projects, helping users avoid bad habits and focus on the most important tasks.
Notion
Notion is a flexible project management platform with a user-friendly interface, ideal for individual writers and small editorial teams. Notion’s customizable workspace combines task management, note-taking and collaboration tools to create a centralized hub for writing projects and educational resources.
Writers can organize daily tasks and to-do lists using Kanban boards, Gallery, List or Timeline views to track project progress and focus on the most important tasks. Notion’s native formulas and functions automate task updates, supporting smooth time blocking and project time tracking.
Collaboration tools boost team productivity with shared documents, tagging and feedback features, while detailed reports and time logs help monitor time spent and employee time entry. Integration with favorite apps enables seamless workflow management across mobile devices and desktops.
Monday.com
Monday.com is a comprehensive project management solution designed for writing teams seeking advanced reporting and customizable workflows. This platform combines managing tasks, tracking time and automation to help editorial teams plan resources, manage budgets and track project progress efficiently.
With a simple interface, Monday.com allows teams to break projects into manageable tasks, organize to-do lists and set priority levels. The no-code automation builder automates repetitive tasks, sends reminders and updates status in real time, boosting team productivity and helping writers stay focused on the most important tasks.
Portfolio management features provide a detailed view of multiple projects, enabling project managers to allocate employee time and monitor task progress through Gantt charts, Kanban boards and timeline views.
Custom feedback forms streamline communication between clients and writers, while integrations with popular productivity tools enhance collaboration and simplify workflow.
Wave Accounting
While not a time management tool per se, Wave Accounting helps freelancers and small teams organize invoices, expenses and payments efficiently. This user-friendly platform helps writers create professional invoices with custom logos and brand colors, making billing look polished and trustworthy.
With Wave’s mobile app, tracking expenses is easy—users can take pictures of receipts and keep detailed records for taxes and budgeting. The software supports managing billable hours, time entry and generating detailed reports, giving freelancers a full view of their finances and cash flow.
Wave Accounting helps freelance writers stay on top of their business tasks by streamlining invoicing and payment tracking, reducing time spent on repetitive financial tasks.
Google Docs
Google Docs is a user-friendly collaboration tool that helps writers and teams manage tasks and projects together. It allows easy note-taking, task lists and sharing documents with clients or team members.
With features like real-time comments and suggestions, Google Docs improves team collaboration and communication tools. The platform’s version history tracks task progress and lets users restore deleted content, keeping important work safe.
Google Docs supports managing daily tasks and smaller tasks with a highly intuitive interface accessible on mobile devices and desktops. It helps writers stay focused, organize valuable time and avoid bad habits like losing track of repetitive tasks.
Integrations with other favorite apps make it easy to connect workflows, manage time and track project progress efficiently.
Teamwork
Teamwork excels as a comprehensive project management solution combining time management with client operations, tailored for content marketing agencies and freelance writers managing multiple clients. This platform offers robust project management features alongside client onboarding, budget planning and time tracking to streamline workflows.
Writers and project managers benefit from collaboration tools such as built-in messaging, comments and mentions, which facilitate communication and client approvals. The intuitive interface supports task management, enabling teams to measure progress on daily tasks and manage important deadlines efficiently.
Teamwork’s time tracking app monitors billable hours and time spent, generating detailed timesheets and invoices directly within the platform. Project reporting features include burndown charts, profitability reports and resource allocation insights, helping teams maintain high productivity and avoid bad habits like losing track of repetitive tasks.
RescueTime
RescueTime is a time tracking tool that runs in the background on your computer and mobile device. It automatically tracks time spent on writing and other daily tasks, giving detailed reports on how time is used.
With this time management tool, writers can see how much time is spent on distractions like social media and set limits to block distractions. The app’s productivity scores and activity reports help track progress and improve time management.
This time tracking software makes it easy to monitor billable hours, avoid bad habits, and stay focused on important tasks. The simple interface and automatic tracking help freelancers and teams manage employee time and task entry more efficiently.
AppBlock
AppBlock is a productivity and time management tool that helps writers stay focused by blocking distracting websites and mobile apps during scheduled times. The user-friendly interface allows setting custom blocks, including strict modes that prevent uninstalling the app or bypassing restrictions, ideal for avoiding bad habits and staying on task.
By limiting access to social media and messaging apps, AppBlock supports time management and time blocking, helping freelance writers protect valuable time for important and daily tasks. The app’s schedule and reminder features keep users on track, improving task progress and overall project productivity.
Available on mobile devices, AppBlock works well for individuals who need help managing repetitive distractions and maintaining focus in both personal use and team projects.
How to manage your time as a writer
Just because you’ve got a new time management tool to play with doesn’t mean you’re automatically going to become a productive freelance writer. You’ve got to put some practices into place that go along with tech tools to get results. Here’s a list of helpful time-management tips from our Freelance Writers Den insiders.
Block time for important tasks
Use time blocking to schedule daily tasks like writing, pitching, marketing and client calls. Track time spent on each task to improve your estimates and build a manageable to-do list.
Turn off notifications
Minimize distractions by disabling alerts on your mobile device and computer. This helps you stay focused and avoid bad habits that reduce team productivity and personal output.
Use task management tools
Leverage project management solutions like Trello or Todoist to organize your task list, set priority levels and track task progress visually using Kanban boards or lists.
Work from dedicated spaces
Change your environment to increase focus. Consider co-working spaces or quiet cafes to separate work from home distractions, helping maintain valuable time and reduce interruptions.
Set reminders and deadlines
Utilize reminders in your time tracking app or calendar tools like Google Calendar to keep on top of daily tasks and prevent procrastination.
Track billable hours and time logs
Use time tracking software such as Toggl or Clockify to log billable hours and analyze how you spend your working day, improving future scheduling and project time tracking.
Automate repetitive tasks
Apply automation through platforms like SmartSuite or Monday.com to handle routine actions, saving time for creative work and improving team collaboration.
Prioritize smaller tasks
Break larger projects into smaller tasks and tackle the most important tasks first, ensuring steady project progress without feeling overwhelmed.
Use collaboration and communication tools
Stay connected with editors, clients or teammates via integrated communication tools to get quick feedback and keep all project updates centralized.
Review and adjust regularly
Analyze detailed reports from your time tracking tools to spot inefficiencies and refine your time management strategy continually. Also, consider using AI writing tools and proofreading tools to save even more time!
Work smarter, not harder
Mastering time management is essential for writers who want to boost productivity and meet deadlines consistently. Using the right project management solution and productivity tools helps streamline workflows, organize daily tasks and manage billable hours effectively.
Whether you prefer simple apps for managing tasks or advanced platforms with automation and detailed reports, the key is to find what fits your style and team size. Stay consistent, review your progress, and keep improving. By working smarter, not harder, with these tools and strategies, you’ll enhance your writing career and enjoy better control over your time and projects.
FAQs
What are the 5 Ps of time management?
The 5 Ps of time management include Prioritize, Plan, Prepare, Perform and Pause. These key features help writers and teams stay focused on important tasks by building a clear to-do list and managing daily tasks efficiently.
- Prioritizing ensures manageable tasks receive attention first
- Planning involves scheduling and using time-blocking techniques
- Preparation readies resources
- Perform focuses on executing tasks
- Pause prevents burnout by managing valuable time
These principles support better management of tasks and improve overall project progress with the right tools.
What is the 7-8-9 rule for time management?
The 7-8-9 rule suggests allocating seven hours for work, eight hours for sleep and nine hours for personal time daily. This balance helps maintain productivity and avoid bad habits like overworking or multitasking. Using time management tools and a project management solution can help track time spent on tasks, ensuring the 7-8-9 balance is respected. By managing time and setting priority levels, writers can stay focused, improve team productivity and optimize their daily tasks effectively.
What is the 6-12-6 rule for time management?
The 6-12-6 rule breaks the day into three blocks: six hours for work, 12 hours for personal life and rest and six hours for sleep. This method promotes a healthy work-life balance, supporting better focus on the most important tasks during work hours. Freelancers can utilize time tracking apps and software to monitor time entry and time spent, ensuring that valuable time is not wasted on distractions. Integrating collaboration tools and task lists helps maintain project progress and manage repetitive tasks efficiently.
If you want to move up and earn more as a freelance writer, learning how to manage your time, set priorities and avoid distractions can dramatically improve your productivity and earning potential. Create a plan, use these time-management tools and get to work.
Evan Jensen is a past editor for Make a Living Writing. When he’s not on a writing deadline or catching up on emails, he’s training to run another 100-mile ultra-marathon.
This is an updated version of a story that was previously published. We update our posts as often as possible to ensure they’re useful for our readers.