Do you have too many clients and not enough time? Past-you no doubt envies your position. There was probably a time where you struggled to get clients or enough of them to make a living, but now things are on the way up and it’s a great position to be in.

However, it can be stressful when work threatens to overwhelm you and you don’t have a team to fall back on. Here are some ways you can juggle several clients at once.

Use project management software

Keep all your projects, tasks and deadlines organised with project management software. Asana is a popular choice and it’s not just for teams. Individuals can use it no problem.

You can create tasks (with comments, links, attachments and due dates) which can then be added to different projects and calendars. This gives you a clear overview of all the work you need to do and when.

Get smart about your daily schedule

Managing your time is all about getting smart with your schedule. If you are naturally more productive in the morning, make sure you schedule your more creative or demanding work then, so you get the most out of the day.

Another way to get more time out of your day is to track where you’re spending it. There will be little bits of “dead time” throughout the day, perhaps spent waiting for something or just procrastinating on Instagram. Get into the habit of recognising these, and use that time more effectively. A few minutes here and there add up to a significant part of your day if you’re not careful.

Don’t be afraid to outsource

Outsourcing is something a lot of freelancers are hesitant to do. It’s understandable. You’ve worked hard to get these clients, so of course you want to keep all the money. But remember, if you’re simply juggling too much to the point where you physically can’t complete the work at the standard you would usually, then outsourcing is a good idea.

Outsourcing to another freelancer is always a good move because you don’t have to commit in the same way as you would when hiring an employee. They’ll be able to cover during your busy periods, and you get to maintain the reputation for reliability and quality you’ve spent so long building.

Bonus tip: Raise your rates to keep your client list manageable

While this won’t help you complete more work, it could go a long way in making your workload more manageable.

If you find you have lots of clients paying low rates, no wonder you’re burnt out. Ideally, you should be getting higher rates for less work (more time and money).

This is the dream but it can be hard to move towards this working method. Many of us are wary of raising our rates in case it loses us work, but in this scenario, that’s sort of the point. The logic is, you won’t need as many clients if you’re charging them higher rates (and so maybe then you’ll be able to take a break).

We hope these quick tips can help you in your slightly-frazzled state. There are ways to work around being busy as a freelancer without giving up the work. However, it’s important to recognise when you can’t do it all yourself and need to get help.

How do you manage your time and workload as a freelancer? Let us know your tips and tricks in the comments.