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Last Updated on September 20, 2021 by Work In My Pajamas
There are many things that come into play when working as a freelance project manager which people tend to underestimate, especially those new to the field. It’s not all a piece of cake, and it’s certainly not the dreamy “work from home” lifestyle that some envision it as. That said, it’s definitely a great way to free up a lot of your time and get an opportunity to invest it in something else. But you have to ensure that you have a solid grip on this business, especially on some crucial points.
In This Post:
Understand the Implications of Your Freedom
Working for yourself has some scary implications for your free time. Most people see it the opposite way until they actually face the challenges involved. The knowledge that you can put off a project for later because you know you can still handle it before the deadline can be a slippery slope. It’s easy to find yourself facing a huge pile of unfinished work with short deadlines. There’s also the other extreme – some people just don’t know when it’s time to step away from the keyboard. You may find yourself drifting off to sleep in the evening and then jumping out of bed to do some more work, just because. The key here is to do what every other sensible business does and have a schedule that you actually observe.
Use the Right Optimization Tools
Another downside to this kind of business is that it can sometimes be difficult to see your real progress because you’re often looking at things from a very subjective perspective. As a project manager, you’ll be familiar with the best project management tools out there. Using quality project management software solutions is important, not just for keeping things organized, but for managing all aspects of client projects. The better organized you are, the more successful you will be.
Do You Need a Physical Office?
Sooner or later, you will start thinking about physical expansion. And while this can be a very helpful move, it’s not absolutely necessary for a home-based consultancy business. The main benefits of having a physical office are typically tied to working with customers more effectively and having better access to business services. But unless you have a very specific reason for moving into a dedicated place, you should keep things confined to your own home for now. Converting one of your rooms to a home office is a good middle ground.
You must also remember to be persistent through all of this. There will be times of strong progress, as well as slower periods. And it’s important to keep your head up and keep going no matter what the circumstances are like. This is one of the most important qualities you can develop as a freelance project manager and something that many people wrongly believe themselves to be capable of. That is until they face their first true challenge.
