As a freelancer, incorporating a task management tool that fits your work style is crucial to your level of efficiency in your business.
For example, if you’re a highly visual person, you’ll want tools that support your need to have charts, graphs and calendar views vs. someone who thrives when they’re able to analyze data and numbers-driven information while executing a project.
If you aren’t sure how you work best, don’t worry! Once you join the freedom economy as an independent contractor and take on more and more projects, your work style will become really obvious over time.
If you’re just starting out as a freelancer, read through these different work styles and give yourself some time to figure out how you might prefer to manage projects, communicate with clients and get things done.
Task Management Tools for the Introvert
Although it may surprise you, introverts often make fantastic freelancers!
By definition, introverts “draw energy from their internal world of ideas, emotions, and impressions.” Because freelancing allows you the freedom to work from wherever you prefer and often whenever you choose, introverts can create the quiet, focused work environment they need to do their best work.
Introverts are also usually self-motivated and don’t mind working in solitude for hours on end (when they need to). However, they may struggle with the more social aspects of freelancing, such as client communications and collecting payment.
These 2 task management tools will be an introvert’s best friends:
- A comprehensive client management platform: the more communication you can execute (or automate) within the framework of your software system and collaboration tools, the fewer phone conversations and email exchanges you’ll need to do with people. Bingo!
- An automated invoicing system: by sending invoices via an organized, professional software program, you’ll avoid those awkward conversations with your clients about payment. A great system will also allow you to send reminders about overdue payments with the click of a button.
Task and Project Management Tools Tailored for the Extrovert
In stark contrast to an introvert, the extrovert “feel(s) most energized and alive when around people. The more, the better… (they) draw strength from the multitudes.”
If you thrive off of connecting with different types of people in various settings and atmospheres, this probably describes your personality. Extroverts make phenomenal freelancers because they aren’t afraid to put themselves in social settings such as networking events or client meetings. They also thrive and draw inspiration from their interactions with their team members, clients and other freelancers.
Collaboration tools and features extroverts should look for:
- Team collaboration tools: If you love working with others and enjoy receiving their feedback on your work, it’s important for you to have a system that allows you to easily connect with people. Seek out a task management tool that offers the option for collaborating and interacting with everyone on your team – from clients to subcontractors – to comment on tasks and projects.
- Seamless file uploading: Collaboration tools should let you easily share information and files with team members and clients by making the uploading and storing of project data easy. Whether that’s via a video conferencing app, or simply a document storage system is up to you.
Tools to Help the Highly Visual Person Stay on Track
If you’re a visual learner and often find yourself drawing out your plans and strategies, there are some awesome tools and apps for you to take advantage of within your freelance business!
As a creative thinker, you probably want to see tasks, team member’s workloads, upcoming deadlines and more in a graph form rather than a lengthy Word doc or Google Doc. A task management tool should help you better visualize the scope of your project in the way you prefer to see it, creating clarity – not clutter – in your day to day workflow.
Ways to visualize task management:
- Gantt Charts: Someone who is more visual may benefit from this tool, as it offers bar graphs and color-coding options to demonstrate due dates, task assignments and more.
- Time trackers: Project management tools like time trackers let you easily keep track of where your time is going by organizing your time spent throughout your workday into various graphics, charts and even invoices.
Fluff-Free Tools for The Numbers-Driven Person
Is data your thing? If color-coded bar graphs just don’t do it for you, opt for collaboration tools that give you exactly what you want to see, like up-to-date project stats in the form of percentages, open/closed task ratios and more.
Numbers-driven insights that will help analytical people:
- Clearly organized tasks and projects: If a simple spreadsheet with due dates helps you feel more organized, I’m totally with you. A task management tool should offer you an overview of how many open tasks there are on your project, when your next deadline is coming and how far away you are to completion.
- Better budgeting: Why not find a platform that lets you see how far off you are on your projected budget and where your resources have been allocated? A task management tool that includes invoicing features will help you do just that!
Start Using a Task Management Tool That Fits Your Personality Type
Finding and implementing the type of task management tools that help you work more efficiently in your freelance business will allow you to work and communicate more seamlessly. The great news is that there are numerous collaboration tools, project management apps, and teamwork systems that can fit your exact work style.
Once you identify how you prefer to operate in your business, the hard part is done!
From there, you’ll simply want to seek out a system that caters to your working style, whatever that may be. Consider a comprehensive task management system that gives you everything you and your team need in one place, regardless of work styles. Whether that’s keeping the number of times you have to communicate with your clients in a week to a minimum, or finding new ways to connect with your teammates, your freelance website platform should work with your personality in mind.
Additionally, as you execute more and more freelance projects, you’ll identify which collaboration tools allow you to work more seamlessly with other digital nomads, businesses and various types of clients.
Ultimately, how you mesh with the tools you use every day in your business is vital to your long-term success.
