by A.E. Derby

Created on: February 05, 2007   Last Updated: May 08, 2007

One misconception people have when they first consider working from home, is that once they quit their day jobs, they will have more time. They find out fast, once they kick-start their plans into action and begin living the life of a busy freelance writer, just how wrong they were. A few good clients lead to more paying jobs, which eventually leads many freelancers to more writing job opportunities than time to do the writing. Often, responding to emails and other correspondence can take up an entire afternoon. If your freelance writing career consists of borrowed time while the youngest child naps and the eldest is at school, you're likely to give up from the stress of it all before you have the chance to really begin. The solution? Those dreaded words: time management.

The bottom line is that the writer who manages her time well manages to make more money. Don't fret; time management doesn't have to mean you become a spreadsheet addict or an obsessive "to-do list" maker. The best way to learn how to use your time wisely is to learn who you are, learn how to accept what works for you and what doesn't, and learn how to save time by making the most out of your personality's assets.

Know Your Personality and Don't Waste Your Time on What Doesn't Work for You: If you hate lists, don't make them. If you're the type who makes a list but never refers to it or loses it, don't bother. It's a waste of your time. If you do your best work in organized chaos, then don't waste your time trying to be organized just because you read someplace that keeping a neat workspace will help you save time. If you've tried ten filing systems but still can't find anything, stick with your mess. I know, the time management gurus may cringe; just don't invite them into your office.

Know Your Writing Skills and Speed: If you can crank out ten articles a day and sell them all in a week, more power to you. If you can sell each article you write once and make a great profit off of each and still have the creative juice for more, then stick with that. However, if it takes you three hours to research and write a single article, and you're short on time and inspiration to write as it is, you might want to consider selling your articles to publications which will allow you to re-sell your articles. This way, you can write one article and sell it over and over again. You'll make more money this way over time, and you'll save yourself some time, too.

Know Which Markets Would Benefit You Best: If you

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