Over the last 12 years or so, I have done a wide range of freelance work: web development, project management, technical and professional writing, and a variety of other projects too numerous to list or even remember. I have had some periods in my career where I’ve worked as a traditional W-2 employee but the majority of my work has been done as an independent contractor, consultant, freelancer, etc. Learning everything I need to know to be a successful and productive freelancer has been a challenge for me – in fact, I still very much consider myself a work in progress in this regard! Even so, over the years I’ve managed to learn a thing or two and on these pages, I’ll share with you some of the tips, tools, and resources I’ve found that have been helpful to me.
Helpful Tools
Toggl
I’m always looking for tools to help me manage my time more effectively and one of my current favorites is Toggl. Toggl is a simple and straight-forward Internet-based time tracking tool that makes it easy to track time spent working on various projects. It is flexible enough for a wide range of uses but it is particularly well-suited to the needs of freelancers and small groups. It is so simple and intuitive that you can easily have it set up and ready to use in just a few minutes.
All of the basic time tracking and reporting features of Toggl can be used for free by individuals or teams of up to 20 members. Toggl also offers a Premium plan that gives users access to additional features however I don’t have any personal experience with the Premium version – the free version has been more than adequate for my needs.
Besides the fact that it is free, my favorite thing about Toggl is how easy it is to use. You can log in to the website to access your personal workspace where you can click on the timer to track time on various projects or use the reporting feature to run customized reports on your activity. There are also downloadable timer widgets, gadgets that integrate with Gmail or iGoogle, and an embeddable version of the timer that you can place on your website. Since it is Internet-based, it has the added advantage of giving you the ability to access your information anytime and from any computer.
If you are looking for a way to simply and easily track time spent on multiple projects, I highly recommend giving Toggl a try.
Coming Soon
More product reviews, tips, news and information relevant to freelancers, and more. If there is something in particular you’d like to see here, send me an email and let me know.
Thanks for the helpful tip. I’m going to get this.