It's great having lots of work to keep you busy but if you get too busy, your work can start to take a toll on your happiness and health. So, what can you do to keep from getting over worked? Here are a few tips I've been implementing recently to make sure I can easily manage my workload and stay in control of my business (instead of letting my business control me).

1. Figure out approximately how long it takes me to complete any given task.

I've found that at the foundation of building a better workflow is approximating how much time it takes me to complete core tasks. For example, when I am building a website, I know there there are basically 3 major phases I go through before completing the project (your web workflow may be a little more complicated than this, but this is just an example), which are the Designing, Developing and Adding Content. Depending on my clients budget and the scope of their project I'll see how long I'll have to work on each phase and write that number down somewhere (like on the project interview). I apply the same thinking to designing a logo or annual report.

2. Know how long I can work each day and plan accordingly.

Once I've figured out approximately how much time I will need to work on each of my current projects, I am able to map that against how much time I can physically work each day. As Peter Drucker would say, time is the most scarce and valuable resource we have. This gives me a clear picture of what my schedule is going to look like over the next few weeks.

3. Use a calendar to set reminders and stay on-task.

If I didn't use a calendar I'd get lost pretty fast and it would be pretty impossible to keep track of everything I just mentioned above. I enter the time I think it's going to take me to work on specific projects into my calendar and set reminders for tasks and deadlines that notify me via email and my cell phone to make sure things get done. I personally use Google Calendar, but iCal works great too.

Tying It All Together

Figuring out how much time it takes me to complete core tasks and mapping that against my available time gives me a good picture of what's on my plate. If I job opportunity pops up I'll be able to see whether or not I really have time to handle it right now or tell the client when I think I'll be able to take their project on. If they need something quicker than that, I can either consider outsourcing or referring them to another designer, depending on what will suit them best.

One last thing I've found that helps me manage my time better is to let clients know (usually during the quote phase) when I think I can have their project completed or whether or not I can hit their deadline given my current workload. If it's a simple project, I'll give them a hard date. If it's a complex project I'll try to give them a sliding scale (between this and this day). It's very smart to set clear delivery expectations early on.