Late payments and frustrating clients are common concerns for freelancers. 

But they both fall under the “administrative” umbrella—a long list of tasks freelancers need to complete to ensure their businesses are well-oiled and performing well.

In fact, it often feels like freelancers are doing more admin than paid work, and this might be frustrating if you’re not very organized or simply hate boring, repetitive jobs (hey, I get it!)

In this blog, we’re exploring if being a freelance is worth suffering through the extra admin tasks you wouldn’t do in an in-house job. Let’s get into it. 

How Much Time Do Freelancers Spend on Admin?

Sadly, there’s no clear answer to this question. 

The amount of time freelancers spend on admin depends on their niche, the number of clients they have, and whether they use admin software or work with a virtual assistant.  

According to Reddit answers, some freelancers spend three hours a day doing admin, whereas others say they only do 30 minutes of non-billable work per week in busy periods. 

I’m a freelance writer, and I spend around one hour daily on administrative or non-billable tasks. These include replying to emails, sending invoices, using my accounting software, sending pitches, and networking on Linkedin. 

In quieter times, I’ll spend more time on admin. For example, I’ll make sure all expenses are filed and prepare my taxes. I’ll also do more cold outreach and book networking calls with other freelancers.

But I’ll admit, these are the first to go when I get busy again. And so the cycle repeats!

Is Being Freelance Worth It?

As a freelancer, you usually see your time in terms of billable hours. So naturally, you want to spend as little time as possible doing “unpaid” admin tasks.

However, these tasks are a necessary evil — without them, your business wouldn’t run efficiently, and you’d be stuffed when tax day arrives!

So, I would say yes, freelancing is worth the extra admin tasks. 

While you’re not directly paid for these tasks, they pay off in terms of a flourishing business and long-term clients. Without doing them, you wouldn’t be free to be your own boss and earn money on your terms. 

The only case where I’d say freelancing isn’t worth it is if you really struggle with organization. 

For example, failing to do your taxes or not networking can lead to headaches in the future. But there are systems and software that can help you with these tasks — and we’ll get into them below.

How To Manage the Freelance Admin Tasks

From cold outreach to taxes, navigating the world of freelance admin can be messy. Here are some potential strategies to help you streamline your administrative time.

1. Make a master list

The thought of admin is enough to make anyone stressed. I’ve found that a simple list is the best way to tackle it. 

Make one master list of the most critical tasks, such as invoices, expenses, emails, and networking. 

Whenever you feel overwhelmed, touch base with this task and go through each category. Hopefully, this will put everything into perspective — it does for me, anyway!

2. Embrace software

It took me a long time to use software for freelance admin. 

Don’t ask me why, but I was very resistant to accounting software. I was sure me and my Excel sheet could do it better.

Of course, we couldn’t!
Using a tool (for me, it’s Accountable) revolutionized my invoicing, and it even helps me send my taxes to the government. Awesome.

3. Set time aside every week

How many times have you said you’d do your admin but then pushed it back until next week?

Yup, me too! 

I was a chronic ”pusher-backer” until I finally started adding non-negotiable admin hours into my week. 
This forced me to complete the tasks as soon as possible and prevented them from spilling over into my weekends. Saturdays are so much better without sorting my emails.

4. Consider a VA

If you’re struggling with admin, you can always hire a VA (virtual assistant).

These online professionals will help you with your admin tasks so you can focus on what really matters (i.e., your billable work).

Working with a VA is not a cop-out! So, don’t put this off if you’re finding admin a challenge. 
I have complex opinions on Upwork for freelancers. However, it is a good place to find virtual assistants. You can also find pros by searching on Linkedin.

5. Use quiet periods

Lastly, don’t completely tune out when those quiet times come around. 

Use them to get the bulk of your administrative work done. This way, when you’re booked up again, you won’t have to worry about that mountain of work you’ve turned a blind eye to.

Freelance Admin Tasks – The Takeaway

Don’t be scared of the admin side of freelancing. Embrace it and unleash your true potential.

Okay, that sounds cliche. But it’s unfortunately true. Now go forth, and conquer those spreadsheets!

Or keep learning. Read more advice on the Freelance Balance Blog.