Having too much on your plate is a good problem. Yes good, but I place the emphasis on problem for a reason. A sudden influx of clients and/or work needs to be addressed and dealt with head-on, or you will find yourself giving your clients just enough time to have an opportunity to yell at you.
- Schedule everything. Even just a block of a few hours to work on a project uninterrupted. All appointments need to become sacred, even those with yourself. Don’t be afraid to let your clients know when and for how long you’ll be working for them.
- Be honest. Share your frustration with your clients, make sure they understand that although they are important so too are your other clients.
- Communicate often, even if you have nothing or little to report. Letting people who are expecting results know you care about them and that they are on your mind helps. Avoiding someone who you owe work often just exacerbates the problem and escalates the frustration.
- Say No - I have to force myself to say no, it’s so much easier to say maybe and deal with the fallout later, but if you put your foot down both your client and your psyche will be better of in the long run.
- Plan Ahead - If you can track the rise in demand, you might be able to predict the peak that will come after the next equally inevitable valley. The only way to ensure long term happiness and success is to address spikes well before they happen.
